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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

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CIHM/ICMH 

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Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions 


Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


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Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


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D 


D 
D 


n 


Coloured  covers/ 
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I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


□ 


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Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  reduction  indiquA  ci-dessous. 

lOX  14X  18X  22X 


y 


12X 


16X 


20X 


26X 


30X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


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first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
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method: 


L'exemplaire  film6  f ut  reproduit  grAce  d  la 
g6n6rosit6  de: 

La  bibliothdque  des  Archives 
publiques  du  Canada 

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filmage. 

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papier  est  imprimde  sont  film6s  en  commengant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
origiriaux  sont  film^s  en  commenpant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN  ". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  §tre 
film6s  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diffArents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichA.  il  est  filmA  A  partir 
de  I'angle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas.  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

«Sr 


»-^'», 


^ 


THE    WORKS 


or 


HUBERT  HOWE  BAA^CROFT. 


THE    WORKS 


OF 


HUBERT  HOWE  BANCROFT. 


VOLUME  XXVII. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  COAST. 

Vol.  I.     1543-1800. 


SAN  FRANCISCO  : 

A.  L.  BANCROFT  &  COMPANY,  PUBLISHERS. 

1884. 


rntorod  acconling  to  Act  of  Congress  in  tljo  Year  18^1,  l.y 

HUBERT  II.  BAXCROFT, 
lu  tliL>  Ollico  of  tho  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  AVasUingtou. 


AH  ni'jhts  Ji'eservtd. 


PREFACE. 


PnocEEDiNO  northward  from  tlio  more  dofined  vo- 
g-ions  of  Spanish  iloniination  in  America,  on  reachiir^^ 
tlio  forty-second  parallel  tlio  hitherto  steady  course 
of  our  Pacific    States    History   is    interrui)ted,   iuid 
attei"  the  earliest  voyages  of  discovery  we  are  referi-cd 
to  Canada  and  France,  and  later  to  Anglo -America 
and  England,  for  the  origin   of  affairs,  and  for  tlu^ 
extreme   north   to    Kussia.     The   ownership  of  this 
region,  always  ignoring  the  rights  of  the  natives,  was 
at  first  somewhat  vague;  it  was  disputed  hy  the  se\'- 
eral  European  powers,  France,  Spain,  and  England, 
and   after  the  first   two   had  retired   from  the'  field' 
England   and   the   United    States    held   a   bloodless 
quarrel  over  it.     The  original  doctrine  in  seizing  un- 
known lands  was  to  claim  in  eveiy  direction  as  far  as 
those  lands  extended,  even  if  it  was  quite  round  tlu; 
\vorld.     Thus   Columbus  would  have  it,  and  Vasco 
Xuhez  de  Balboa  thought  that  all  the  shores  washed 
by  the  Pacific  Ocean  M'ere  not  too  great  recompense 
to  his  king  for  having  so  valiant  a  subject  as  himself 
France  was  disi)osed  to  claim  from  Canada  west  to 
the  Pacific,  and  back  of  the  English  plantations  down 
the  valley  of  the  Great  River  to  the  Mexican  Gulf 

(V) 


vi 


rRKFACE. 


wliilo  tlio  Kiigll  ;]i  colonies  on  tlio  Allaniic  nieasnrcd 
their  lands  by  tlie  fronta^v,  tluir  (K'[){li  ln'in^'  tlio 
width  of  the  eoutinont.  ]>ut  S[)aiii,  sending'  her  navi- 
gators up  the  western  coast, -was  enahb-d  hy  discovei'v 
to  secure  a  Ixstter  title  than  could  l)e  made  to  rest  ou 
the  enthusiasm  of  a  Columhus  or  a  ]>alhoa,  or  even 
on  the  pope's  o-enerosity.  While  (Ireat  Britain  and 
the  United  States  relied  on  explorations  and  occupa- 
tion, sometimes  calling  the  former  discoveries,  and 
also  on  enforced  or  voluntary  concessions  fiom  Spain, 
France  also  sent  an  exploring  expedition,  followed 
now  and  tlun  hy  a  trader;  but  she  advanced  no  claims 
after  parting  with  her  bi'oad  Canadian  and  Mississi})pi 
possessions. 

Obviously  events  afFecting  this  area  as  a  wliole, 
before  its  division  into  separate  domains,  belong  to 
each  of  the  succeeding  states;  so  tliat  tlie  Jlisfnr// 
of  tlie  Xor/hwcd  Coast  may  properly  be  I'egarded  as 
preliminary  to  and  part  of  tlie  JIisf(it\i/  <if  Orajon, 
the  JJ/'sfor/j  nf  ]]\i.sJn')i(jtoii,  Idaho,  and  Montana,  and 
the  Iltstoru  of  BritLsh  Columhia. 

On  the  earliest  maritime  explorations,  the  voyages 
of  the  fur-traders,  and  the  iamous  Nootka  contro- 
versy, I  have  been  able  to  coiisult  many  important 
documents  not  known  to  Greenhow,  Twiss,  and  the 
other  writers  of  184G  and  earlier  years.  Xotal)le 
among  these  new^  authorities  are  the  journals  of  ({rav, 
Haswcll,  Winship,  Sturgis,  and  t)ther  American  voy- 
agers; also  the  interesting  items  on  northern  trips 
gleaned  from  the  Spanish  archives  of  Califoi'uia.  The 
famous  Oregon  Question,  growing  out  of  these  earliest 
expeditions  and  controversies,  is  here  for  the  first  time 
treated  from  an  historical  rather  than  a  partisan  stand- 
point. 


PREFACE. 


Diii'iii'^'  tlio  suiniiior  of  1S7S  I  mndc  nii  cxfc^'i'lcd 
tour  i:i  tliis  territoiy  lur  lln!  pni-posc"  of  adding'  to 
iMV  mat*  rial  Wn-  its  history.  Sonuj  piifited  inuttrr  I 
liiuiid  not  Ix'loi'c  ill  iiiv  ]K).ssossi<>ii.  I  was  I'ortiuiato 
<'in>ii;.;'li  to  sccui'c!  coiiii'sof  ilic  It'tters  of  Siiiioii  l''rascr, 
and  tlio  original  journals  of  Frasor  and  dolin  Stuart; 
;il.M»  copies  iVoni  the  oriufinals  of  the  joiu'iials  of  dolin 
AVorlv  and  W.  V.  'I'olniic,  tin;  private  papers  of  John 
!McLougidin,  and  a  n\umisci\[)t  JL'stori/  (>/' ll/c  XoHh- 
'irrst  Coast  by  A.  ( ".  Anderson.  'I'hrouich  the  kind- 
iiess  of  ^Ir  John  Charles,  at  tlie  time  chief  of  the 
Hudson's  IJay  (Jouipany  on  the  Pacific  coast,  1  wai^ 


•jiveii    access 


to    th 


le    ai'c]ii\'es    o 


f   the    fur 


com 


[)any 


<;'atherod  at  Victoria,  and  was  permitted  to  make 
co]>ies  of  im[»oilunt  I'ort  journals,  notahly  thosc^  of 
Fort  Lanj^'ley  ain'  Fort  Simp.-^on.  J]ut  most  im- 
poi'tnnt  of  all  weio  the  historical  and  bioL;Ta[)hical 
dictations  taken  iVom  the  lij>s  ol"  .several  hundred  of 
t!ie  pioneers  and  earliest  furdiunters  and  settlers  then 
living;',  by  a  short-hand  reporter  wlio  accom[)aiiied  mo 
in  mv  travels,  and  which  wore  afterward  written  out, 


severaily 


Iv   I 


jound 


and    us(;( 


I 


in 


tl 


10    usual    wa 


1 


'y 


as 


material  for  history.  It  is  scarcely  possible  to  e\- 
agi>'erate  the  ini[)ortancc  of  this  inforinatit)n,  L;iven  as 
it  was  by  actor.s  in  the  scenes  represented,  many  ol' 
V,  iioiii  h.ave  sine*.'  departed  this  liie,  and  all  of  wlioin 


\\ 


ill 


oon  DC  Li'one 


'i'o  no  small  extent  it  is  earlv  hi^ 


torical   know 


•led. 


ni    al).>oU 


iteb 


d  1 


v  rescued  irom  oiilivion 


bli 


and  which  if  lost  no  [)o\ver  on  earth  could  re})roduce. 
C'onspic'uous  amon<.^  those  who  thus  bi'ar  testimony 
ar<(  ^.Irs  Harvey,  who  gave  nie  a  biographical  sketch 
of  her  father,  Chief  Factor  ^IcLonghlin;  John  'I'od, 
chief  for  a  time  of  New  Caledonia;  .Vrchibald  Mc- 
Kinlav,  in  charue  of  Fort  V\'ailu  Walla  at  tlie  time  of 


fC^SSH 


Vlll 


l'I!i:i'ACK. 


flic  Wliitinan  innrwanro;  Ivodoriuk  Fiulayson,  onro  In 
<  li;n'<:(('  of  ^^lrt  Victoi-ia;  A.  ('.  Anderson,  road-nuikur, 
cxploi'ei',  and  liistorian. 

T\\o  jonrnals  of  explorers  and  the  narratives  of 
liaxellers  enil)ody  in  a  wilderness  of  useless  matter 
iiiui-li  valiiaMe  information.  These  works  arc  (|nito 
rare;  but  even  if  tliey  were  at  hand,  one  eould  wade 
tliroujjfh  them  only  at  great  loss  of  time.  Of  these, 
in  this  part  of  my  History,  I  have  sunnnarized  several 
scoi'e.  J^iitisli  and  Ameriean  government  documents 
are  quite  full  at  a  later  period,  when  JCngland  and  tlio 
United  States  carried  on  their  hot  dis[)utations  on  tlie 
subject  of  occupancy. 

Tlie  freshness  of  tlie  field  has  rendered  it  to  mo 
exceedingly  fiiscinating;  of  tlie  manner  in  which  my 
enthusiasm  has  taken  form,  and  of  the  use  I  luue 
made  of  my  opportunities,  the  public  must  judge. 


co]n-te:n'ts  of  this  yolote. 


CIIAPTEPt  I. 

INTUODUCTOUY  TO    .NOUTIX'tViiST   (OAST   KXPL0RATION-.  r\r,r.. 

Primaiy  Sii;nificance— Tho  Subject  in  ita  Wi.lost  r  .pc-Tlic  Tronic  of 
MyHtory— Historic  anil  Mythic  Interest— Tho  (onjeetural  and  the 
];eal— Origin  of  the  Strait  Myth  and  of  the  Nurtiiern  ^Fystery— "West 
Cua.st  Theoriea— Statu  of  (Juograpliioal  I.kiwIcu-o  in  ]."i  -In  tlio 
South-east— Nortli-oast,  Explorations  l.y  the  C.il.ots  i.id  Cortereal.f, 
by  Aillon,  Vcrra/ano,  Clomcz,  Cartier— In  tlio  Sniitli-west,  by  Ballioa, 
Iv;pinosa,  Diivila,  Cortes,  Alarcon,  Tllloa,  f'ibriilo— Inland  Wander- 
ings by  Cartier,  Soto, Cabczn. dc  Vaca,  Ga/niaii,  Xiza.aiid  Coronado— 
lo.'.O  to  1000,  Frobislier,  llibanlt,  Menendez,  Ilal.i^i— Xow  Mexican 

Kntradas—Urdaneta,  Drake, Gali,Cerniunon—H)00  to  l(;,-)n,A';/,raino, 
Onato— Canadian  Fnr-liunters  and  Jesuits— Hudson  and  13aflin— Kiui; 
to  1700,  tlio  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  Marquette,  La  Salle,  and  Padre 
Kino— 1700  to  17o0,  I'liilippinc  (iailouns— English  Freebooters— 
Verendryo  to  the  Hooky  Mountains— Arctic  Discoveries— 17,J0  to 
ISOO,  Hearno  and  I\Iackenzie— Escalanto  iu  Utah— Occupation  of 
California — liussiau  Discoveries i 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  NORTHERN   MYSTERY  AM)   IMAGINARY  OEOGRAPnY. 

Ii500-lo95. 
Field  of  Conjecture— Mythic  Geography— Strait  or  no  Strait-Passage  to 
India— Cabots  and  Cortcrcals— Ruysch  and  Schiiner— Amazon  I,-:;res— 
Clavos  and  Esclavos— .Mai>s  of  l.^JO-l —Queen  of  California— Cana- 
dian lluniois— Xiza's  Fictions— Ileal  Explorations  of  lo40-.'5— Cibola, 
Tiguex,  and  Quivira— (Honiara's  ]]1  under— lluscclli  and  Muuster— 
Pvainusioand  Honicni— A  Choice  of  Straits— Theories  of  Mencndez— 
First  Trip  through  the  Strait— Urdaneta-Salvaticrra's  Tale— 
llibault— Tapia— Ortelius'  Theatruni—Tolm—Anian— Origin  of  the 
Kanic— Ladrillero  at  the  Strait— Meta  Incognita— iMartiu  Cliaekc— 
Drake's  Pilot— Espejo's  La'  oand  Hiver— Hakluyt— Lok's  Map— By 
the  Roanoke  to  the  Pacific— i.i..  Gran  Copal— Peter  Martyr— Acosta 

on  the  Mystery 

(1«)' 


32 


X  CONTEXTS. 

CHAPTER  III. 

APOCUYI'IIAL  VOVACKS   TO   THE   XORTinVKST. 

Linit-IGOO.  TAGE. 

Juan  do  Fuel's  Protciiilod  Diseovurios — Tho  Story  to  Lok— PrcsuiTip- 
tioiis  figniii.st  its  Tnitli— Writers  on  the  Subject — Exann'iiation  of 
Evidence,  Ifistorical  and  rioo'.jrapliieal — Doubtless  a  Pure  Fiction — 
.Mercatov — W'ytUiet — Tlic  (ireat  Xortlnve.st— Inia^udnurj-  Coasts,  Riv- 
ers, and  Towns — Conrad  Low's  llemarkable  Map — Closi;  of  the  Cen- 
turj' — Captain  Lancaster — ]  ferrera — Vixcaiiio — Ai;uilar"s  lUvcr— As- 
cension— Torcjuemada — Oilate — Lake  Copalla— Ziuo;4aba  and  Queen 
Cinacacol.jla — Tidan — .John  .Smith — ^faldonado's  Pretended  Voyage 
tlirongli  the  Strait  of  Anian — A  Famous  Lie 70 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE   NORTIIEUX   MYSTEllY — CONCLr.SION'. 

lGlO-1800. 
Spanish  .Tnnti — Carcia  do  Silva — A  XewPIiaso — California  once  more  an 
Island— Cardona — Dutch  iMap — ]>rigi/s'  Treatise — Salmeion — ])cl- 
gado's  Voyage — Do  L.-iet — "W'innepegs,  or  'Mt.ni  of  the  Sea — Xicolet^ 
Lotcllo  and  Casanate  on  XnrUiern  (icugrapliy — D'Avity — Aclc— Mel- 
guor—.Vn  JCxact  Description— Ogilby — Manpiettc,  Hennepin,  and  La 
Salle  —  I'cche — -Teguayo — Pa  redes— Danipier — Luyt — La  1  Ion  tan— 
Ivino  and  flange — Island  or  Peninsula? — ]\Iaps  of  Ilacke,  T  rcylyu,  and 
Harris — Bartholomew  do  Fonte's  Fictitious  Letter — \h:  L'js'ic  and 
Buachc — Biljliograpliy  of  a  Hoax — -Ilogers — ^'elardc — Xiel — Ugarte's 
Voyage — California  a  I'eninsula  Again — Shelvockc— Coxe— IX/ulis — 
Scdelniair— Velaneurt — Ellis — Xew  ^louth  for  tlic  ('al'jiailo— Wue- 
gas — Jellevys — Engel— Carver — ]''nd  of  the  ^lystery 


100 


CHAPTER  V. 

UTSCOVEUY  OF   THE   NOIITUWEST  COAST. 
I.-JL'J-ITT.'). 

llartnloni'j  Ferrclo — Did  not  Pass  the  Forty-second  Parnlkd-  -Fi'ancis 
1  Hake — ilis  \'oyage — Diilercnt  Versions — The  Famous  Voyage — Tho 
World  Ihicompassed — Fletcher's  Falsehoods — The  Limit  cannot  lie 
Fixed — Drake  Possibly  Reached  Latitude  Forty-three — And  v.as  tho 
Discoverer  of  Oregon— Call's  Voyage  not  Extcniling  to  Xoi'dieni 
W.'itcrs — Sebastian  Vizcaino andMai'tin  Aguilar — PuintSt  Ceiirge  in 
41  4ri',  the  Xorthcrn  Limit — Itevixal  of  I'lxploration  under  Carlos 
III.  — l-'xpedition  of  .Juan  Perez  to  Lalitudo  I'ifty-iive— Instruelious 
and  Pcsidts — Xiinies  Applied — Intercourse  with  Indians — Discovery 
of  Xootka — The  Whole  Coast  Discovered — Second  Exploration  nnder 
Lruno  Ilcceta  to  the  I'oi'ly -ninth  Parallel — First  Lamliiig  in  t  )rcgon — • 
Seven  Spaniards  Ivilled  by  Indians —Discovery  of  the  CVjlunibia — 
N'liyage  of  Jlodega  y  Cuadra,  after  parting  from  Ilcccta,  to  tho  Fifty- 
eighth   Parallel I.'}? 


CONTEXTS. 
CHArTER  VI. 

EX1>W)RATI0X    OF  THE  NOKTIIWEST   COAST. 

177S-I7SS. 

CaptnvnCook'sExpcaition-T„.tructi,..,s-Di,covcricsnn<lXamcs-Man- 
M  ^an  Lorenzo,  King  (Joory.  S„un,l,  or  Xootka-Origin  of  tho  l',,- 

Ma,^land?_Map     K.,,.iitio„ofStn,„,c,Lowno,an.l(luiseiM.;K..v 

D  covens  the  ,St...tDancau  and  Cok.ott-Akutiue.  and  Ilan,  iu 
V  ;;  .T'^P^'^^l^"'"^  Foroskado.  cd  -Tke  Sta.vs  and  Stripes  in  tko 
Aortl.  1  ac.kc-A  oyayc  „/  ICndriok  and  tiray  on  the  Tolnnd.ia'  and 
\\  ^.mgton -An  Original  Diary-Murderer.'  llarkor-Wint.  rin.. 
at  ^o„tka-\oya^e  of  ^eare.  and  DonglaH-Cnd..-  Portugnes: 
Colo  .s-Lannck  of  tke  'Xo,  di  West  An.erica-Tke  House  tkat  Ja.-k 

J  Jllllt 


Xi 


rAiin. 


n,i 


CHAPTER  YII. 

THE    .NOOTK.V    CONTUOVEItsr. 

17S!)-]7t»0. 
Voyages  of^]7«f>-mvon.onts  of  iv.ndrick   and  (:iv,y-Cruisc  of   tke 
Lady  Uu.k„^;ton  -Ilndof  lk,.wells  Biary-Tiio  t'okunkia  Goes 
toCku.aan.M,osto,.-Kc„dridcint!H.Strait.-Tradin^TripofT-.oa... 
las  and  l.untor->!cares  in  ('l-ina-A  Xeu^  Partnerskip-Vova.a.  of 
Conettand  ITndson- Plans  for  a  Pernuu.ent  lvstakH,skn>ent     Mrt- 
eail  H  \oyage-Spani..k  J^xp.dition  under  Martinez  and  Haro-Sci- 
m-e  of  the  'Ipkiyenia'-Motives  of  Capture  and  ]lek.aso-A  Spaui 'k 
I'ort  at  Santa  Cruz  de  Xutka-Sei.ure  of  the  'Xortk  AVe.t  America' 
-rakn,g  of  tke  'Ar^^onaut'  and  'Prinee«s  Poyal '-Colnetfc  versus 
Martn,ez-Pmcs  Sent  to  San  lUa. -Ik-^toration  I,v  tko  ^•k..roy- 
Jl.o  Spaniards  Quit  Xootka-Ameriean  Poliey-Merils  of  tko  Con- 
roverny-l  ko  Xews  in  I'urope-Spaia  and  l-n.^kuul-l  )iph,n,aeN-  ar.d 
In.penduig  ^\  ar-Spain  Yiekhi-Tko  Xoolka  Treaty. . . ! '...,_    :.m| 


Spa 


CHAPTER  ^TII. 

EXI'LOni.N,;    AND   COMMKiaTAL    EXl'I'.nmoNS. 

17!K)-l7!i-\ 

ni  '1  Rcoceupatinn  of  Xootka  ky  Klisa-Fidalu^.'s  ]:xpk,ration  in  the 

JS..rtk-Quin,per  iu  tke  Strait  of  Fnea-JIis  Ckart-Coln,  U  and  d.o 

^.Vo,,a„t-Xo   lMn-.trade_Kendriek's   Seh..u,es-Kxp!,.ral s  of 

I-  )l-ihe'San(arloH'~Eli.a'sSurvcyoftkeStrait-  Hi,s.\k.,p  /1|„. 
Xootka  Coast-Tke  Transport  'Aranxa.u'-Malaspina-s  l^xpeditiou 
m  the  'Desenkierta-  and  'Atrovida'-The  (iarrison  The  P„.(on 
Iruders-CJray  and   nasMell-Kendrick-Ingrakan.-Marekands 


xii  COXTEXTS. 

PAOE. 

Vi;sit  .111(1  !^^ap — ricuiicu'a  Essay — Voj'agcs  of  1702 — The  Trailers— 
The  'Culuinhia  Itudiviva'— Building  of  the  'Adventure' — IlaswcU's 
3g — .Miigec,  Cooliilge,  Brown,  Stewart,  Baker,  Slicpherd,  Cole — 
jrtuguesc  Vessels— xV  French  Trader — Spanish  Explorations — (Jaa- 
auo  in  the  North — C.aliano  ami  Valdes  on  the 'Sutil' and  'Medi- 
na'— Tlirongli  tlio  Strait  of  Fuc:'. — Xavarrete's  Sununary — Van- 
luvcr's  Exploring  Expedition '2?,0 

CHAPTER  IX. 

END   OF  C0^■TR0VI•.1^SY  AN1>  EXPLORATION'. 

1792-1800. 

'l"he  Policy  of  Spain— Delay  for  Exi)loratiou— The  Yieoroy's  Ideas — In- 
stnieti(jns  to  tlic  Commissioner — Cuadni's  Investi^j'atifns— ^'anc()^l- 
ver's  ^Mission — The  Couimissionera  at  Nootka — luiglish  Ckiims — 
S^ianish  Olicr.s — Agreement  to  Disagree — Convention  of  ]~'X) — Dam- 
ages paid — lievilla  Gigcdo's  Report — Var.eonver's  Second  \'oyage — 
Tiio  Garridon — .Saavedra  Succeeds  Fidalgo — The  Trading  riee'c  of 
17'.''l)— Cnadra  Succeeded  l)y  Ahiva — Trip  of  the  'Aranzaiiu'  to  Cali- 
l'i,;nia  —  Captain  John  Kendrick  —  Vancouver's  Tliird  Voyage^ 
Traders  of  1794— Treaty  of  1791— Tlie  Controversy  landed— Akiv.i 
and  i'ieice — Final  Ahandonnieut  of  Xootka  in  .Nhii'cli  179.') — The 
Tilie — Tlio  'Wianiix'  of  1795 — l'>roughton's  Visit — Dorr,  the  Yankee 
'i'r;;derof  170() — Rowan  and  the  'Elisa'of  179S— Cleveland's  Criiitc — 
The  'Betsy'  of  1800 -81 


CHAPTEPi  X. 

LAST  OF   THE   EXl'LOREHS. 
1S01-1S13. 

Boston  Ships  of  1801— Record  of  1802— :Mishap  of  the  'Manchester'— 
Sturgis  on  tlic  Coast — Loss  of  the  'Boston,'  iSOo— Massacre  of  tlic 
Cn  \v— Jewctt's  Captivity— Rowan  and  Brown  at  Sau  Francisco  from 
the  Xorth — List  of  1801 — Smugglers — O'Cain  and  liis  Xew  Idea — 
Russian  Contracts — Indians  Attack  the  ' Atahiialpa,'  1305 — Lewis 
and  Ckirke's  List — Re;;anof  and  las  Fkins,  1800 — Coiuing  of  tlic 
Winships- 'O'Cain,'  'Derby,'  and  'Cuatinioziu'  of  1807— 'Pearl,' 
'Vaiieouver,'and 'IMercnry' of  1808-9— TlieFurdiunters of  lSlO-11  — 
^Vi::ship's  ColuniLia  Settlement — The  'Alhatrosn' — Yoya-e  of  the 
'Toncpiin'— The  'Beaver' of  1812— EU'ccts  of  the  War— The  Traders 
Bloekaded--Seizuro  of  the  'jNIercury '  and  'Charon,' 1813— Captain 
Smith— II.  B.  il.  Sloop  'Baecoon'  Takes  Astoria— The  'Pedler'  of 
1811 — The  'Isaac  Todd' — The  Xorthwest  Con:pany's  'Colnmhia' of 
181.')— Tlio  'Coloner  in  California,  1810— Last  of  tlic  ' Albatross '-- 
Roipufcuirs  Voyage  in  the  'I'ordckn'-,'  1817-18— Last  of  Maquiima 
and  iwiolka — The  Mtu-of-war  'thilaiio' and  'Blossom' — Ves.-els  of 
1819-10 310 


i:yj 


:8i 


COXTEXTS. 

CHArTEPt  XI. 

THE  MAiamiK  vvn.'in.wE. 
1778-184(J. 


XllJ 


PACK. 


TI.e  Sc.a.otte.^Conunontaric.3  „p„u  lt_T)io  Russian  Lcdnni.r^s-Tho 
Uuncso  Markct-Cptai.  Cook's  Discovencs-]>,lt;  ]'  Z.-ii- 

In  l7^f'  ;,'^^  I.Hlia-IIanna  and  ins  Follou-..,.- 

In   Lonlo„_Iortlock   and    Dixon-Frcncli   Iiivestic,,tion-]  t   IV 

^il^"?  ut^n"  "^  ^'-.^'-J-I-yH^lnnca  versus  A„K.icans- 
.j.c^..^a.h  Lo.ni,anies--An,encan  D.vieo.-D.dino  of  tl.o  ]■•,... 

;!4;{ 

CPIAPTEIl  XII. 

Ni:W  FIUNCE   AXD  THE   FCn-TU.AllE. 

1524-]  703. 

CIian;;c  of  Owncrsinp,  in  17;50-G3,  of  Xortli  Amcric;,-Di  ...overv     F,.,,,  >o 
-S>.Uh    V„,e,.icaan.l  FloHda-Ti.o  Fisi.nncn  a.  ll"     ^e;; 

Pdl  r:  v':^  n";' ''"  '^  ^-— -nisto,.y  c.  t..  i-.;:;  .^^ 

tl.c   .St   Malo   Mercl,auts-La  Koclio-Tlie    Forty   Tlmves-l'o " 
^•.v.^I,.uvm-Do    Cl.astos-CiK.nplain-1.0    Ilont  -i^..-     W 

t  0  Cut.c  of  1.0  lur-tnuIe-Xcu'  England  and  Xcw  Y.rk  ]'ut- 
t  ado  Condo  do  So.ssons-Tl.c  Company  „f  8t  Ma!o  and  Eouon- 
C  amplau.  s   M.sr„lo-Tho    Franoi.soans    CoLbrato    Mass  "., 

lrance--ri.o  Caons-Xow   Franco  under  liidu-Iieu-Tho     '  .„d  . 
jW,atc«     N,r  Willian.  Alexander  and  tin,   l.-uthers  Ki  !      T  ' 
Huronsand  il.o  I.'o.juois-Trouldos  in  Arcadia-] )i.enve,v  .nd 

xtw  ,"  r  ""',  ""'  ^''-•^■''^'-^-'J''-  <''-'-t  Fur  il„n.,p„lie,s  , 

Xew  i^^e-Lrenei.  and  Indian  War-Fn.al  Condict-TLatios^ 


!7S 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

F()I!i:ST  LIFE   AM.    FI-U-JirNTINO. 


310 


lUIci.ST  LIFE   AM.    Fru-JirNTINO. 

Xo.lJjcrn  and  An.te,n  Fur  Territ„ry-Ph,,ical  l-eaturos-lTaLiUtH  of 

l'u.d,eann.Ann„als-V.,va,r..urs-('oureur3  des  J]oi._An.do.  A  uc^ 
-n      rapper     liis   Cl.an.ctcrislics   Con.parcd  witl.    Tlu^o  ^     Uo 

B:::^F:;^s:i;!;r"'^-^"-"^-^^'-'^"^^^''-----^'- 

° 404 


xLv 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  xrV. 


THE  FCR-TRADE   UNDER  BRITISU  AUSPICES. 


1607-1843. 


FACE. 


Eaily  Knglish  Discovery — Henry  Hudson — Grosseliez  antl  Eabisson, 
Assisted  by  Prince  Rupert,  from  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company — Tlio 
Charter^Territorial  Limits  of  the  Company — The  French  Invade 
Ilupci-t  Land — The  Planting  of  Forts  round  Hudson  Bay — Bounda- 
ries—The Treaty  of  Utrecht — Character  and  Policy  of  the  Corpora- 
tion— Territorial  Divisions — Material  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany— Inner  Workings  of  the  System — Stock — Furs — Cuirency — 
Trade — Intercoui'se  between  Posts — Profits — Parliamentary  Sanction 
of  the  Crown  Grant 437 

CHAPTER  XV. 

FORTS  AND   FOI^T  LIFE. 

Application  of  the  Term — The  Erection  of  a  Fort  a  Special  Favor,  and 
Occasion  of  Rejoicing,' — A  Depot  or  Factory — Architecture  and  Con- 
struction— Examples  of  Several  Forts — York  Factory — FortGarrj' — 
Fort  Williiini — Fort  Edmonton — Fort  Franklin— Fort  Vancouver — • 
Fort  Wallii  Walla — Fort  Rupert — Wyeth's  Establishment  on  Wapato 
Island — Fort  Hall — Fort  Yukon — Fort  Victoria — Ground  Plan  of 
Fort  Simpson — Rendezvous — Life  at  the  Forts 482 

CHAPTER  XVI. 


I 


TUE  UNITED   STATES  FUR-TRiVDE. 

lCOo-1855. 

Shore  of  New  England — ^Hollanders  on  the  Hudson — The  New  Nether- 
lauds  Comjiany — The  Swedish  West  India  Company  on  tlie  Dela- 
ware— Henry  Fleet  on  the  Potomac — Comparisons  between  the  Fur 
Business  of  Canada  and  the  United  States — I'ercolations  through  tho 
Alleglianies — The  Fur-trade  of  Natchez — The  Ohio  Company — La- 
clede, Alaxan,  and  Company — Auguste  and  Pierre  Chouteau — In- 
roads from  Michiliniackinac — St  Louis  in  1803 — Trappers  on  the 
^lissouri — The  jMissouri  Fur  Company — Astor's  Projects — The  Amer- 
ican Fur  Company — Tho  Pacific  Fur  Company — The  Soutli-west 
Company — 1'he  Columbia  Fur  Company — The  North  American  Fur 
Company — The  Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company — Sublette,  IJridger, 
Fitzpatriek,  and  Pierre  Chouteau  the  Younger — James  Pursloy  and 
tho  Opening  of  tho  Santa  Fd  Trade — B.  Pratte  and  Company — • 
Bent  and  St  Vrain — Gaunt,  Dripps,  Blaekwell,  and  ]\)utenelle — Kit 
Carson,  I'ileher,  Bonneville,  Walker,  and  Wycth — Thi'  Rendezvous — 
The  Colorado  IJasin  and  Calit'ornia — The  C'liina  Trade — The  Califor- 
nia Fur-trade — Jedcdiah  Smith — Patlic 499 


CONTENTS. 


zv 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

EKLATIVE  ATTITUDES  OF  FUR-TRADERS  AND  NATIVES.  *'*°'^' 

Different  Views  of  Savagism  by  Different  Europeans,  according  to  their  , 
Several  Interests — United  States  Policy — Humane  Intcutiolis — Vil- 
lainy of  Agents — Border  Atrocities — Policy  of  the  Northwest  and 
Hudson's  Bay  Companies — The  Interests  of  Gold-seekers,  Fur  Com- 
panii!s,  and  Settlers  Contrasted — System  of  Wife-taking — Half- 
breeds — Intoxicating  Drink — Missionaries , . .  5'-!9 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE    NOBTII-WEST     COMPANY, 
1783-1821. 

Character  of  the  Montreal  Associates — The  French  Regime  Reviewed^ 
Trade  at  Michilimackinac — The  Montreal  Merchants  Penetrate 
North-westward  and  Form  a  Commercial  Coj)artncrship — Disall'ec- 
tionista  form  tlie  X.  Y.  Company — Union  of  the  Two  Factions — 
Internal  I'egulations  of  tlie  Nortliwest  Company — Tlie  Grand  Port- 
age— Early  Voyages  from  Montreal  to  Lake  Superior — Feudal  Glo- 
ries of  I'ort  William — Wars  between  the  Northwest  Coiiii)any  and 
the  Hudson's  Bay  Company — The  lied  River  Affair — Fusion  of  the 
Two  Companies 551 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

EARLIEST  OVERLAND  EXPLORATIONS   NORTH-WESTWARD. 

1G40-1786. 
Unknown  North-wests — The  North-west  of  New  France — Champlain — 
Brebanif — Mesnard — Allouez — .Marquette  and  Juliet — La  Salle  and 
Hennepin — Grosseliez  and  Radisson — La  Hontan — The  Story  of 
Joseph  La  France — Vdreudryc,  tlic  Fur-hunter,  I'roposes  to  Fit  Out 
an  Expedition — Character  of  Vcrendrye — Governor-gener:d  Beauhar- 
nais  Regards  the  Plan  Favorably — Vc'rendrye's  Copartnery  and 
Route — Embarkation — Erection  of  Forts — Massacre  at  I^c  des  Bois 
of  Young  Vcrendrye,  Pure  Anneau,  and  Twenty  Men — Discovery  of 
the  Rooky  Mountains — Verendrye's  lieturn  and  Death — Infamous 
Conduct  of  Canadian  OHicials — Adventures  of  Moncacht  Apii — 
Carver's  Speculations — IJcarne's  Journey  —  Pike's  Exjicditions — 
Long's  Explorations 585 


499 


CHAPTER  XX. 

PASSES  AND   ROUTES. 

Historical  Consequences  of  the  Position  of  the  Cordilleras — Pliysical 
Geography  of  the  Mountain  Region  of  tlio  West — TIk?  Roclcy  ^Nloun- 
tain  Passes  between  the  Arctic  Ocean  and  the  Forty-ninth  Parallel — 
Pusses  through  the  Coast  Range— Through  the  Rocky  Mountains 


xvl 


CONTENTS. 


Tictwcon  L.ititndcs  49°  and  32° — Paths  across  tlic  riatoau— The 
Sierra  Nevada — San  Dernardiuo  Mountains — Tlio  Colorado  liegion — 
lloutes  throuyli  Mexico — Tlie  .Sierra  Madre — The  Eastern  llanyc — 
The  LsthniUH  and  Central  American  I'asses — Historical  and  EUino- 
graphic  Signiiicanco  of  the  lloutes  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Facilie — 
The  Northwest  I'assago — The  North  American  Situation-  lloutes  to 
Asia  Ethnograithically  Considered — Historical  Conclusions GIG 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Mackenzie's  voyage. 
17S9-1703. 

Origin,  Occupation,  and  Character  of  Alexander  Mackenzie — His  Jour- 
ney to  the  Arctic  Ocean  and  Return — Embarks  at  Fort  Chopewyan 
for  the  I'acific— Proceeds  up  Peace  River — Winters  at  Fort  Fork — 
Continues  his  Journey  the  Following  May — Arrives  at  the  Finlay 
Lranch— Turns  Southward  into  Parsnip  River — Ascends  a  13ranch 
of  this  Stream  to  its  Source — Portage  at  the  Great  Divide — Descends 
Bad  River  to  the  Frazer,  which  tlie  Party  Follow  as  far  as  Qucsnclle — 
Return  to  a  Trail  al)ovc  West  Road  River — Strike  out  Overland  for 
the  Wi-stcrn  Ocean — Route — Arrive  at  Friendly  Village — (Jreat 
Village — Rascals'  Village — Reach  the  Sea  at  Bcntincli  Nortli  Arm — 
Observations— Traces  of  Vancouver — Return — Troubles  with  the 
Natives — Narrow  I'^scapcs — Reach  Eraser  River — xVrrive  ^t  Fort 
Fork— Tlie  Journey  Completed COG 


AUTnORITIES  QUOTED 

IN- TUB 

HISTORY  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  COAST. 


Aa  (Pieter  vander),  Naaukciu'igo  Versjimcling.     Lcyden,  1707.  30  vols. 

Abbott  (John  S.  C),  Christoplier  Carson.     New  York,  1870. 

Ab-sa-ra-ka.     Homo  of  tlie  Crows.     Pliiladuliihia,  18()8. 

Aoosta  (.Josef  dc),  Hiatoria  Natural  y  Moral  do  las  Indias.     Sevilla.,  1590. 

AlUili-o^s  (The  Ship),  Log  of  a  Voyage  to  tlie  N.  W.  Coast,  180D-12.  M8. 

Albd/roaa  iiiid  Lydia,  Comunicacionos  relativas.      1810.  M.S. 

Alegre  (Francisco  Javier),  Historiadc  la  CouipuQia  de  Jesus  eii  Nueva  Espaflia. 
Mexico,  1841.  3  vols. 

Allan  (Alexander),  Cariboo  and  the  Mines  of  British  Columbia.     MS. 

Allen  (WilUiain),  Speech  in  U.  S.  Sen.,  Feb.  10  and  11,  1840,  on  our  rela- 
tions with  EngLand.     n.pl.,  n.d. 

Almanac,  Tribune.     New  York,  1838  ct  scq. 

Alvarado  (.luan  Bautista),  Historia  de  California.     MS.  5  vols. 

America,  Dcscripcion,  1710.     MS. 

American  Antiquarian  Society,  Proceedings.     Worce.iter,  1820  et  seq. 

American  Quarterly  Keview.     Philadelphia,  1827  et  seq. 

American  State  Papers.  Boston,  1817-1!).  12  vols;  Washington,  1832-4; 
18,")S-01.  folio.  3i)vols. 

Anioretti  (Charles),  Voyage  de  la  Mer  Atlantique  a  L'0c(5an  Pacifique.  Plais- 
ance,  1812.  4to. 

Anderson  (Adam),  Historical  and  Chronological  Deduction  of  the  Origin  of 
(Commerce.     London,  1801.  folio.  4  vols. 

Anderson  (Alexander  Caulfiold),  North-West  Coast  History.     MS. 

AndrcMs  (C.  C),  Minnesota  and  Dacotah.     Wasliington,  1857. 

Annals  of  Congress.     [1st  to  IStli  (,'ongress.]     Wasliington,  1834-50.  42  vols. 

Annual  Register.     London,  17.")8-1807.  47  vols. 

Apiano  (Pedro),  Cosmographia  corregida  y  anadida  por  Gemma  Frisio.  An- 
vcrs,  1575. 

Apost  licos  Afanes  de  la  Compafiia  do  Jesus.     Barcelona,  1754. 

Applcgate  (Jesse),  Marginal  Notes  in  (iniy's  History  of  Oregon.     MS. 

Applt;,i.'at-o  (Jesse),  Views  of  Oregon  History.     MS. 

Arab,  Logbook,  1821-5.     MS. 

Arcliivo  del  Arzobispado  de  San  Francisco.     MS.  5  vols. 

Archivo  de  Califoraia.  MS.  273  vols,  ■■md  a  great  mass  of  loose  papers.  Doc- 
uments preserved  in  the  U.  S.  Surveyor-genoral's  oilice  at  San  Francisco. 
Copies  in  my  Collection.  Dept.  St.  Pap.;  Dept.  Kec;  Prov.  St.  I'ap.; 
Prov.  I!ee. 

Archivo  de  Santa  B-lrkara.     MS.   1 1  vols. 

Armstrong  (Alex.),  Pcrscmal  Narrative  of  the  Discovery  of  the  North-West 
Passage.     London,  1857. 


XVUl 


AUTHORITIES  QUOTED. 


Arrowsmith  (John),  Map  of  tho  Provinces  of  British  Cohimbia  andTancaiivor 

Itsliiiid.     J^ondoii,  18.°)!). 
Artcagu  (Ij^nacio), 'rcreoni  Kxplorncioii,  1770.     MS. 
Ascenition  (Antoiiin  ilo  hi),  Desciiliriiniento  do  California,  12  Oct.  1G20.     In 

I'aolicco  mill  (Jdrdeiias,  Col.  iJoc,  toni.  viii. 
Ashley  (C),  Speech  in  U.  S.  Sen.,  April  ',i,  1840,  on  Oregon  Question.    Wash- 

ington,  isjfl. 
Astor  (.John  Jacob),  ^Mercantile  Biogi'apiiy.     In  Hunt's  Mer.  Mag.  xi.  153. 
Atlantic  Monthly.     Boston,  1838  et  se(£. 

Ballantyne  (Robert  M.),  Hudson's  Bay.     Edinlmrgh,  1848. 

Bancroft  (( Jeorgc),  History  of  the  United  States.     Boston,  1870  et  seq. 

Bancroft  (Hubert  Howe),  Hist(jiy  of  Alaska. 

Bancroft  (Hubert  Howe),  History  of  Briti.sh  Columbia. 

Bancroft  (Hid)crt  Howe),  History  of  California. 

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Klisa  (Pi-nnciscn),  Voj-ago  1701,  Extracts  from.     In  Papors  rcktiug  to  Treaty 

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Fidalgo  (Salvador),  Tabhi  do  ])eseul)i'iniiento3  do  1700.     !MS. 

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Forbes  (Alexander),  California,  A  History  of.     London,  lillJO. 

Forster  (John  Ileinhold),  History  of  Voyages  and  Discoveries  made  in  tlic 
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Frcytas,  Relac 
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Frignet  (Ernest 
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iiiirliiKlo  (S.),  CliiimtcH  of  t!n'  Nnrtliwi-.it.      I'liiliiilfl|iliiii,  IS"-. 

(iiiniciu  (K.  X.),  JlistDi'y  of  Ciiimil.i.     Montrciil,  ISG'J.  •_' voIh. 

(Jans  (I'litiiek),  A  .loiii'iiiil  of  till!  N'oyagi'S  ami  'J'i';i\p1n  of  a  Corps  of  l)iscov. 
fiy  iiiiilir  tlio  iMPiiiinainlof  Captaiim  Lewis  and  ('lai".L',  l'itt.tl)iir,i,'.  1S()7; 
otiiii' I'llitiiiMH;  N'ljyagi's  (lu  Capitaiiii's  Lewis  I't  Clai'ki'.     I'aiis,  |Sl(». 

(ieutry  (M.  I'.),  Speech' in  U.  S.  ]{.  of  Ivep.,  lYb.  5,  184(i,  on  Oregon  (Question. 
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(iiililiiius  (.I<>^llua  II.),  Sjicech  in  Con!.'re.<i8.     Boston,  IS,".*?. 

( iillu  it  (Sir  lliiiiiplirey),  J>iweoursc  of  a-  J)i8eouericof  a  new  PasHage  to  Cutain. 
J.oiicloii,  l.')7li;  al:io  in  Haiiliiyt,  \oy.  iii.  Il-'JL 

(liles  (\V.  v.),  S|>eeeli  in  IJ.  S.  H.  of  Kep.  Jan.  il,  1S4(>,  on  tlio  Oregon  Qiies- 
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Hcceta  (Hniii.*;,  Espedicion  Muritiiim.     In  Palon,  Not.  ii.  229. 

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Hcrrcra  (Antonio  de),  Dcscripcion  de  his  ludias  Occideutales.     Madrid,  1730. 

Hesperian  (The).     San  Francisco,  18."i8-04.   1 1  vols. 

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Homes  (Henry  A.),  Our  Knowledge  of  California  and  the  N.  W.  Coast.  Al- 
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Jiilmson  (Edwin  E. ).  Railroad  Route  to  the  I'acific.     New  York,  1854, 

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Long  (Stephen  II. ),  Aecoinit  of  Exploring  Expedition  from  Pittsburg  to  Rocky 

^lounlains.     I'liiladelphia,  lcS2.'5.  'J  vols. 
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Lovejoy  (A.  L.),  Founding  of  Portland.     M,S. 
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McCloniand  (.T.  A.),  Speech  in  U.  S.  II.  of  Rep.  Jan,  30,  1845,  on  Oregou 

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McDowell  (.J.  J.),  Speech  in  U.  S.  11.  of  Rep.  Jan.  5,  184!>,  on  Oregon  Terri- 
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Macfie  (Matthew),  Vancouver  Island  and  British  Columbia.     London,  1805, 
Macgregor  (John),  Counnercial  Statistics.     London,  1850.  5  vols;  The  Prog- 
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'Slixy  28.     180i). 
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Oregon  Title.     Wa.'^hington,  1843, 
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!-<! 


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to  Oregon.     Washington,  lS4(j. 
Martin  (U.   Montgomery),   Histoiy  of  the  British  Colonies.     London,  183."». 

5  vols. ;  The  Hudson's  Biiy  Territories  and  \'ani;ouver"s  Island.   Lonilon, 

l.S4!». 
^lartinez  (Estevan  Jose),  and  Gonzulo  Lopez  de  Huro.     Cuartaexploracion, 

17NS.     MS. 
Martyr  ( I'eter),  Decades. 

Mass,'u'lui.setts  Historical  Society,  Proceedings,  1803-4.     Boston,  1804. 
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Mayer  Manuscripts.     A  (,'ollectiou  of  .SO  copies  from  Mex.  archive.!. 
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China.     In  Meares'  Voy.,  cd  Loudon,  17!>0.  l.xvii.;  Answer  to  Mr  Ceorgo 

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30,    1790.     Loudon,    1790,  Id.,    1810;    Voyages   made  in    1788-9  from 

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other  editions. 
!Michaux    (Andre),    Flora  Boreali-Ainericana  sistens  caractercs  Plantarum. 

Paris,  1803.  4to.  2  vols;  Histoire  des  Chenes  de  rAmeri(iue  ou  Descrip- 
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.3ilSess.,  H.  Com.  Rejit.  3 1  J.     Wiushiugtou,  184-->. 
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vols. 
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(iuadalajara,  174'2;  also  MS. 
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Murdoch  (D.  C),  (')nr  True  Title  to  Oregon,     (ieorgetdwu.  I8b"). 
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Anierika.     Halle,  l.SO!). 
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Loudon,  18'29.  '2  vols. 


X'arrati\e  of  tlie  Xegotiations  occasioned  by  the  Di.sputc  between  England  and 

Spain  in  1790.     Londcm  [1791  j. 
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1817. 
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XXVIH 


AUTHORITIES  QUOTED. 


Newliouso  (S.),  The  Trapper's  Guide.  Wallingford,  18G5;  Walliiigford,  1807; 
Xow  York,  18(i'.». 

Tscw  York,  Tribune,  Xew  York  Historical  Magazine. 

Xicolay  (C.  ii.),  The  Oregon  Territory.     Loudon,  !84G. 

Nidevor  (CJeorgc),  Life  and  Adventures  of  an  Old  Trapper.     JIS. 

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Xil<!3  (.John  M.),  Speech  in  U.  S.  Sen.,  March  I!),  18-lG,  on  Oregon  Question. 
Washington,  181G. 

Niles' Register.     Baltimore,  etc.,  1811^9.  7G  vols. 

Jsiza,  Descnbrimiento  do  las  Siete  Ciudadcs. 

Xootka,  Acuerdo  <'>  convenio  cntre  Espafia  e  Inglaterra  para  la  ejecucion  del 
nrticulo  1°  de  la  convencion  do  *28  do  Oct.  do  1790.  In  Calvo,  Recueil.  iii. 
300;  English  State  Papers  on  the  Controversy  of  1790.  In  Annual  Reg- 
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North  American  Review.     Boston,  1819  et  scq. 

Kortiiern  Passage,  Sunnniiry,  Observations  and  Facts  to  Show  the  Practica- 
bility of  Success.     London,  1770. 

Nertliwest  C'wst  of  America,  Reports  of  Special  Conimitteo  of  Congress,  182G. 
[19th  Cong.,  1st  Scss.,  H.  Rept.  3.").]     Washington,  18-0. 

Xortln\eMt  Comi)any,  Narrative  of  Occurrences  in  the  X(jrth  West  Country. 
London,  1817. 

Northwest  I'a.ssiige,  The  Impracticability  of  a.     London,  1824. 

Norton  (Harry  I.),  Woiuler-land,  or  Horseback  liides  through  the  Yellow- 
stone.    Virginia,  1873. 

Nouvellcs  ^iiiuales  des  Voyages.     Paris,  1819-00.  108  vols. 

Ogdcn  (Peter  Skecn),  and  James  Douglas,  Letter  respecting  Coal  in  Van- 
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Ogilby  (John),  America.     London,  1071. 

Olympia,  Commercial  Age,  Echo,  Pacific  Tribune,  Pioneer  and  Democrat, 
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Oregon  City,  Oregon  Argus,  Spectator. 

Ortelivs  (Abrahamvs),  Theativm  Orbis  Terrarum.  Antverpias,  1573.  folio, 
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Overland  Monthly.     Sun  Francisco,  1808-75.   15  vols. 

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relativos  al  Dcscubrimiento,  CoiKpiista  y  Coloiiizacion  do  las  Posesionea 
Espauolus  on  America.     Mailrid,  1804-81.  24  vela. 


AUTHORITIES  QUOTED. 


xxix 


Pacific  Railroad  Reports.     "W.asliington,  lS.")-00.  4t().  1.3  vols. 

I'alliser  (.Tolm),  Papers  relative  to  tlic  Exjilonition  of  British  North  America. 

Luniloii,  lS."il).  4t((;  Furtlier  I'apers.    Loiulou,  ISOO.  4to;  Iiulex  and  Maps. 

London,  18(J.j.  4to. 
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Mex.,  scric  iv.  torn,  vi.-vii.;  San  Francisco,  1S74.  4  vols.;  Rulacion  His- 

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WasiiinLston,  187'2. 
Parker  (Sannicl),  Journal  of  an  Exploring  Tour  hcj-ond  the  Rocky  Mountiiins. 

Ithaea,  1838;  Id.,  1840;  Anburn.  184-_';  Id.,  1840. 
Parknian  (Francis),  The  California  and  ()i-egon  Trail.     New  York,  1840;  The 

(,'()nspiraoy  of  Pontiac.    Boston,  1877.  -  vols. ;  The  Old  Regime  in  Canada. 

Boston,  1874. 
Parrish  (J.  L. ),  Anecdotes  of  Oregon.     MS. 
Parton  (.J;imes),  Life  of  .Jolm  Jacol)  Astor.     New  York,  18G5. 
I'attie  (.James  O.),  Personal  Narratives.     Cincinnati,  1833. 
Peirce  (Henry),  journals  of  Voyages,  1S39-42.     MS. 
Peirco  (Henry),  Memoranda  of  a  Navigator.     M.S. 
I'eirco  (Henry),  Rough  Sketch.     M.S. 
Pena  (Tonias),  Diario  del  Viage  do  Perez,  1774.     MS. 

Pendleton  (.J.  S.),  Speech  in  U.  S.  H.  of  Rep.  Jan.  '20,  184(5,  on  Oregon  Ques- 
tion.    Washington,  184(5. 
Perez  (Juan),  Instruccion  rjuc  el  Virey  dio  d  los  Comandautes  de  Buques  de 

Exploracion,  24  Die.  1773.     MS. 
Perez,  (.luitn),  Relacion  del  Viage,  1774.     MS. 
Perez  (Juan),  TablaDiaria,  1774.     MS. 
Perkins  (.James  H.),  Annals  of  the  West.     St.  Louis,  1850. 
Peter  Martvr.     See  Martyr  (I'eter). 

Peters  ( De  Witt  C),  Life  and  Adventures  of  Kit  Carson.     New  York,  18.")f). 
Pico  (I'io),  Documentos  para  la  Hi.storia  de  California.     MS.  2.  vols. 
I'ike  (Z.    y\.),   Account  of  Expeditions -to  the  Sources  of  the  Mississippi. 

Phil.,  1810;  Exploratory  Travels  through  the  Western  Territories.     Lon- 
don. 1811.  4to. 
Pine  ((ieorge  W.),  Beyond  the  West.     Utica,  1871. 
Pino  (Fedro  Bautista),  Noticias  Histi'irieas  y  Estiidisticas  do  la  Antigua  Pro- 

vineia  <lel  Nucvo  Mexico.     Mexico,  1S40. 
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Wasliington,  184(5. 
Portland,  Oregonian,  West  Shore. 

Portldik  (Xatiianiel),  Voj'agc  round  the  World.    1785-8.    London,  1789.  4to. 
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Pliiladelphia,  1851. 
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Hi-*toire  de  la  Lonii^iane.     Paris,  I75S.  .S  vols. 
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Provincial  State  Papers.     MS.  22  vols.     In  Arehivo  do  Cal. 
Purchas,  His  Pilgrimes.     London,  1025-0.  folio.  5  vols. 


Quarteily  Pevicw.     London,  1809  et  soq. 
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MS. 


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Reasons  to  sliew  tiiat  there  is  a  gnat  Probal)ility  of  a  Navigable  Passage  to 

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Reos  (Willard  H.),  Letter  Sept.  18.  1879.     MS. 
Register  of  schooner  Vwlboro.     MS. 


XXX 


AUTHORITIES  QUOTED. 


f !  f 


s 


Rciil,  Speech  in  U.  S.  H.  of  Rep.  Feb.  7,  1846,  on  Oregon  Question.  Wash- 
ington, 1846. 

Reply  of  tJie  United  States  to  the  Case  of  the  Government  of  Her  Britannic 
Majesty,    n.pl.,  n.tl.,  4to. 

Revilla  Gigeilo  (Virey),  luforme  de  1?  Abril,  1793.  In  Lustamante,  Suple- 
niento,  iii.  112. 

Revilla  (iigodo  (Virey),  Instruccion  rescrvada  .1.  su  sucesor  Branciforte,  1794. 
MtS.     lu  Librai-y  of  Congress. 

Rezilnof  (Nikolai),  Zapiski,  180.">-6.     In  Tikhm(5nef,  Istor.  Obos.,  Appen. 

Rhett  (R.  B.),  Speech  in  U.  S.  H.  of  Rep.,  Jan.  14,  1846,  on  Orej,on  Terri- 
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Ribault  (.Tohn),  The  True  and  Last  Discouerie  of  Florida.  In  Hakluyt, 
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liichardson  (.\ibert  D.),  Beyond  the  Mississippi.     Hartford,  1867. 

Richardson  (James),  Wonders  of  the  Yellowstone  Rugion.     London,  1874. 

Richardson  (Sir  .lolui),  Arctic  Searching  Expedition.     London,  1S.")1.  "2  vols. 

Ridpath  (John  C),  A  Popular  History  of  the  U.  S.     New  York,  1877. 

Roberts  (George  B.),  Recollections  of  Hudson's  Bay  Co.     MS. 

Roberts  (Thomas  1'.),  The  Upper  Missouri  River.  In  Montana,  Hist.  Soc, 
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Robertson  (Wyndham),  Oregon.     Washington,  1846. 

Robin  (C.  C.),  Voyages  dans  LTntiirieur  de  la  Louisiane  1802-6.  Paris,  1807. 
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Robinson  (H.  M.),  The  Great  Fur  Land.     New  Y^ork,  1879. 

Rocky  jNIountJiin  Journal.     MS. 

Rodcubongh  (Theodore  F.),  From  Everglade  to  Caiion.     New  York,  1875. 

Rogers  (Woodes),  A  Cruising  Voyage  round  the  World.     London,  1718. 

Roquefeuil  (Camille),  A  Voyage  round  the  World,  between  tb  vcars  1816- 
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Ross  (Alexander),  Adventures  of  the  First  .Settlers  on  the  Oregon.  London, 
1840;  The  Fur  Hunters  of  the  Far  West.     London,  18')5.  2  vols. 

Ross  (Jolm),  Nai-rative  of  a  Second  Voyage  in  Search  of  a  North  West  Pas- 
sage.    Jjondon,  18.35. 

Rossi  (L' Abbe),  Souvenirs  d'un  Voyage  en  Oregon  et  en  Californie.    Paris,  1864. 

Rouhard  (Ilippolyte),  Les  Regions  Nouvelles.     Paris,  1868. 

jiussell  (.John),  Recollections  and  Suggestions,  181.3-73.     Boston,  1875. 

Russell  (William),  The  History  of  America.     Lonilon,  1778.  4to.  2  vols. 

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I 

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lino 
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nyt, 


4. 

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50C., 
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S16- 

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Licle, 


14 

fvith 

Itory 


iiltk 


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Seemann  (Dertholil),  Xarrative  of  the  Voyage  of  11.  M.  S.  ITcrahl,  1845-51. 
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Sillinian  (Benjamin),  Aiueiicau  Journal  of  Science  and  Art.  New  Haven, 
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Sinimonds  (P.  L.),  Sir  .John  Franklin  and  the  Arctic  Regions.    BufTalo,  1S.">2. 

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1847.  2  vols. 

Slacum,  Kelly,  and  Wycth.     Sec  Oregon,  Supplemental  Report. 

Smith  (C'alelj  R.),  Speech  in  U.  S.  II.  of  Rep.,  Jan.  7,  1840,  on  Oregon  Ques- 
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Smith  (liobert),  Speech  in  U.  S.  H.  of  Rep.,  Feb.  7,  1840,  on  Oregon  Ques- 
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Smith  (Truman),  Speech  in  U.  S.  II.  of  Rep.,  Feb.  7,  184(),  on  Oregon  Ques- 
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Societe  dc  (tfcographie.  Bulletin.     Paris,  1825  et  scq. 

Somerville  (T.),  An  Early  Hero  of  the  Pacilic.    In  Overland  Monthly,  viii.  105. 

Soule  (Frank),  .F.  II.  Gihon,  and  .1.  Nisbet,  Annals  of  San  Fi'ancisco.  New 
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Stanton,  Speech  in  U.  S.  H.  of  Rep.,  Jan.  14,  1840,  on  Oregon  Question. 
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State  Paper.s,  Sacramento,  JIS..  19  vols,  in  Archivo  de  Cal.;Id.,  ^Missions 
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Stevens  (Ilcnrj),  Historical  and  Geographical  Notes  on  the  Earliest  Discov- 
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Stevens  (IsaacL),  Address  on  the  North  West.     Dec.  2.  1858.     Wash.,  1858. 

Strickland  ( W'.  P. ),  History  of  the  Missions  of  the  ^1.  E.  Cliur(;li.  Cincinnati, 
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Strong  (William),  Ilistoiy  of  Oregon.     MS. 

Stuart  (John),  Autograi>h  Notes.     Torres,  1842. 

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Sutil  y  Mexicaua,  Relacion  del  Viage  hccho  por  las  Goletas.  j\Iadrid,  1802; 
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Swan  (James  G.),  The  Northwest  Coast.     New  York,  1857;  Scrap  Book. 

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Tach(^'  (Macgregor),  Sketch  of  the  North  West  of  America.     Montreal,  1870. 
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xxxii 


AUTHORITIES  QUOTED. 


Thornton  (J.  Qninn),  Oregon  History.     MS. 

Thurman  (Allen  (1.),  Speocli  in  U.  S.  H.  of  Rep.,  Jan.  28,  1840,  on  Oregon 
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Tod  (John),  New  Caledonia.     MS. 

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Tolniie  (William  F. ),  Piiget  Sound  and  North  West  Coast.     MS. 

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sojpliical  A'iew  of  tiie  American  United  States.     London,  17!),").  4  vols. 
Wintimip,  Speech  in  U.  S.  11.  of  Rep.,  Feb.  1,  1845,  and  Jan.  ."?,   1840,  on 

tlie  Oregon  Question.     Washington,  184."),  1840. 
Work  (.lolm),  Journal  18'24.     MS. 

Wyeth  (Jolm  B.),  Oregon;  or  a  Short  History  of  a  Long  .Journey  from  Atlan- 
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toire  nniverselle  des  Indes  Oceidcntales.     Douay,  1007. 


»vi 


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HISTORY 


THE   NORTHWEST  COAST. 


CHAPTER  I. 

INTRODUCTORY  TO  NORTHWEST  COAST  EXPLORATION. 

PRIMAHY  SlOKTFICANCF. — TlIK    SciWECT    IN   ITS   WiDEST    ScOPE — TlCE    HoME 

or  MvsTi.:vV— IIisTOKio  and  Mvti'ii;  L.teuest — The  CoNJEcmtAL  and 
THE  r{En, — OuuiiN  OK  THE  Stkait  Myth  and  of  the  Nouthekn 
Mysteuv— AVest  Coast  Theokies— State  of  Geoorai-hical  Knowl- 
kd<;e  in    l.joO— In  the  SorTii-EAST — North-east,  Exflokations  dy 

THE    CaIIOTS    and    CoRTEREALS,    IIY   AlLLON,  VeRR^VZANO,    CiO.MEZ,    CaR- 

TiER  -  In  the  South-west,  by  Balboa,  Esfinosa,  Davila,  Cortes, 
Ai.arcon,  Ui.loa,  Cabrillo — Inland  Wanderinos  by  Cartier,  Soto, 
Caheza  de  Va('a,  Gfz.man,  Niza,  and  Coronado — liV)0  to  KiOO,  P'ro- 
iiisHER,  Rir.ArLT,  Menendez,  Raleioh — New  Mexican  Entradas  — 
Urdaneta,  Drake,  Gali,  CermeSon — IGOOto  KioO,  Vizcaino,  OSate— 
Canadian  Fi'r-hcnters  and  .Jesuits— Hudson  and  Baffin— ITmO  to 
17(K),  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  Marquette,  La  Salle,  and  Padre 
Kino— 1700  to  17o0,  Philippine  Galleons — Enolish  Freep.ooters— 
Verendrye  to  the  Rocky  Mointains  — Arctic  Discoveries— J 7r)0 
to  ISOO,  I[i:ar:.e  and  Mackenzie— Escal>vxte  in  Utah— Occupation 
of  California — Russian  Discoveries. 

Every  ago,  as  presented  to  us  by  history,  displays 
some  features  better  and  some  worse  than  the  cor- 
responding churac'.eristics  of  our  own  age.  Tiiere  are 
so-called  golden  ages,  in  which  hcHior  is  besnujarcd  with 
vices  such  as  times  were  never  cursed  with  before; 
and  there  are  bra-js  as^es  and  iron  ages,  in  which  there  is 
truth  and  heroism,  if  not  so  many  of  the  comely  and 
sweet  humanities  of  life.    Human  progress  is  like  the 

Vol.  I    X  ^       ° 


.-rf 


>V>^'AV^'''"' — ■''.    1 1 -.I'M'' 5-3^ 


01 


111     till 


NORTHWEST  COAST 


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A 


NORTHWEST  COAST  EXPLORATION. 


waters  of  ocean,  ever  circulating  between  equator  and 
poles,  seeking  equilibrium  of  temperature  and  a  level, 
seekrnn;  rest  and  findinjj  none. 

A  dominant  feature  in  Northwest  Coast  discovery 
ana  exploration  is  royal  mendacity.  Maritime  lying 
readies  the  climax,  and  borders  on  the  heroic.  Enough 
is  known  of  climates  and  configurations  to  form  bases 
for  endless  imaginings,  and  not  enough  in  certain 
quarters  to  render  detection  likely;  the  listener's 
mind  once  made  up  to  overlook  the  audacious  in- 
difference to  truth  on  the  part  of  navigators,  and  he 
will  find  their  tales  not  always  unpleasing. 

The  term  Northwest  Coast,  as  defined  for  the  pur- 
pose of  this  history,  includes  the  territory  known  in 
later  times  as  Oregon,  Washington,  and  British  Co- 
lumbia. Exploration  naturally  occupies  the  first  place 
in  its  annals ;  and  the  earliest  exploration  here,  as  in 
most  ])arts  of  the  New  World,  is  maritime.  The  his- 
torian's first  task  is  to  present,  in  chronologic  order, 
the  successive  voyages  by  which  the  coast  of  the 
western  ocean  from  latitude  forty-two  to  fifty-four 
north  became  known  to  Europeans,  and  on  which 
Were  founded  divers  claims,  more  or  less  conflicting, 
of  national  ownership.  Later  we  will  observe  inland 
travellers,  and  follow  them  amidst  their  wanderings 
over  the  mighty  western  slope,  and  as  far  north  as  the 
Frozen  Sea.  In  its  narrowest  limits  the  subject  first 
presents  itself  in  the  form  of  the  geographical  ex- 
ploration of  an  unknown  seaboard  some  seven  hun- 
dred and  fifty  miles  in  extent. 

But  it  has  a  broader  scope.  Just  as  Prince  Henry's 
southward  gropings  along  the  Aft'ican  coast  acquire 
their  chief  interest  and  importance  as  part  of  a  grand 
scheme  of  doubling  the  cape  and  opening  a  way  by 
sea  to  India;  as  the  first  discoveries  of  Columbus  in 
the  far  west  are  fascinating,  not  only  in  bringing  to 
light  the  position,  outline,  and  products  of  certain 
islands,  but  in  the  idea  of  the  great  explorer's  fancied 


^A 


MANIFOLD  WONDERS.  3 

approach  to  the  realms  of  the  Grand  Khan,  and  in  the 
real  but  unsuspected  nearness  of  a  new  continent;  as 
the  Isthmian  coastings  and  plundcrings,  a  long  chapter 
of  outrage  and  disaster,  are  linked  in  the  reader's  mind 
with  Balboa's  grand  discovery  of  a  new  ocean,  and 
with  the  rich  provinces  located  by  Spanish  imagina- 
tion on  its  shores;  as  Portuguese  progress,  step  by 
stop  down  the  Brazilian  coast,  was  but  a  prelude  to 
^lagellan's  voyages  into  the  Pacific  and  round  the 
world;  as  Ponce  de  Leon's  name  suggests  not  the 
marshes  of  Florida  so  much  as  the  fountain  of  youth; 
as  the  plod  dings  of  Cortes  on  and  about  the  sterile 
Californian  Peuinsnia  were  but  commonplace  achieve- 
ments for  the  conqueror  of  Mexico  compared  with 
what  he  hoped  to  achieve  and  what  he  sought,  the 
isles  of  pearls  and  spices  and  Amazons,  the  estrecho, 
and  the  route  to  India;  and  as  New  Mexican  Pueblo 
town  realiti'js,  wonderful  as  they  are,  pale  into  in- 
signiticancc  before  the  imaginary  splendors  of  the 
cities  that  Cabcza  de  Vaca  heard  of,  the  Cibola  that 
^Marcos  d  j  Niza  visited,  and  the  Quivira  built  up  like 
an  air  castle  on  Coronado's  modest  picture  of  a  wig- 
wam town  on  the  northern  plains — so  this  northern 
coast  ot  the  Oregon  must  ever  bo  less  famous  histori- 
cally for  what  was  found  there  and  for  the  adventures 
of  those  who  found  it,  than  for  what  was  souijht  in 
\  -im,  and  what  ought  by  current  cosmography  to  have 
^K'xtl  f(jund.  Here  opened  into  the  broad  Pacific  the 
^st'  ait  of  Anian,  by  which  ships,  when  once  the  en- 
a';inr,e  on  either  side  was  found,  mi'dit  sail  without 
hit.-ii^ranco  from  ocean  to  ocean.  Hero,  on  either  side 
iiie  strait,  manifold  wonders  and  mysteries  had  their 
inaccessible  seat  for  more  than  two  centuries. 

Hero,  at  and  about  an  island  standing  o])posite  the 
eutranco  of  a  strait  that  lacked  only  length  to  afford 
the  desired  intcroceanic  communication,  Russian  ex- 
plorers came  down  from  the  farther  north  and  met 
k5!)anish  explorers  from  the  south, while  others,Enghsh 
and  iVmerican,  intruded  themselves  and  gained  for 


4  NORTHWEST  COAST  EXPLORATION. 

their  respective  nations  permanent  pojj.iessions  between 
those  of  Spain  and  Russia.  Much  historic  interest 
attaches  therefore  to  this  portion  of  the  western  sea- 
board in  comparison  with  other  parts,  independently 
of  the  mythic  elements  in  the  Northern  Mystery 
which  centres  here,  and  of  the  fascinations  naturally 
attaching  to  the  discovery  of  new  regions.  I  have 
to  follow,  then,  the  navigators  of  four  nations  whose 
vessels  entered  the  waters  of  the  northern  Pacific 
States;  and  besides  to  make  the  reader  familiar  A\4th 
voyages  in  the  same  direction  preceding  nud  leading 
to  actual  (hicovery.  Moreover,  since  conjecture  is  to 
be  recorder'  i  ^  '■•s  than  the  known,  theory  preceding 
and  overshaii  >g  knowledge,  I  have  to  note  the 
rumors  on  whicii  liieorics  were  made  to  rest,  also  many 
voyages  which  were  never  made,  but  only  described 
by  imaginative  navigators.  And  finally,  the  mytliical 
strait  had  an  opening  on  the  Atlantic  as  well  as  on 
the  Pacific,  else  it  wore  not  worth  searching  for  and 
theorizing  about;  and  the  eastern  no  less  than  the 
western  outlet  was  sought  for  diligently  in  voyages 
which  therefore  become  part  of  the  matter  under  con- 
sideration. 

It  will  be  seen  that  this  topic  of  north-weptern  ex- 
ploration in  its  broadest  scope,  and  with  all  its  prece- 
dent connections,  might  properly  enough  be  made  to 
fill  a  volume.  There  are  circumstances,  however, 
which  will  enable  me  to  restrict  an  exhaustive  pre- 
sentation of  the  subject  within  comparatively  narrow 
limits.  Chief  amonof  these  circumstances  is  the  fact 
that  the  exploration  of  regions  south  of  the  forty- 
second  parallel,  both  b}'^  sea  and  land,  has  been  fully 
I'ccordcd  in  every  desirable  detail  in  the  preceding 
volumes  of  this  scries;  while  like  particulars  of  explo- 
rations in  the  extreme  north,  less  essential  to  the  pres- 
ent purpose,  will  be  giv^en  in  a  later  volume  on  Alaska. 
Therefore  brief  and  sunnnary  allusion  to  matters 
with  which  the  reader  is  familiar  will  often  suffice, 
where  otherwise  more  minute  treatment  would  be  re- 


THE  NORTHERN  MYSTERY.  6 

quired.  Hcpctition  there  must  be  in  some  pliascs  of 
tJie  subject,  but  only  in  those  bearing  directly  on  the 
general  result.  Again,  I  believe  that  in  the  case  of 
tictitious  voyages  and  groundless  theories,  respect- 
ing whose  character  modern  knowledge  leaves  no 
possible  doubt,  most  of  the  circumstantial  evidence 
which  fills  the  pages  of  earlier  writers  for  or  against 
their  authenticity  and  soundness  may  now  be  wisely 
omitted.  Detailed  description  may  also  profitably 
give  way  to  general  statement  in  presenting  ex])edi- 
tions  to  the  northern  Atlantic  coasts  in  the  vain 
search  for  a  passage  leading  to  the  Pacific.  As  in 
other  parts  '^f  this  series,  detailed  information  con- 
cerniuLT  the  ajorijxlnal  inhabitants  of  the  regions 
explored  is  of  coui'se  omitted  from  the  annals  of 
exploration,  for  that  has  been  presented  much  more 
completely  than  would  be  possible  here  in  the  Native 
Races  of  the  Facijic  States. 

It  is  well  at  the  outset  to  state  clearly,  even  though 
it  involves  repetition,  the  origin  of  the  cosmograi)]iic 
mysteries  in  which  the  northern  parts  of  xVmerica 
were  so  long  shrouded ;  for  they  dicf  not  result  wholly 
from  the  fact  that  those  regions  were  the  last  to  be 
explored.  The  Xorthern  Mystery  was  a  western  mys- 
tery at  first,  if,  indeed,  a  mystery  at  all.  Columbus 
set  out  from  Spain  with  the  expectation  that  by  fol- 
lowing a  westerly  course  across  the  great  ocean  he 
would  reach  the  Asiatic  coast  and  islands  described 
by  Polo  and  Mandeville.  By  a  fortunate  under- 
estimate of  the  distance  to  be  traversed,  the  islands 
and  coast  were  found  to  agree  substantially  in  posi- 
tion and  trend  with  the  current  charts  and  descrip- 
tions. The  navigator's  theories,  agreeing  in  the  main 
with  the  theories  of  his  contemporaries  and  prede- 
cessors, were  verified ;  the  enter[)rise  was  successful ; 
and  all  that  remained  to  be  done  was  to  follow  the 
Asiatic  coast  south-westward  to  the  rich  provinces 
of  India.     This  task  presented   no   difficulties;    but 


I 


i 


6  NORTHWEST  COAST  EXPLORATION". 

before  circumstances  permitted  it  to  be  executed  a 
new  land  was  found  in  the  south,  not  laid  down  in  the 
old  charts,  and  too  far  east  to  be  part  of  the  Asiatic 
main.  The  conclusion  was  immediate  and  natural; 
the  new  land  was  simply  a  large  island,  separate  but 
not  very  far  distant  from  the  main,  and  not  known  to 
Marco  Polo  and  the  rest.  The  new  discovery,  how- 
ever, offered  no  obstacle  to  the  old  theories  or  to  the 
proposed  voyage  to  India;  yet  in  coasting  south- 
westward  the  Spaniards  would  have  to  pass  between 
the  continent  and  the  island.  This  passage  must  be 
a  strait;  and  this  was  indeed  *  the  strait,'  although 
in  its  earliest  stage  of  development  not  a  passage 
through  a  continent,  but  between  Asia  and  an  oft- 
lying  island. 

But  as  time  passed  and  explorers  converged  from 
the  north  and  south  they  could  find  no  strait,  only 
land.  This  wa.:i  an  obstacle  indeed.  True,  the  passage 
being  narrow  might  yet  exist,  having  eluded  inade- 
quate search;  otherwise  geographical  theories  must 
be  somewhat  reconstructed,  the  old  charts  and  de- 
scriptions being  in  error.  The  correction,  though  in- 
terposing serious  difficulties  in  the  direct  navigation 
to  India,  was  one  that  readily  suggested  itself  The 
latitudes  of  the  old  writers  were  not  very  definite, 
and  their  knowledge  of  the  regions  farthest  north  was 
necessarily  vague;  apparently,  then,  unless  the  strait 
could  yet  be  found,  the  new  land — really  South 
America — instead  of  being  a  detached  island  off"  the 
coast  of  Asia,  must  be  a  south-western  projection  of 
that  coast  from  a  point  farther  north  than  any  known 
to  the  geographers.  As  the  years  passed  on  and  no 
strait  was  found ;  as  successive  voyages  developed  the 
great  extent  of  the  southern  projection;  as  the  Isth- 
mian explorers  brought  to  light  the  South  Sea  shores ; 
as  the  great  Portuguese  navigator  crossed  the  Pacific 
and  made  known  the  immense  stretch  of  waters  sepa- 
rating the  new  lands  from  India;  as  Cortds  and  his 
men  revealed  the  fact  that  Mexico  also  had  its  western 


DECLINE  OF  SPANISH  EFFORT.  7 

coast — the  last  conjecture  became  conviction  and 
reality.  More  than  this,  it  became  evident  that  not 
only  was  the  Now  World  a  projection  of  the  Asiatic 
maiti,  but  that  all  the  new  discoveries  belonged  to  this 
New  World  projection,  and  that  all  the  islands  and 
main  land  of  Columbus  and  the  rest,  were  very  far 
from  the  India  which  had  been  imagined  so  near. 
Yet  there  remained  but  little  doubt  that  all  was  part 
of  Asia,  a  projection  still,  though  an  immense  one, 
from  a  region  farther  north.  And  the  idea  that  there 
ought  to  be  a  strait  somewhere  had  become  too 
firmly  rooted  to  be  abandoned.  There  were  those 
who  thought  the  strait  might  yet  with  closer  search 
be  found  in.  southern  regions ;  most  believed  it  would 
be  found  in  the  north  just  beyond  the  limit  of  explora- 
tion; while  others,  resolved  to  be  fully  abreast  of 
future  revelations,  placed  several  straits  at  convenient 
intervals  on  their  maps. 

Now  the  current  idea  among  the  most  competent 
men  of  the  time  was  for  the  most  part  accurate  and 
well  founded.  All  that  remained  to  be  done  was  to 
follow  the  western  coast,  at  first  north,  then  west, 
and  finally  south,  to  India,  finding  the  strait  on  the 
way  if  any  existed.  The  only  error  was  in  vastly 
underestimating  the  length  of  the  route.  It  was 
not  long,  however,  before  exploration  was  pushed 
beyond  the  fortieth  parallel.  Meanwhile  Spanish 
energy  in  exploration  and  conquest  had  greatly  de- 
clined, though  Spain's  commercial  interests  in  South 
Sea  waters,  over  which  she  claimed  to  exercise  ex- 
clusive dominion,  had  assumed  immense  importance. 
Spain  had  no  strong  desire  for  territorial  possessions 
in  the  far  north  after  the  geographical  relations  of 
that  region  to  India  had  become  better  known ;  and 
it  soon  became  apparent  that  the  discovery  of  the 
strait  would  be  no  benefit  but  a  positive  disadvantage 
and  menace  to  Spain.  Nevertheless  it  was  important, 
and  even  more  urgent  than  before,  to  find  the  .strait — 
not  as  a  shorter  route  to  the  Spice  Islands,  but  that, 


I 


8  NORTHWEST  COAST  EXPLORATION. 

in  possession  of  Spain,  it  might  be  closed  to  the  navi- 
gators of  other  nations.  For  the  foreigners  were 
dihgently  seeking  it;  there  were  even  current  reports 
that  they  had  found  it,  concealing  the  fact;  and  the 
ravages  of  freebooters  in  South  Sea  waters  caused  no 
little  anxiety  on  the  subject. 

Meanwhile  theorizing  went  on,  supplemented  by 
exaggeration  and  falsehood.  Each  navigator  to  the 
north,  on  either  ocean,  brought  back  information  true 
or  false  which  served  as  fuel  to  the  flame.  The  strait 
undoubtedly  existed;  each  indentation  on  either  shore 
must  be  regarded  as  its  entrance  till  the  contrary 
was  proved;  and  that  being  proved,  the  indentation 
next  north  must  be  the  right  one.  "  It  were  a  pity," 
thought  the  navigator  when  at  or  near  a  gulf,  bay, 
or  river  lie  was  prevented  by  storms,  scurvy,  or  other 
untoward  circumstances  from  sailing  through  to  the 
Pacific  or  to  the  Atlantic,  "  it  were  a  pity  that  another 
should  immortalize  himself  by  the  rediscovery  of  what 
I  have  found;"  and  forthwith  he  proceeded  to  protect 
his  glory  by  an  explicit  description  of  what  he  had 
been  on  the  point  of  seeing.  Others  required  no 
actual  voyage  as  a  foundation  for  their  falsehoods, 
but  boldly  claimed  to  have  navigated  the  strait  from 
ocean  to  ocean;  and  few  interested  in  the  subject  but 
could  find  a  sailor  who  had  accomplished  one  of  these 
interoccanic  expeditions,  or  at  least  knew  another  who 
had  done  so.  And  the  fables  current  did  not  relate 
wliollv  to  the  mere  existence  of  the  strait,  but  ex- 
tended  to  the  wonders  bordering  it  on  either  side. 
Travellers  by  sea  and  land  brought  back  tales  of  great 
cities  and  rich  provinces,  always  farther  north  than 
the  region  they  had  visited.  The  natives  caught  the 
spirit  of  the  times,  and  became  adroit  in  inventing 
northern  marvels  for  the  entertainment  of  the 
strangers.  There  is  much  reason  to  believe  that  the 
famous  and  fabulous  tradition  of  an  aboriginal  migra- 
tion  of  Toltec  and  Aztec  tribes  from  a  northern  centre 
of  civilization  had  no  other  origin. 


1 


the 
the 

Jra- 
itre 


THE  STILUT  OF  ANIAN.  9 

There  were  those  who  sought  to  utiHzo  the  Northern 
Mystery  for  the  advaiiceineut  of  their  own  interests 
and  schemes.  Conquistadores  were  not  wanting  who 
stood  prepared  to  dupHcate  in  the  far  north  the 
acliievenients  of  Hernan  Cortes;  friars  doubted  not 
that  there  awaited  the  reaping  a  great  harvest  of 
northern  souls;  and  explorers  were  ready  to  make  new 
expeditions  at  the  royal  cost.  There  was  a  constant 
stream  of  memorials  on  the  importance  of  northern 
occupation ;  and  the  writers  never  failed  to  make  the 
most  of  current  rumors.  Yet  for  all  the  real  and  imagi- 
nary urguucy  of  the  matter,  and  the  pressure  brought 
to  bear  on  the  throne,  so  occupied  were  the  Spanish 
rulers  with  other  affairs,  or  so  completely  had  died  out 
the  adventurous  spirit  of  old,  and  so  unproductive 
were  the  few  weak  efforts  made,  that  for  two  centu- 
ries little  or  nothing  was  accomplished.  Then,  late 
in  the  eighteenth  century,  in  the  time  of  Carlos  III., 
tliere  was  a  revival  of  exploring  energy.  All  the  old 
motives  were  yet  potent;  and  a  new  cause  of  alarm 
appeared,  the  fear  of  Russian  encroachment  from  the 
north-west.  A  series  of  voyages  was  undertaken  and 
carried  out  by  Spain ;  English  and  American  explorers 
made  their  appearance  on  the  coast;  the  llussians 
were  tliere  already;  and  soon  but  little  of  mystery 
was  left.  No  strait  of  Anian  was  found.  There  were 
none  of  the  marvellous  things  that  had  been  so  freely 
attributed  to  the  latitudes  between  40'  and  00^;  but 
there  was  a  wealth  of  furs  for  those  inclined  to  ad- 
venturous commerce,  and  there  was  a  tijrritcny  of 
sufficient  value  to  inspire  some  petty  national  cpiar- 
rels.  These  discoveries,  and  others  of  about  the  sanio 
date  in  the  northern  Atlantic,  practically  put  an  end 
to  the  Northern  Mystery  so  far  as  it  related  to  a  navi- 
gable channel  in  moderately  temperate  latitudes,  as 
located  by  the  navigators  who  had  sailed  through  the 
continent  from  ocean  to  ocean;  though  many  years 
had  yet  to  })ass  before  belief  in  the  old  narratives  and 
theories  could  be  eradicated. 


V  r* 


10 


NORTHWEST  COAST  EXPLOILVTION. 


And  after  all,  the  Northern  Mystery  was  still  a 
potent  incentive  to  maritime  endeavor.  It  merely 
took  another  step  northward,  as  it  had  often  done 
before.  In  Arctic  regions  the  strait  separating  Asia 
from  America  was  still  sought  as  diligently  as  ever; 
and  after  many  years  it  was  found.  One  man  has 
sailed  through  it,  from  the  Atlantic  to  tJie  Pacific, 
after  the  loss  of  hundreds  of  lives  in  vain  efforts.  And 
yet  one  more  retreat  has  the  mystery — in  the  famous 
'open  sea'  at  the  north  pole,  where  it  even  yet  eludes 
the  pursuit  in  which  brave  men  are  still  losing  their 
lives.  Driven  from  the  north  pole,  whither  will  the 
phantom  betake  itself?  I  do  not  know.  Judging  from 
the  past,  this  is  the  only  mystery  about  the  matter 
not  likely  to  be  explained  in  the  near  future^ 

After  this  preliminary  sketch  of  the  whole  subject, 
let  us  glance  at  the  exact  condition  of  North  Ameri- 
can ex[)loration  in  1550.  All  the  material  needed 
for  the  purpose  is  contained  in  the  *  Summary  of  geo- 
graphical knowledge  and  discovery  from  the  eailiest 
records  to  the  year  1540,'  published  in  the  first  volume 
of  my  History  of  Central  America,  supplemented  in 
later  volumes  of  this  series  by  more  detailed  accounts 
of  such  voyages  as  directly  concern  the  Pacific  States 
territory.  Between  1492  and  1550  European  navi- 
gators, with  those  of  Spain  far  in  the  lead,  had  dis- 
covered a  New  World,  and  had  explored  its  coast  line 
for  some  thirty  thousand  miles,  from  60°  on  the  At- 
lantic coast  of  Labrador  round  by  Magellan  Strait  to 
above  40"  on  the  Pacific.  It  was  a  grand  achievement, 
unparalleled  in  the  past  and  never  to  be  equalled  in 
the  future. 

On  the  Atlantic  side,  from  Darien  to  Florida,  the 
coast  and  islands  had  been  visited  by  Columbus  in 
his  voyages  of  1492,  1493-5,  and  1502;  by  E?i«tidas 
in  1501;  by  Cosa  and  Ojeda  in  1504-5;  by  Pinzon 
and  Diaz  in  1506;  by  Ojeda,  Nicuesa,  and  other 
would-be  rulers  of  mainland  colonies  since  1509;  by 


EARLIEST  DISCOVERIES. 


11 


Ponce  do  Loon  in  1512  and  1521;  by  Vaklivia  in 
1512;  by  Miruelo  in  1516;  by  Cordoba  and  Grijalva 
in  1517-18;  by  Cortds,  Pineda,  Garay,  and  Alaniinos 
in  1511);  by  Garay  in  1523;  by  Olid  in  1524;  by  Mon- 
tejo  in  1527;  by  Pjlnfilo  de  Narvaez  in  1528-34;  by 
Soto  in  1538-43;  and  by  many  other  navigators  who 
surveyed  only  such  parts  of  the  coast  as  had  been 
already  discovered. 

Farther  north  on  the  Atlantic,  from  Florida  to 
Labrador,  the  exploration  was  less  thorough,  but  it 
covered  in  a  measure  the  whole  coast.  In  1497  John 
Cabot,  from  England,  probably  reached  Labrador 
between  5^  and  58°,  and  coasted  northward  some 
hundreds  of  leagues.  That  land  existed,  and  of  great 
extent,  in  that  direction  was  the  only  geographical 
fact  developed  by  the  voyage.  In  1498  Sebastian 
Cabot  made  a  similar  voyage,  in  which  he  coasted 
from  Labrador  northward  possibly  to  67°  30',  and 
then  southward  to  the  gulf  of  St  Lawrence,  and 
perhaps  to  Cape  Hatteras.  There  is  no  reason  to 
question  the  fact  that  these  voj'-ages  of  the  Cabots 
were  made  as  claimed ;  but  the  records  are  vague,  and 
nothing  is  known  of  the  cosmographical  motives  or  the 
results.  The  Cortereals,  Gaspar  and  Miguel,  made 
three  voyages  for  Portugal  in  1500-2,  in  which  they 
followed  the  coast  from  Newfoundland  far  to  the 
north,  perhaps  to  Greenland.  Both  brothers  were 
lost;  and  of  discoveries  made  during  the  last  expedi- 
tion nothing  is  known.  The  Cortereals  gave  names 
to  Newfoundland  and  Labrador,  as  depicted  on  ina)is 
of  the  time;  they  also  left  several  local  names.  No 
contemporary  narrative  of  the  discoveries  of  eith' » 
the  Cabots  or  Cortereals  is  extant.  The  Portugu;'  t; 
fishermen  are  supposed  to  have  continued  their  tiii)s 
to  Labrador  and  Newfoundland — Bacalaofi,  land  t)f 
codfish — but  no  geographical  results  are  known;  and 
the  same  may  be  said  of  the  voyages  of  the  Bretons 
and  Normans,  including  those  of  Denys  in  1500  and 
Aubert  in  1508,  the  former  of  whom  is  said  to  have 


12 


NORTHWEST  COAST  EXPLORATION. 


cxi)l()rc(l  the  gulf  of  St  Lawrence.  In  1520  Vazquez 
de  Ailh^n  sunt  out  an  expedition  from  Espauola  under 
Jordan,  wlio  reached  a  country  called  by  him  Chicora, 
on  the  present  Carolina  coast.  In  1524  Giovanni 
Verrazano,  for  France,  reached  the  coast  not  far  from 
Jordan's  Chicora,  sailed  southward  some  fifty  leagues, 
antl  then  northward  to  Newfoundland.  He  was  thus 
the  first  to  explore  a  largo  portion  of  the  United 
States  shore-line.  Estevan  Gomez  perhaps  c()mi)leted 
tliat  line  in  1525,  when  uoeking  hi  behalf  of  S])ain  a 
strait  between  Newfoundland  and  Florida.  Aillon  in 
1520  also  sought  the  strait  from  Chicora  southward, 
making  at  the  same  t'.me  a  vain  effort  at  colonization. 
In  1527  John  Rut,  ai>  English  navigator,  is  said  to 
have  followed  the  '^j.  st  from  53^  down  to  Chicora. 
Jacques  Cartier  f(<  .ance  made  three  expeditions,  in 
1534,  1535-G,  aiwl  >  i--2.  Incited  by  Verrazano's 
narrative  and  -^haiv  .  .js  main  object  was  to  find  a 
passage  to  the  Soutli  Sea  and  Spice  Islands.  He  did 
not  find  the  strait,  but  he  effected  a  very  com])lete 
survey  of  the  gulf  and  river  of  St  Lawrence,  New- 
foundland, and  all  the  surrounding  complication  of 
islands  and  channels.  From  Carticr's  time  the  names 
of  Nouvelle  Fiance,  Canada,  Newfoundland,  St  Law- 
rence, Montreal,  and  many  others  still  in  use  became 
current,  some  of  them  having  been  applied  before. 
French  and  other  fishermen  had  long  frequented  tlieso 
waters;  and  maps  of  the  time  show  many  details  not 
to  be  found  in  any  narrative.  The  French  possessions 
included  all  territory  above  latitude  40'.  In  connec- 
tion with  Cartier's  last  voyage,  a  settlement  was  made 
near  Quebec  under  lioberval  as  viceroy  of  Canada, 
Labrador,  and  the  rest;  but  it  was  abandoned  in  1543. 
And  finally  one  Master  Here,  an  Englishman,  has 
left  on  record  a  voyage  to  Newfoundland  made  in 
153G.  This  completes  the  list  down  to  the  middle  of 
the  century.  For  the  purpose  in  view  we  may  regard 
the  Atlantic  coast  as  fully  explored  from  Darien  to 
Hudson  Strait  in  latitude  60°. 


Cj 


PRor.REs>*  sourmv.vRD. 


13 


w 


«'  novr 


turn  southward,  and  with  Vasco  Nunez 


do    lialhoa  crosH   to  the  South   Sea  in    1513.     Hia 
j^raiid  discovery  made,  he  soon  built  certain  vessels, 
in  which,  the  Isthmian  coasts  and  islands  were  ex- 
plored.   And  with  these  vessels  in  1519  Gaspar  do 
Es])inf  ia  pushed  the  exploration  to  the  Costa  Rican 
ir\\\\'  <  r'  Nicoya,  in   10°,  visited  already  in   1517  hy 
Hurf  tdo  in  canoes.     In  1522  Gil  Gonzalez  Diivila, 
on  »•(  her  craft  transported  across  the  Isthmus,  sailed 
aira'a  to  Nicoya,  and  by  land  went  on  to  Nicaragua, 
wli>l<'   Andres    Nino   continued    his  voyaj^o    by  sea 
at  "least   to   the   gulf   of   Fonseca,   in   latitude    13', 
nud  probably  farther — even  to  Soconusco  or  Tehuan- 
tcpec,  if  we  may  credit  the  distances  given  by  the 
chroniclers.     Meanwhile   Hernan   Cortes,  after  con- 
quering for  Spain  the  Mexican  table-land  f)f  Aniihuac, 
had  through  Spanish  agents  discovered  the  western 
coast  at  three  different  points,  thus  determining  its 
general  trend,  and  adding  from  two  to  five  degrees  to 
knowledge  of  its  extent.    All  this  before  the  end  of 
1522.  •   The  points  were  Tehuantepec,  in  IG",  whence 
the  native  chiefs  sent  their  allegiance;  Tututcpec,  in 
about  the  same  latitude,  but  one  hundred  miles  farther 
west,  occupied  by  Pedro  de  Alvarado;  and  Zacatula, 
in  1(S',  where  Cortes  simultaneously  began  to  found 
a  settlement,  and   constructed  vessels   for  northern 
exploration.     After  long  and  vexatious  delays,  with 
which  we   are   not   at   present   concerned,  the   new 
vessels  M'ere  completed  in    1 520,  and  another  from 
the  strait  of  Magellan,  under  Guevara,  arrived  at 
Tehuantepec,  and  was  brought  to  Zacatula.    This  fleet 
was  ordered  to  the  Moluccas  in  such  haste  that  it 
cuuu"  not  take  the  proposed  route  along  the  northern 
coasts,  but  sailed  direct  for  India  in  1527;  not,  how- 
ever, until  three  of  the  vessels  had  made  a  trial  trip 
to  the  port  of  Santiago,  in  Colima,  a  port  already  dis- 
covered by  Francisco  Cortes'  land  expedition  three 
years  before.  The  coast  now  lay  disclosed  from  Panamit 
to  Colima.    Five  years  elapsed  before  Cort(5s  was  able 


14 


NORTHAVEST  COAST  EXPLORATI^ 


to  accomplish  fi.nytliing  on  the  northern  coasts.  The 
expeditions  sent  out  by  him  were  as  follows:  In  1533 
Hurtado  de  Mendoza  reached  the  Sinaloa  coast,  and 
was  killed  at  the  Rio  Fuerte,  while  his  associate 
Mazuela  returned  with  one  of  the  vessels  to  Banderas 
Bay,  in  Jalisco.  In  1533  were  made  the  voyages  of 
Beccrra,  Grijalva,  and  Jimenez,  in  which  the  latter 
discovered  the  southern  part  of  the  Californian  Penin- 
sula, supposed  to  be  an  island.  Beyond  the  revelation 
of  this  new  land  the  expedition,  and  that  of  Cortes 
himself  in  1535-G,  added  nothing  to  north-western 
geography.  Finally  Ulloa  was  sent  out  in  1539;  and 
he  not  only  explored  the  gulf  to  its  head  on  both  sides, 
but  doubled  the  cape  and  pushed  the  exploration  on 
the  main  coast  to  Cedros  Island,  in  29°.  The  viceroy 
Mendoza  now  succeeded  the  conqueror  as  patron  of 
exploration,  and  despatched  two  expeditions  by  water. 
The  first  was  that  of  Alarcon,  in  1540,  in  whicli  ho 
reached  the  head  of  the  gulf  and  explored  the  mouth 
of  the  Colorado.  The  other  was  under  the  conmiand 
of  Cabrillo,  who  in  1542-3  reached,  as  he  thoaght, 
the  latitude  of  44°,  determining  the  general  trend  of 
the  coast,  though  not  landing  above  Point  Concejicion, 


in  34".    No  more  attempts  were  made  in  this  direction 
before  1550. 

^Meanwhile  maritime  exploration  had  been  sup- 
plemented to  some  extent  by  land  expeditions  and 
settlement,  which,  contributing  niaterially  to  current 
knowledge  of  the  continent,  must  be  noticed  here.  In 
the  north-eastern  section,  from  Texas  to  Labrador,  there 
was  notiiing  that  could  be  called  settlement,  though 
tlie  regions  about  Newfoundland  were  frequented  by 
French  ami  I*ortuguese  fishermen,  and  a  Frencli  fort 
had  been  maintained  near  Quebec  for  a  year  or  two, 
till  1543.  In  the  far  north  the  only  penetration  into 
the  continent  was  that  of  153G-42,  by  CaHier,  who 
wi'ut  up  the  St  Lawience  gulf  and  river  nearly  fivo 
hundred  miles,  past  the  site  of  Montreal  and  to  tho 
fall's  of  St  Louis.     Southward,  only  the  coast  outline 


INTERIOR  EXPEDITIOXS. 


15 


sup- 
ancl 
rrciit 
In 
there 
ougli 
d  by 
fort 
two, 
into 
who 
L'  tivo 
I)  tho 
itUno 


was  known  to  Florida,  where  we  have  the  inland 
wanderings  of  Hernando  de  Soto,  contemporary  with 
thoBe  of  Cartier.  Landing  with  a  large  company  in 
1530  on  the  gulf  coast  of  Florida,  at  Tampa  J  jay,  Soto 
proceeded  by  an  inland  course  to  the  vicinity  of  Talla- 
hassee ;  thence  north-easterly  to  the  Savannah  Kivcr, 
below  Augusta;  thence  north-westward  to  the  Ten- 
nessee line, near  Dalton, Georgia;  thence  south-easterly 
to  a  jioint  near  the  head  of  Mobile  Bay;  and  again 
north-west  to  the  Mississippi,  not  far  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Arkansas.  From  this  region  in  1541-2  the 
Spaniards  made  a  long  tour  to  the  westward.  After 
their  return  to  the  groat  river,  Soto  died,  and  was 
succeeded  in  command  by  Luis  de  Moscos(i,  under 
wliom  tliey  attempted  to  reach  Mexico  by  land,  pene- 
trating about  one  hundred  and  fifty  leagues  to  the 
westward,  and  coming  within  sight  of  mountains.  But 
they  were  forced  to  return  to  the  Mississippi;  and 
from  a  point  not  far  above  the  Arkansas  they  em- 
barked, July  1543,  in  vessels  built  for  the  purpose, 
reached  the  gulf  in  twenty  days,  and  thence  sailed  to 
Pdnuco.  In  respect,  to  particular  localities  this  ex- 
ploration leaves  much  room  for  doubt  and  discussion, 
but  the  general  scope  and  direction  of  Soto's  wan- 
derings through  the  territory  of  Florida,  Georgia, 
Alabama,  Arkansas,  Texas,  and  Louisiana  are  well 
enou'j^h  established.  Least  defined  of  all  is  the  route 
in  Texas;  but  seven  years  before,  in  1535,  Cabeza 
de  Vaca  and  his  throe  companions,  shipwrecked  mem- 
bers of  Narvaez'  band,  liad  escaped  from  tluir  long 
cai)tivity  among  the  Indians^  crossed  Texas  from 
Esj)iritu  Santo  Bay  to  the  region  of  El  Paso,  and 
had  passi'd  into  Chihuahua  by  a  route  south  o{'  that 
of  Soto,  though  gradually  a))proaching  it,  and  extend- 
ing farther  into  the  interior. 

Fi»r  the  regions  of  Centnd  America  and  s;)utliern 
Mexico  I  need  not  give,  even  iii  resume,  the  dilfcrent 
ex])editions  by  which  conquest  and  settlement  were 
eii'eeted;  sullice  it  to  say  that  before  1550  both  had 


» 


NORTirW^ST  COAST  EXPLORATIOX. 


been  accomplished  in  a  pfeneral  way  from  Darien  and 
Panamd,  to  Panuco  on  the  gulf,  and  to  Siiialoa  on 
the  Pacific.  On  the  western  side,  the  occupation  from 
Michoacan  to  Sinaloa  had  preceded  maritime  explo- 
ration in  the  same  direction,  chiefly  under  Nuno  de 
Guzman,  who  had  conquered  Jalisco  and  established 
a  permanent  Spanish  garrison  at  Culiacan  in  1531. 
From  this  advanced  post  Guzman's  officers  made  ex- 
peditions northward  to  the  Yaqui  River  in  1533,  and 
north-eastward  into  Durango  at  an  earlier  date.  It 
was  in  153G  that  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  companions 
arrived  at  San  Miguel  de  Culiacan,  after  traversing 
Texas,  Chihuahua,  and  Sonora,  thus  completing  the 
first  transcontinental  trip  in  northern  latitudes,  and 
the  most  famous  since  that  of  Vasco  Nunez  de  Balboa. 
Cabeza  de  Vaca  had  heard  reports  of  the  New  Mexi- 
can Pueblo  towns,  south  of  which  he  had  passed; 
and  those  reports,  exaggerated,  kindled  anew  the  zeal 
for  northern  exploration,  resulting  in  the  voyages  of 
Ulloa,  Alarcon,  and  Cabrillo,  to  which  I  have  already 
alluded, and  the  land  expeditions  of  Niza  and  Coronado, 
the  last  that  come  within  the  limits  of  the  present 
sketch. 

Friar  ^larcos  de  Niza  advanced  in  1539  from  Culia- 
can to  Cibola,  as  the  Zuiii  Pueblo  towns  in  35°  were 
then  called,  and  brought  back  most  exaggerated  re- 
ports of  rich  cities  and  kingdoms  in  that  region.  In 
the  following  year  Francisco  A^isquez  de  Coronado 
with  a  large  force  set  out  for  further  exploration  and 
conquest  in  tlio  north.  Coronado,  like  Niza,  went  to 
Zuhi;  ami  from  tliat  point  he  sent  out  Tobar  and 
Cardenas  to  the  jMoqui  towns  in  3(1",  the  latter  reach- 
ing tlie  great  cafion  of  tho  Colorado  in  the  north- 
eastern part  of  what  is  now  Arizona.  He  also  sent  a 
purty  bark  to  Sonora,  from  which  region  one  of  the 
officers,  Melohor  JJiaz,  made  an  expedition  to  tho 
mouth  of  the  Colorado,  ascending  the  river  nearly 
to  the  Ciila,  jind  crossing  to  explore  a  little  farther 
west.     J\leunwhilo  Coronado  proceeded  eastward  and 


4 

1 


i 


SIXTEENTH-CENTURY  PROGRESS. 


17 


passed  the  winter  in  the  Pueblo  towns  of  the  Rio 
Grande  del  Norte,  in  New  Mexico.  In  the  spring  of 
1541  an  expedition  was  made  which  carried  the 
Spaniards  some  eighty-five  days'  journey  north-east- 
ward over  tlie  plains  of  Texas  to  the  wigwam  town 
of  Quivira,  perJiaps  in  40°,  beyond  the  Arkansas. 
Coronado  passed  far  north  of  Cabeza  de  Vaca's  route, 
but  very  likely  crossed  that  of  Soto,  or  at  least  ap- 
proached it  very  closely.  During  another  winter 
passed  on  the  Rio  Grande,  exploration  was  pushed  to 
Taos,  in  3G°  30';  and  then,  in  1542,  the  expedition 
returned  to  Culiacan,  leaving  the  great  northern  in- 
terior to  its  primeval  savagism. 

Thus  in  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century,  the 
northern  limit  of  inland  exploration  may  be  given  as 
a  line  crossing  the  continent  just  below  the  thirty- 
sixth  parallel  from  the  Colorado  to  the  Savannah; 
Coronado  having  passed  the  line  in  its  central  part, 
and  advanced  into  the  modern  Kansas.  The  coasts 
on  either  side  were  explored  to  much  higher  latitudes, 
the  Atlantic  with  tolerable  accuracy  to  G0°,  and  the 
Pacific  in  a  manner  barely  to  show  the  shore-]*  e  trend 
to  44°.  Miips  of  the  time,  which  there  is  no  occasion 
to  specify  in  this  connection,  added  nothing  to  the 
narratives  of  explorers  in  the  west,  and  were  eviai 
less  perfect  than  they  might  have  been  made  from 
those  narratives;  while  in  the  east,  and  parti<ularly 
in  the  north-east,  maps  were  in  advance  of  written 
records,  including  many  details  from  voyages  never 
described.  Enough  had  been  accomplished  to  con- 
vince competent  men  that  south  of  40^  there  would 
be  foimd  neither  great  cities  nor  a  navigable  [)assage 
between  the  oceans,  grave  doubts  even  being  suggested 
in  the  minds  of  many  whether  any  strait,  or  nations 
worth  plundering,  would  be  found  in  the  north. 
During  all  this  period  only  one  navigator,  Ferrelo, 
the  successor  of  Cabrillo,  had  possibly  entered  the 
waters  of  the  Northwest  Coast,  passing  the  line  of  42°, 
but  not  landing;  Alarcon,  by  water,  had  approached 

H|8T.  N.W.  CoAaisVo!..!.    a 


IS 


NORTmVEST  COAST  EXPLORATION'. 


M'lthin  a  thousand  miles  of  the  boundary,  and  Cdr- 
dciias,  by  laud,  within  half  that  distance. 

I  have  next  to  trace  the  progress  of  expl  ration 
north-westward  for  two  centuries,  from  the  middle  of 
tlie  sixteenth  to  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury. This  progress  was  insignificant  compared  with 
that  of  the  brilliant  era  just  recorded.  New  foun- 
dations had  to  be  laid,  and  most  slowly,  for  a  new 
advance.  The  foundations — rediscovery  of  old  lands, 
futile  attempts  at  settlement  followed  by  successful 
colonization^ — w^cre  massive  and  complicated  for  the 
light  superstructure  which,  from  the  present  point  of 
view,  they  were  to  sustain.  The  frame,  reduced  to 
the  merest  skeleton,  is  gigantic  for  the  flesh  and  blood 
of  geographical  discovery  that  hardly  suffices  to  cover 
it — that  is  if  we  confine  ourselves  to  facts  of  actual 
discovery,  and  I  propose  to  defer  for  treatment  in 
the  following  chapter  the  grand  achievements  of  the 
imagination.  For  convenience  let  us  advance  by  half- 
centuiy  steps. 

From  1550  to  IGOO  the  extreme  north-east  was  first 
visited  by  the  English  navigator  Martin  Frobisher,  in 
three  voyages,  in  157G-8.  His  original  purpose  was 
to  discover  the  strait;  but  the  finding  of  what  was 
mistaken  for  gold  ore  in  the  first  voyage  changed  the 
nature  of  the  expedition,  and  caused  Frobisher  to 
confine  his  researches  to  the  inlet  bearing  his  name, 
between  G2°  and  G3°.  He  also  entered  the  inlet  next 
soutJi,  without  discovering  its  connection  with  a  great 
inland  sea,  although  he  thought  that  either  inlet 
would  afford  a  passage  to  the  Pacific.  The  only  other 
navigator  of  northern  seas  during  this  period  was 
John  Davis,  who  made  three  voyages  in  1585-7.  Ho 
reached  72°,  the  highest  point  yet  attained,  and  made 
a  somewhat  careful  examination  of  the  coast  line 
from  G7'  southward.  The  main  strait  northward 
bears  his  name. 

Faithcr  south  theie  is  no  occasion  to  notice  partic- 


ATLANTIC  AXD  GULF  REGIOXS. 


19 


ular  voyages.  In  Canada,  or  Nouvellc  France,  after 
the  failure  of  Cartier  and  Roberval,  there  was  no  re- 
newal of  attempts  to  colonize,  though  French  fishing 
craft  still  frequented  Canadian  waters.  On  the  Florida 
coast,  however,  the  French  Huguenots  under  Ribault 
and  Laudonniere  established  colonies  at  Port  Royal 
and  St  Mary  in  1 562-5,  thus  adding '  La  Floride  Fran- 
9aise'  or  *La  Caroline'  to  the  northern  possessions  of 
Nouvelle  France.  The  interior  of  what  is  now  Florida, 
Georgia,  and  South  Carolina  was  explored  to  some 
extent  during  this  occupation,  which  was  brought 
to  an  end  by  the  Spaniards.  Pedro  de  Menondez, 
annihilating  the  French  colonies  in  1565  by  hanging 
UKJst  of  the  colonists,  proceeded  to  found  forts  for 
Spain  from  San  Agustin  northward  to  Carolina.  The 
Spaniards  in  their  search  penetrated  the  interior 
farther  north  perhaps  than  Soto,  but  not  to  the 
Mississippi  region.  The  French  under  De  Gourgues 
in  1568  took  terrible  vengeance  for  the  massacre  of 
1565,  but  did  not  attempt  to  regain  possession,  and 
Spain  remained  mistress  of  Florida.  In  1584-7  Sir 
Walter  Raleigh  made  several  unsuccessful  attempts 
to  found  a  colony  at  Roanoke,  on  the  North  Carolina 
coast,  so  Englishmen  learned  even  loss  about  the 
great  interior  than  had  Frenchmen  and  Spaniards. 
On  the  gulf  coast  from  Florida  to  Texas  all  that 
was  known,  so  far  as  Europeans  were  concerned, 
had  been  gleaned  from  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  Her- 
nando de  Soto.  There  was  no  settlement,  no  main- 
land exploration. 

in  the  interior  of  Mexico  the  frontier  of  occupa- 
tion was  pushed  northward  in  general  terms  to  27^, 
so  as  to  include  Durango  and  southern  Chihuahua, 
with  small  portions  of  Coahuila  and  Nuevo  Leon. 
From  1562  extensive  explorations  were  made  here, 
chiefly  by  Francisco  de  Ibarra;  mining-camps  were 
established;  and  missionaries,  Jesuit  and  Franciscan, 
began  their  labors  in  Nueva  Vizcaya.  No  less  than 
five  entradaa  were  made  into  Now  Mexico  during  this 


20 


NORTHWEST  COAST  EXPLORATION. 


I 
I 


period;  those  of  Rodriguez  in  1581-2,  of  Espejo  in 
1582-3,  of  Castafio  de  Sosa  in  1590-1,  of  Morlete  in 
1591,  and  of  Bonilla  about  159G.  None  of  these 
reached  so  high  a  latitude  on  the  Rio  Grande  as  had 
Coronado,  but  Bonilla  went  far  out  into  the  plains 
in  search  of  Quivira.  Espejo's  return  and  Castano's 
entry  were  by  the  Pecos  instead  of  the  Rio  Grande, 
and  Espejo,  crossing  Coronado's  track  in  the  west, 
penetrated  to  tlie  region  of  the  modern  city  of  Pres- 
cott.  Finally  Juan  de  Ofiate,  in  1598,  effected  the 
permanent  conquest  and  settlement  of  New  Mexico. 
On  the  western  coast  Spain  accomplished  little  or 
nothing  in  the  way  of  northern  exploration;  yet  in 
15G5  Urdaneta  made  the  first  trip  eastward  across 
the  Pacific,  opening  a  northern  route,  which  was  fol- 
lowed by  the  Manila  traders  for  more  than  two  cen- 
turies. How  many  times  the  trip  was  made  during 
this  period  of  1550-1600  we  have  no  means  of  know- 
ing; probably  not  often,  but  we  have  mention  of  two 
A'oyages.  Francisco  de  Gali,  in  1584,  coming  from 
the  west  reached  the  coast  in  37°  30' — possibly  57° 
30' — and  observed  the  trend  and  appearance  of  the 
shore,  as  he  sailed  southward,  without  landing.  And 
Cermenon  by  a  similar  route  was  wrecked  in  1595  at 
Drake  Bay,  just  above  the  present  San  Francisco. 
But  another  nation  had  entered,  albeit  somewhat 
irregularly,  this  field  of  exploration.  In  1579  Fran- 
cis Drake,  an  English  freebooter,  his  vessel  laden 
with  plunder  taken  from  the  Spaniards  in  the  south, 
attempted  to  find  the  northern  strait  by  which  to 
reach  the  Atlantic.  He  reached  perhaps  latitude  43°, 
anchoring  in  that  region;  and  then,  abandoning  his 
search,  returned  to  Drake  Bay,  on  the  Californian 
coast,  and  thence  home  round  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope.  Thomas  Cavendish  was  another  Englishman 
of  the  same  class,  whose  expedition  sailed  in  1587; 
his  operations  did  not  extend  beyond  the  southern  ex- 
tremity of  the  Californian  peninsula.  Finally  Sebas- 
tian Vizcaino  was  sent  out   by  Spain  in  1597,  but 


f 

I 


SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY. 


21 


hia  explorations  were   confined  to  the  ^u\f,  and  his 
vain  attempts  at  settlement  to  Baja  California. 

For  the  next  half  century,  1600-50,  we  have  in  the 
extreme  west  but  one  exjiedition  to  be  noticed,  that 
of  Vizcaino,  in  1602-3.  It  was  but  a  repetition  of 
Cabrillo's  voyage,  though  its  results  were  more  widely 
known.  Vizcaino  anchored  at  Monterey,  and,  with- 
out landing,  at  the  old  San  Francisco  under  Point 
Keyes;  thence  he  went  as  high  as  42°,  where  he 
named  a  cape  Blanco  de  San  Sebastian.  His  associate 
Aguilar  possibly  reached  43°,  at  another  Cape  Blanco, 
whore  seemed  to  bo  the  mouth  of  a  great  river.  Other 
Spanish  efforts  were  confined  to  the  waters  of  the 
gulf;  and  the  picltili})gnrs,  or  freebooters,  though  still 
troublesome,  had  no  temptation  to  enter  northern 
waters. 

In  the  interior  of  Sonora,  Spanish  occupatiop  had 
been  advanced  by  the  Jesuits  to  the  Arispe  region  in 
30°  30'.  To  the  east  in  Chihuahua  the  missionaries 
were  struggling  northward  at  about  29°.  In  New 
!Mexico  Spanish  authority  was  maintained,  but  north- 
ern exploration  was  not  greatly  advanced.  In  1601 
( )iiato  made  a  long  tour  over  the  buffalo  plains,  going 
far  to  the  north  and  east.  Records  are  vague,  but 
it  is  not  probable  that  he  reached  a  higher  lati- 
tude than  Coronado,  or  certain  that  he  went  beyond 
the  limits  of  the  modern  Texas.  In  1G04-5  he  under- 
took another  extensive  exploration  toward  the  west, 
visited  Zuni  and  the  Moqui  towns,  thence  directed  liis 
marc'li  south-westward  beyond  the  limits  of  Espejo's 
exj)l()rati<)n  till  he  reached  the  Colorado,  at  the  moutli 
of  tlic  Santa  Maria,  and  followins:  the  ureat  river 
down  to  its  mouth,  returned  by  the  same  nnite.  There 
were  also  several  entradas  among  the  Texan  tribes 
of  the  far  east  from  New  Mexico,  notably  those  of 
padres  Perea  and  Lopez  in  1629,  and  of  Captain 
Vaca  in  1634. 

On  the  gulf  coast  all  remained   in  undisturbed 


NORTmVEST  COAST  EXPLORATION. 


aboriginal  possession ;  and  of  the  Spaniards  in  eastern 
Florida  there  is  nothing  to  be  said.  To  the  north, 
however,  were  laid  the  foundations  of  permanent 
English  occupation,  and  of  the  future  power  of  the 
United  States  by  Newport  and  Smith  in  Virginia, 
IGOG;  by  the  Puritans  in  Massachusetts,  1G20;  by 
Lord  Baltimore  in  Maryland,  1G34;  and  by  other 
hardly  less  notable  bands  of  pioneer  settlers.  These 
men  came  to  make  homes  for  themselves  rather  than 
to  test  geographical  theories;  and  though  some,  like 
the  adventurous  John  Smith,  were  bent  on  finding  a 
passage  to  the  Pacific,  their  explorations  were  con- 
fined to  the  examination  of  a  few  short  rivers  and 
inlets  near  their  respective  settlements. 

In  Canada,  French  colonization  had  been  resumed, 
with  all  its  complication  of  fur-trading  companies,  of 
spiritual  conquest  by  Recollet  and  Jesuit  missionaries, 
of  Indian  wars  against  and  between  the  Iroquois  and 
Huron  nations,  and  of  contentions  with  hostile  En- 
glishmen, by  which  New  France  lost  and  regained 
Acadie,  or  Nova  Scotia,  and  even  Quebec.  It  appears 
that  by  1G50  geographical  exploration  had  been 
pushed  westward  into  the  interior,  at  first  by  Cham- 
plain  and  later  by  Jesuit  fathers,  beyond  lakes  Erie 
and  Huron,  and  the  head-watel-s  of  the  Ottawa  River ; 
that  Jean  Nicolet  as  early  as  1634-5  had  discovered 
Lake  Michigan,  and  had  sojourned  among  the  tribes 
on  the  west  of  that  lake  in  the  Wisconsin  territory, 
going  up  Fox  River  from  Green  Bay ;  and  that  subse- 
quently Lake  Superior  had  been  discovered. 

The  voyages  of  Weymouth  in  1G02,  and  of  Knight 
in  IGOG,  added  nothing  to  the  knowledge  of  far-north 
geography;  but  in  IGIO  Henry  Hudson,  who  the 
3'ear  before  had  discovered  the  river  that  bears  his 
name  in  the  south,  not  only  entered  the  strait  named 
for  him,  as  Frobisher,  Davis,  and  Weymouth  had 
done  before  him,  but  pressed  on  and  discovered  the 
great  Hudson  Bay,  an  inland  sea,  on  which  he  was 
turned  adriL  by  mutineers  to  perish.    The  bay  was 


THE  MISSISSIPPI  VALLEY. 


38 


further  explored  by  Button  in  1G12-13,  and  by  Baffin 
in  1G15,  the  latter  being  inclined  to  think  even  at  this 
early  date  that  the  passage  to  the  Pacific  would  be 
found  not  there  but  farther  north;  but  he  did  not  find 
it  when  in  IGIG  he  reached  the  latitude  of  78°  through 
Baffin  Bay  to  Smith  Sound.  In  1G31-2  Hudson 
Bay  was  visited  by  Foxe  and  by  James. 

The  next  period,  1G50-1700,  was  not  one  of  mari- 
time discovery  in  the  north;  but  in  1G70  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company  was  organized;  and  soon  five  forts 
were  established  in  the  region  adjoining  the  bay. 
Meanwhile  a  French  company  w^as  also  formed,  and 
in  the  ensuing  contentions  the  forts  changed  hands 
more  than  once.  In  1700  the  English  retained  but  a 
sliiTfht  footinij.  There  is  no  record  of  extensive  inland 
explorations  beyond  the  bay  shore. 

Great  activity  prevailed  in  the  regions  of  New 
France,  an  activity  marked  not  only  by  Indian  wars, 
and  political,  commercial,  and  ecclesiastical  dissensions 
at  home,  by  strife  with  the  Englisti  on  the  north  and 
south,  and  by  fur-hunting  adventures  in  every  di- 
rection, but  by  a  decided  advance  in  the  great  work 
of  exploration.  The  Jesuit  missionaries,  accompanied 
in  some  instances  by  the  fur-traders,  closely  followed 
or  even  preceded  by  them  in  others,  penetratec!  on 
the  north  to  Hudson  Bay,  and  on  the  west  far  into 
the  plains,  besides  completing  the  survey  of  the 
gicat  lakes  and  founding  missions  on  their  shores; 
above  all,  they  found  and  explored  the  Mississii)pi 
Valley.  In  1G73  M.  Joliet  and  Pere  Marquette  set 
out  to  find  the  'Great  Water'  of  which  so  much  had 
been  heard.  They  crossed  over  from  Lake  Michigan 
to  the  Wisconsin  River,  went  down  that  stream  to 
the  Mississij)pi,  and  sailed  in  canoes  down  the  great 
river  to  the  mouth  of  the  Arkansas,  and  to  the  nortli- 
ern  limit  of  Soto's  wanderings.  Then  they  returned 
to  Quebec  by  the  Illinois,  instead  of  the  Wisconsin. 
It  was  now  i)retty  clear  that  the  Mississippi  flowed 


NORTHWEST  COAST  EXPLORATION. 


Itf!: 


into  the  gulf  and  not  into  the  Pacific.  In  1G80  Ptjre 
Hennepin  was  sent  by  La  Salle  down  the  Illinois 
and  thence  up  the  Mississippi  to  the  falls  of  St 
Anthony,  in  45°,  half-way  across  the  continent  from 
east  to  west.  In  1G82  La  Salle  himself  descended 
the  Mississippi  not  only  to  the  limits  of  Soto  and 
Jolict,  but  to  the  gulf,  and  erected  a  fort  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Ohio.  Thus  was  the  Mississippi  Valley 
added  to  the  domain  of  New  France;  but  wars  with 
the  English  and  Indians  prevented  any  extension  of 
settlement  or  exploration  during  the  rest  of  the  cen- 
tury. Not  only  had  the  Mississippi  been  di  scovered, 
but  the  size  of  the  rivers  flowing  into  it  from  the 
west  showed  clearly  that  the  stretch  of  continent  to 
the  Pacific  was  much  broader  than  had  ever  been  sus- 
pected. 

Southward,  after  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi, 
we  are  no  longer  interested  in  the  gradual  advance  of 
the  English  colonists  toward  that  stream;  and  the 
Spaniards  in  Florida  made  no  efforts  in  the  interior. 
In  the  gulf  I  have  noted  La  Salle'j  arrival  down  the 
river  from  Canada  in  1G82.  In  1G85  he  came  back 
by  sea  with  a  colony  from  France,  and  missing  the 
mouth  of  the  river,  was  cast  away  on  the  Texan  coast, 
where  a  fort  was  built  and  formal  possession  taken  for 
France.  La  Salle  wandered  about  extensively  in 
Texas,  as  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  Soto  had  done  before 
liim;  and  on  one  of  his  trips  in  search  of  tlie  ]\Iissis- 
sippi,  in  1G87,  he  was  assassinated.  Of  his  colony 
half  a  dozen  reached  Canada;  many  were  killed  by 
disease  or  Indians,  and  a  few  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
Spaniards  of  New  IMexico.  Several  parties  of  trap- 
pers and  missionaries  came  down  the  great  river  from 
Canada,  establishing  themselves  at  different  points; 
and  in  1G09  came  Iberville  and  Bienville  to  found  a 
permanent  French  settlement  in  Louisiana. 

In  New  Mexico  the  only  expeditions  sent  out  were 
a  few  into  southern  Texas  during  the  first  half  of  the 
period.     Then  came  the  great  revolt  of  1G80,  which 


EIOHTEEXTH  CENTURY: 


25 


drove  the  Spaniards  out  of  the  country.  It  was  thir- 
teen years  before  the  province  was  reconquered;  and 
down  to  the  end  of  th.e  century  there  was  no  thought 
of  northern  exploration.  South,  in  Chiliuahua,  the 
missionaries  antl  miners  were  strugghng  witli  greater 
or  less  success  against  the  Indians  between  theni  and 
New  Mexico.  In  the  west  during  the  last  decade 
of  the  century  Padre  Kino  explored  the  regions  of 
Pimeria  Alta,  or  northern  Sonora,  by  repeated  tours 
among  the  people  up  to  the  Gila  and  Colorado,  with- 
out reaching  the  limits  of  Coronado,  Cardenas,  Diaz, 
Espejo,  and  Onate  of  earlier  date,  but  making  a  far 
more  careful  examination  of  the  country  traversed, 
and  meeting  with  extraordinary  success  in  the  con- 
version and  pacification  of  the  natives.  Across  the 
gulf  the  Jesuits  also  established  themselves  perma- 
nently in  1G97  in  Baja  California.  On  the  coast  there 
were  no  expeditions  to  northern  latitudes,  only  such 
as  were  directed  to  the  California  Gulf  for  pearls,  or 
in  vain  attempts  at  settlement,  or  by  foreign  pirates 
in  quest  of  the  Manila  galleons. 

In  1 700-50  the  Philippine  treasure-ships  continued 
to  cross  the  Pacific  by  the  northern  route  without 
touching  on  the  California  coast:  and  a  French  vessel 
under  Frondac  took  the  same  course.  There  were 
no  maritime  expeditions  sent  northward  by  Spain; 
neither  did  the  foreign  privateers  Dampier,  Rogers, 
Shelvocke,  and  Anson  enter  northern  waters,  though 
each  of  tlieir  narrativet  contains  sometliing  on  north- 
ern theoretical  geography.  In  the  interior  there  was 
no  advance  whatever,  but  rather  in  some  quarters  a 
retrograde  movement  under  the  aggressive  raids  of 
savages.  On  the  Mexican  Gulf  tlie  Texan  territory 
was  several  times  traversed  and  partly  occupied  by 
Spain  and  France.  From  the  French  settlements 
of  Louisiana  it  Is  probable  that  a  wider  tract  than 
had  been  previously  known  was  explored  toward  the 
north-west  in  the  course  of  Indian  wars  and  vain 


NORTmVEST  COAST  EXPLORATION. 


nothing 


definite  in  the 


searches  for  gold,  but  I  find 
recc  )rds. 

It  was  in  the  north,  from  Canada,  that  the  greatest 
results  were  achieved.  The  French  trappers  ranged 
the  country  in  all  directions  as  far  as  and  beyond  the 
upper  Mississippi,  visited  by  Hennepin ;  and  the  Jesuits 
continued  their  labors,  though  they  had  no  establish- 
ments so  far  west.  The  French  had  a  fort  on  the 
Missouri,  and  in  1727  Bourgmont  made  a  trip  up  the 
river  from  that  fort  to  a  point  above  the  Kansas. 
Verendryc's  efforts  to  form  a  line  of  trading -posts 
across  the  continent  were  in  1731-43;  forts  were 
established  in  the  regions  round  lakes  Winnipeg  and 
Manitoba;  in  1742  the  upper  Missouri  liiver  was 
ascended  to  the  region  of  the  Yellowstone;  and  in 
1743  the  Verendryes  reached  the  eastern  base  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  in  what  is  now  Montana.  Mean- 
•whilo  reports  were  current  of  a  great  westeui  river 
flowing  from  the  mountains  into  the  Pacific;  and  an 
Indian  of  the  lower  Mississippi  claimed,  under  circum- 
stances indicating  that  his  narrative  uay  have  been 
true,  to  have  followed  that  river,  the  Columbia,  to  its 
mouth  in  1745-50. 

Explorations  in  the  far  north  were  confined  to 
Hudson  Bay.  Half  a  dozen  expeditions  visited  these 
waters  under  Knight,  Scroggs,  Middleton,  Moor, 
Smith,  and  others;  but  the  only  result  was  to  find  an 
ice-blocked  passage  leading  northward  from  the  bay, 
and  to  prove  that  some  of  its  western  inlets  did  not 
lead  to  the  Pacific,  though  others  yet  remained  to  be 
examined. 


I  have  thus  outlined  the  progress  of  North  Amer- 
ican discovery  for  two  centuries,  from  1550  to  1750, 
showing  how  very  slight  it  was  in  comparison  with 
that  from  1492  to  1550.  In  the  western  ocean  two 
navigators,  perhaps,  had  reached  new  coast  latitudes, 
Drake  and  Gali;  though  it  is  not  certain  that  either 
had    done    so    much,   and    neither   noted    anything 


■M 


FLIOHT,  NORTHW.VRD,  OF  THE  MYSTERY.  g^ 

boyond  the  general  shore  trend  in  regions  vaguely 
loeivted.  In  the  southern  interior  the  Spaniards  had 
j)ushed  their  missions,  nihiing- camps,  and  settle- 
ments northward,  accomplishing  much  in  the  face  of 
givat  obstacles;  but  their  occupation  had  not  reached 
the  limit  of  earlier  exploration,  though  it  had  nearly 
done  so  in  New  Mexico.  The  Kio  Colorado  was  still 
the  northern  boundary,  and  all  beyond  was  an  un- 
known land.  The  Texan  plains  had  been  several  times 
retraversed;  but  the  wandeiings  of  later  travellers  are 
as  vaguely  recorded  as  those  of  the  pioneers;  and  it 
is  by  no  means  certain  that  the  limits  of  Cabeza  do 
\iica,  Coronado,  and  Soto  had  been  passed.  The 
Atlantic  coat:*^^  territory  had  been  the  scene  of  great 
colonizing  achievements,  by  men  who  came  more  to 
settle  than  to  solve  geographical  enigmas  by  long 
extended  search  for  gold,  spice  islands,  and  rich  king- 
doms for  conquest.  TJio  French  were  the  great 
American  explorers  of  the  period,  to  whom  is  duo 
nearly  all  the  progress  made  into  the  broad  interior. 
Entering  by  the  St  Lawrence  they  occupied  the  region 
round  tlie  great  lakes,  and  penetrated  northward  to 
the  shores  of  Hudson  Bay,  westward  to  the  Rocky 
]\Iountains,  and  southward  to  the  gulf  of  Mexico  by 
the  Mississippi  Valley.  In  the  far  north  they  were 
excelled  by  the  English,  who  had  discovered  Hudson 
Bay  and  explored  the  labyrinth  of  adjacent  channels 
nearly  to  the  Arctic  circle. 

For  the  present  purpose  I  am  called  upon  to  con- 
sider, and  that  very  briefly,  but  one  more  half-century 
of  discovery.  For  before  1800  the  west  coast  was 
explored  to  Bering  Strait;  the  territory  from  Hud- 
S(jn  Bay  to  the  Arctic  Ocean  was  more  than  once 
traversed;  trappers  not  infrequently  had  reached  tlio 
base  of  the  Kocky  Mountains;  the  Spaniards  had 
penetrated  to  Utah  and  had  settled  Alta  California. 
Tliere  was  yet  a  broad  interior  to  be  explored  by  men 
whose  exploits  in  that  direction  will  receive  attention 


28 


NORTHWEST  COAST  EXPLORATION". 


in  different  parts  of  this  work;  but  the  Northern 
Mystery  in  its  cosniographical  aspects  was  at  an  end; 
and  the  north-west  passage  was  pushed  out  of  the 
limits  of  this  volume  up  into  the  arctic  regions,  where 
it  properly  belongs. 

After  further  exploration  by  water  in  Hudson  Bay, 
and  jmrticularly  in  Chesterfield  Inlet,  the  chief  ex- 
peditions being  those  of  Christopher  and  Norton  in 
17G1-2,  the  attention  of  English  explorers  was  di- 
rect nd  mainly  to  current  reports  of  great  rivers  flow- 
ing northward;  and  in  1770,  after  two  unsuccessful 
attempts,  Samuel  Hearne  descended  the  Coppermine 
River  to  its  mouth.  In  1789  Mackenzie  went  down 
the  river  that  took  his  name  to  the  Arctic  shores; 
in  1793  the  same  explorer  won  the  honor  of  being 
the  first  to  reach  the  Pacific  by  crossing  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  His  route  was  up  the  Peace  River,  down 
the  Fraaor,  and  across  to  tide-water,  in  53".  I  find 
no  definite  records  respecting  the  discoveries  of  the 
French  trappers  in  this  period,  after  they  built  a  fort 
at  the  eastern  base  of  the  mountains  in  1752;  and 
tliere  is  no  evidence  that  any  explorer  from  the  United 
States  penetrated  beyond  the  Mississippi  before  1 800. 
In  Louisiana,  Texas,  and  New  Mexico  all  remained 
essentially  in  statu  quo  so  far  as  exploration  was  con- 
cerned ;  but  from  the  last  named  province  there  wore 
several  minor  expeditions  northward  across  the  streams 
that  form  the  Colorado;  and  in  177G  Domingucz  and 
Escalante  penetrated  the  great  basin  to  Utah  Lake, 
above  40^.  In  17G9  Alta  California  was  explored  by 
a  Spanish  military  and  missionary  force,  up  to  San 
Francisco  Bay,  in  37^  48';  and  by  177G  not  only  was 
the  wliole  coast  region  occupied  up  to  that  point,  but 
Anza  had  in  two  trips  opened  an  overland  route  from 
Sonora  by  way  of  the  Gila  j»nd  Colorado,  while  Padre 
Carces  had  crossed  California  from  the  Mojave  rcgir)U 
and  had  penetrated  the  great  Tulare  Valley  to  the 
vicinity  of  the  lake  ?.  There  was  no  further  advance 
by  land  before  1800. 


DOINGS  OF  THE  RUSSIANS. 


20 


ocky 

1 

lown 

il 

L  find 

:  J 

r  the 

y 

1,  fort 

i 

and 

i'' 

iiitod 

1: 

800. 

1 

lined 

1 

con- 

wero 

.>ams 

■:-• 

and 

i 

<akc, 

•> 

I  by 

k 

San 

wa!4 

,  but 

Toni 

idro 

rion 

the 

ineo 


Russian  discoveries  from  the  north-west  demand 
but  l)rief  notice  here,  the  subject  beinj^^  presented 
with  full  details  in  a  later  volume  of  this  seiics  de- 
voted to  the  history  of  Alaska.  Before  IGOO  tlie 
Cossacks  had  crossed  the  Ural  Mountains  and  occu- 
pied the  valley  of  the  Obi,  in  Asia.  At  the  same  date 
small  Russian  craft  navigated  the  coast  waters  of  tliat 
region  in  the  Kara  Sea;  and  the  same  waters  had  l)ceii 
reached  by  the  English  and  Dutch  in  tlu^ir  searcli 
for  a  north-east  passage,  toward  which  end  but  little 
additional  progress  was  ever  ma»le  in  later  times. 
Between  1600  and  1G50  the  Cossack;;  traversed  Siberia 
in  search  for  sablo,  crossed  river  aft'^r  river  as  fresh 
huutinir-grounds  were  needed,  suldued  the  inliabi- 
tants,  and  reached  the  Pacific  in  1G39.  The  chief 
Russian  establishment  on  the  PaL'ific,  which  wa.s  dis- 
covered at  many  points,  wa:^  ot  Okhotsk,  on  the  sea 
of  tbi'  same  name.  Thus  mor  j  than  twenty-five  huii- 
dre--  miles  of  unknown  territory  were  explored  and 
occupied  by  small  bands  of  roving  fur-hunters.  The 
discovery  of  mines  on  the  Amoor,  and  fossil  ivory  in 
tlie  extreme  north-east,  was  added  to  the  incentives. 
During  IGJO  to  1700  nearly  every  part  of  the  Asiatic 
coast  up  to  the  strait  and  including  the  peninsula  of 
Kamchatka  had  been  visited  by  one  adventurous  party 
or  another,  and  only  the  fierce  Chukchi  of  the  north- 
east remained  unconquered.  Abundant  evidence  was 
found  of  the  existence  of  land  still  farther  east. 
Trees  and  various  articles  not  of  Asiatic  origin  were 
often  washed  ashore:  and  indeed  the  natives  made  no 
secret  of  their  frequent  intercourse  with  a  jjcople 
from  tlie  cast  who  came  iri  boats  or  on  the  ice,  and 
who  spoke  a  language  different  from  their  own.  Tlie 
Russian  government  became  interested  in  the  rumors 
of  new  lands;  a  post  had  been  founded  on  tlie  eastei'ii 
shore  of  Kamchatka;  and  in  1728  Vitus  Jieiing 
was  sent  in  a  vessel  built  there  to  learn  the  truth 
respecting  the  current  rumors,  and  especially  to  iind 
whether  the  eastern   lands  were  part  of  Siberia  or 


NORTHWEST  COAST  EXPLORATION. 


|i  j 

i     1 


separated  from  it  by  water.  Bering  in  this  voyage 
reached  the  strait  between  the  continents  to  which 
his  name  is  given,  naming  St  Lawrence  Island,, 
and  observing  the  point  in  67"  18',  beyond  which 
tlic  coast  turned  abruptly  westward,  decided  that 
tlie  reported  land  not  yet  seen  by  any  Kussian  was 
not  an  extension  of  Asia.  There  is  some  evidence 
tliat  in  the  earlier  coastings  Bering  Strait  had  been 
passed  through  once  or  twice;  and  it  somewhat 
vaguely  appears  that  in  1730  Krupischef  and  Gwoz- 
def,  following  Bering,  actually  came  in  sight  of  the 
American  continent,  along  which  they  coasted  south- 
ward for  two  days.  In  1741  Bering  made  his  second 
expedition,  during  which  his  associate  Chirikof  first 
saw  the  continent,  in  latitude  55°  3G',  near  the  later 
Sitka,  where  two  boat-crews  landed  and  were  probably 
killed  by  the  natives,  as  they  were  never  heard  of 
again.  The  commander  then  coasted  northward  four 
or  five  hundred  miles  before  returning  to  Kamchatka. 
Bering  meanwhile  struck  the  coast  a  few  days  later 
than  Chirikof,  in  latitude  58"  28',  in  sight  of  Mount 
St  Elias.  Thence  he  followed  the  shore  westward  and 
south-westward,  named  the  Shumagin  Islands,  and 
was  finally  wrecked  on  Bering  Island,  near  the  Kam- 
c' atka  coast,  where  he  died.  The  presence  of  valu- 
able sea-otter  on  the  American  coast  and  islands — or 
rather  at  first  on  Asiatic  islands  in  that  direction — 
becoming  known  was  the  chief  incentive  to  further 
eftbrts.  In.  1745  Nev6dchikof  made  the  first  hunting 
trip  to  the  nearest  Aleutian  Islands;  and  thencefor- 
ward one  or  more  expeditions  were  fitted  out  nearly 
cv^ery  year  b}  Siberian  merchant  companies,  many  of 
whicli  proved  profitable.  Discovery  was  in  this  way 
pushed  eastward  until  Kadiak  was  reached  by  Glottof 
m  his  trip  of  1563-5.  The  obstacles  encountered  in 
the  exploration  of  these  northern  seas,  and  the  reck- 
less daring  and  energy  displayed  in  overcoming  these 
obstacles,  are  unsarpassed  hi  the  history  of  American 
discovery.    The  Russian  craft  were  small,  hastily  con- 


RUSSIAN  NAVIGATION. 


81 


1 — or 


iting 
tofor- 
3arly 
|iy  of 
way 
ittof 
3(1  in 
reck- 
these 
[•ican 
Icon- 


t 


structccl  by  men  who  knew  but  little  of  their  task, 
and  were  often  mere  boxes  of  planks  held  together 
by  leathern  thongs,  without  iron.  They  were  in 
every  way  inferior  to  the  wo^-st  vessels  employed  by 
navigators  of  other  nations  .  any  part  of  America. 
In  these  frail  boats,  poorly  supplied  with  food,  gener- 
ally without  remedies  against  scurvy,  these  bold  sailors 
did  not  hesitate  to  commit  themselves  to  the  icy  waves 
and  furious  gales  of  the  Arctic  seas.  Rarely  was  an 
expedition  unattended  by  shipwreck  and  starvation; 
but  sea-otter  were  plentiful.  Notwithstanding  the 
numerous  voyages  it  does  not  appear  that  the  conti- 
nental coasts,  either  above  or  below  the  Alaskan 
peninsula,  were  ever  visited  by  the  Russians  after  the 
time  of  Bering,  and  before  Cook's  survey  in  1778. 
After  this  date  such  visits  were  frequent,  resulting  in 
permanent  occupation  at  many  points;  but  it  remained 
for  Cook  to  make  known  the  general  features  of  the 
entire  coast  to  the  strait.  Subsequent  local  explora- 
tions by  the  Russians,  English,  Spanish,  and  French 
in  !S(juth-eastern  Alaska  at  later  dates  have  no  bearing 
on  our  present  study. 


CHAPTER  II. 


f 


111 


1  I 


:  I 


THE  NORTHERX  MYSTERY  AND  IMAGINARY  GEOGRAPHY. 

1500-1595. 

Field  of  Cox.tecture— Mythic  Geoorapiiy— Strait  or  no  Strait— Pas- 
sack  TO  India — Cabots  and  Cortekeals — Rcy.scii  and  ScniiNER— 
Amazon  Isles — Clavos  and  Esclavos— Maps  of  15;}0-1 — Qcekn  of 
California — Canadian  Rcmous— Niza's  Fictions — Real  Exhlor.*- 
TiONs  OF  1540-3 — CiuoLA,  TiouEX,  AND  QciviRA — (Jomara's  Blun- 
der—  RCSCELLI  AND   MuNSTER — RaMI'SIO   AND    IIOMEM— A  ClIOICE   OF 

Straits— TiiEouiES  of  Menendez — First  Trip  throitou  the  Strait — 
Urdaneta— Salvatiekra's  Tale — Ribai'lt— Tai-ia — Oktklhts'  Tue- 

ATRl'M — TOLM — AnL\N  —  ORIGIN    OF   THE    XaME  — LaDRILLEHO   AT   THE 

Strait — Mkta  Incoumta — Martin  Chacke — Drake's  Pilot — Esi'iiio's 
Lake  and  River  — Haklu^t  —  Lok's  Map  —  By  the  Roanoke  to  the 
Pacific — L.V  Giux  "opal — Peter  Martyr— Acosta  on  the  Mysteuv. 

In  the  preceding  chapter,  after  an  outline  of  North- 
west Coast  ex[)lorations,  showing  how  much  of  its 
interest  and  iinportanco  is  connected  witli  events 
which  are  geographically  and  chronologically  outside 
the  limits  of  this  section,  and  presenting  the  mythical 
aspects  of  the  matter  in  their  origin  and  general 
scope,  I  have  traced  the  progress  made  by  Europeans 
toward  the  Northwest  Coast  before  they  reached  the 
territoiy  so  designated  and  began  its  actual  ex}>lora- 
tion.  Deferring  that  exploration  for  other  chai)ters, 
I  propose  first  of  all  to  treat  the  subject  in  its  myth- 
ical, imaginary,  theoretical,  and  a[)ocry})hal  phases. 
It  is  an  olla  podi'ida  of  absurdities  that  is  oftered,  made 
up  of  quaint  conjectures  respecting  a  land  that  had 
never  been  seen,  and  the  various  approaches  to  that 
land;  for  it  was  not  to  the  Northwest  Coast  proper 
that  these  conjectures  were  directed  so  much  as  to 
the  broad  border-laud  surrounding  it. 

(82) 


ASIA  AXD  AMERICA. 


In  the  middle  of  tlie  sixteentli  century,  aa  we  have 
seen,  the  western  coast  was  known  northward  to  lati- 
tude 40'  and  l)eyond,  the  eastern  coast  ahovti  <)0", 
and  the  intei'ior  A.iguely  as  far  north  as  tlu;  Colorado 
and  Arkansas  rivers.  All  the  hroad  interior  faither 
nortli,  slii^litly  encased,  up  to  the  limits  named,  hy  u 
thin  shell  of  coast  discovery,  was  a  tcri'fi  incn^/nifa,  if 
iiidccid  it  were  a  tcrro  at  all,  and  not  [>ait  of  an  ocean 
or  an  iidaiid  sea.  liespectini^  tliis  region  conjcctui-e 
had  thus  far  heen  partly  reasonahle.  The  pi-ocess  of 
development  has  already  been  traced;  first  the  new 
discoveries  as  j)ai't  of  the  Asiatic  main  to  be  coasted 
soutli-westward  to  India;  next,  the  southern  jjortion 
of  those  discovt'ries  as  a  <;reat  island  separated  from 
Asia  by  a  'strait';  then  tiie  strait  an  isthmus  lather, 
and  the  island  a  threat  south-eastern  projiiction  from 
the  continent;  and  finally  an  extension  of  the  ]>ro- 
jection  so  as  to  inchKk;  the  rejjfions  noilh  as  well  as 
eolith  of  the  J^ananui  Fsthmus,  and  to  join  the  Asiatic 
main  at  a  higher  latitude  than  40'  at  least,  if  at  all. 
I  do  not  say  that  this  theoiy  of  geoo-raphical  evolu- 
tion will  satisfactorily  account  for  every  recorded 
statement  or  icL-a  of  eveiy  eai'ly  navij^ator,  or  cosmoijc- 
rapher,  w  map-maker;  but  the  eX(jeptions  ai'o  so  few 
and  slijj;iit  as  by  no  means  to  impair  the  theory,  or  to 
alfoi'd  a  basis  for  any  other. 

By  laaOit  was  well  understood  that  the  new  lands 
Were  of  continental  }tro[)ortions,  and  very  far  from 
Asia  in  their  southei-n  ))arts.  Whether  they  were 
also  distant  in  the  north  was  an  open  ([Uestion,  for  the 
Milution  of  which  no  real  data  existed.  OlHcial  chart- 
makers  ;md  the  most  conijtetent  of  <>eo_iL]fra])hers  con- 
tented themselxes  with  recording'  the  results  of  actual 
e\|>loration,  leavino-  a  blank  on  their  maj)s  for  tlu^ 
country  yet  unvisited,  while  in  the  ti-xt  they  noted, 
without  conunittintjf  themselves,  the  various  theories. 
Many  still  believed  Noith  Amei'ica  to  be  a  part  of 
the  Asiatic  continent,  and  expected  to  find  the  coast- 
line turning-  t«»  the  west  nt)t  .Ur  beyond  latitude  40', 

lliBV  .N.  W.  CuABT,  Vol.  I.    3 


8i 


THE  NORTHERN  MYSTERY. 


and  thonee  southward  to  India;  Imt  others — ahnost 
all  in  lator  years — holii-vod  in  a  strait  separating  the 
two  continents  somewhere  in  tlie  north-west.  This 
theory  of  a  northern  strait  was  somewhat  incoherently 
huilt  on  the  eircumstanee  that  a  passaj^e  had  heeu 
vainly  souij^ht  in  the  central  rei»ions,  on  IMji^j^ellan 
Strait  actuall}'  found  in  the  far  south,  on  statements 
of  ancient  writers  respuctin*^  the  lost  Atlantis,  which 
might  have  heen  part  t)f  America  and  which  had 
been  described  as  an  island,  and  on  the  discovery 
of  certain  unexplored  inlets  along  the  north-eastern 
coasts.  Those  who  believed  in  the  separation  by  water 
diti'ered  widely  about  its  nature.  Some  thouijht  it  to 
be  a  narrow  strait,  others  a  broad  one;  some  placed  it 
between  two  opposite  capes,  others  made  of  it  a  long 
winding  chamiel,  or  a  succession  of  hdvcs,  or  a  net-work 
of  intertwining  channels,  or  an  archi[)elago;  while 
there  were  many  who  regarded  it  as  a  broad  expanse 
of  salt  water,  reducing  North  Anunica  to  a  long 
narrow  strip  of  irregular  form,  which  extended  from 
south-west  to  north-east,  and  j..:;]v'.ps  W!>«Jjt-:-^lf  eut  nj) 
by  narrow  interoccanic  ])as.sages  not  yet  discovered. 
It  cannot  be  said  that  the  ideas  of  one  class  on  this 
.subject  were  in  any  respect  su})eri(jr  to  those  of 
another;  all  were  but  conjecture;  nor  do  such  maps  as 
re[tresent  the  northern  regions  in  something  like  their 
real  position  and  })ro|)orti()n  entitle  their  makers  to 
credit.  I  now  |)roceed  to  chronicle  some  of  these 
conjectures  which  held  sway  for  ujore  than  two 
centuries,  and  which  bear  more  or  less  directly  on 
north-western  ge()gi'a[)hy,  and  are  often  entertain- 
ingly supplemented  by  falsehood.  I  shall  treat  the 
subject  so  far  as  possible  chronologically. 

There  were  few  if  any  of  the  voyages  to  America 
before  1550  the  object  of  which  was  not  to  tind  among 
other  things  a  passage  by  water  to  India;  but  theie 
is  no  need  of  recapitulating  these  voyages  for  the  sake 
of  prosentiny;  their  common  object  and  failure.     For 


DIVERS  CONJFXTURES. 


35 


tills  oiilKJit  period  of  maritime  discovery,  I  have  to 
notice  tor  the  most  \tart  only  such  expeditions  as 
Ciniiislied  material  for  later  argument  and  conjecture, 
such  as  not  only  sought  the  strait  but  found  it,  or  at 
least  sonu'tliing  that  might  be  deemed  an  indication 
of  its  existence.  The  Northmen,  the  earliest  in  the 
field  of  American  discoveries,  did  not  stop  to  theorize 
about  the  western  lands,  m)r  did  they  care,  so  far  as 
the  records  show,  whether  they  belonged  to  Asia  or 
Africa.  They  were  bent  on  adventure,  conquest,  and 
settlement,  and  sought  no  passage  to  the  Spice  Islands 
of  1  he  south  or  the  cities  of  the  Grand  Khan.  Doubt- 
less hud  their  adventures  been  known  to  the  cosmog- 
raplurs  they  would  have  furnished  much  food  for 
theory;  but  the  records  were  for  the  time  lost,  and 
the  .sv/f/^/.s  therefore  have  no  bearing  on  the  Northern 
]\[ysteiy.  Of  Columbus  and  his  vagaries  about  the 
teirestriid  paradise  in  South  America  as  well  of  his 
associates  and  their  ex[>lorations  in  southern  parts 
enough  has  been  said  elsewhenr,  likewise  of  the  pre- 
C'oliniibiaii  theories  of  wonderful  islands  in  the  Atlan- 
tic. F(»r  these  and  other  matters  that  have  indirect 
bearing  on  the  jiresent  subject,  I  refer  the  reader  to 
the  tiist  volume  of  the  Ilisfori/  of  Cent  red  America. 

There  exist  no  contem}torary  narratives  of  the  voy- 
ages of  the  Cabots  to  northern  parts  of  the  continent 
in  l4!l7-8,  and  the  frajifments  of  a  later  date  are  as 
contradictory  respecting  the  navigators'  exact  ideas 
as  about  the  exact  regions  visited.  "And  understand- 
ing by  reason  of  the  S|thei'(',"  wrote  Sebastian  Cabot, 
"that  if  1  should  saile  by  way  of  the  Northwest,  I 
should  by  a  shorter  tract  conu;  into  India.  .  .not 
thinking  to  tinde  any  other  land  then  that  of  Cathay, 
and  iVmii  thencn  to  turne  toward  India,  but  after  ct-r- 
taiiu-  (iayes  I  found  that  the  land  ramie  towai-ds  the 
North,  which  was  to  mee  a  great  displeasure"' — -why 


'  ffal-hiii/.'s  F  o//.,  iii.  4-11,  with  several  ftccounts.  For  further  references  on 
the  VDv.igus  mentioned  in  this  cluipter  see  licogriiphical  Sumnmry,  iu  Jhtt. 
Cent.  A/ii.,  vol.  i,  ehap.  i. 


30 


THE  NORTHERX  ]SIY.STI:RY. 


is  not  apparent;  but  ho  wrote  at  a  time  when  it  was 
clear  that  a  new  continent  had  been  diseovered, 
!^[oreover,  ho  wrote  to  Kaniusio  that  in  latitude  G7' 
:'.0',  "finding  still  tlio  open  8ca  without  any  manner  of 
impediment,  hoe  thought  vei'ily  by  that  way  to  haue 
]);issed  on  still  the  way  to  Catliaio,  which  is  in  the 
i'^ast,  and  wouldo  haue  done  it,  it'  the  mutinie  of  the 
shipmaster  and  niarriners  had  not  rebelled."^  At  first 
liiere  was  no  doubt  that  Cabot  had  reached  Asia,  or 
later  that  he  had  discovered  a  strait  leading  to  that 
coast.  The  expeditions  of  the  Cortereals  in  1500-2 
were  like  the  preceding,  in  that  they  are  not  descrilxMl 
l)y  contemporary  documents;  but  so  nuich  the  better 
for  later  theorists.  1  do  not  sup])ose  that  citiier  Cabot 
or  Cortereal  really  sought  a  'strait,'  but  only  a  ])as- 
sage,  not  doubting  that  they  wei-e  on  the  Asiatic 
main;  but  in  tlieir  reports  there  v/as  no  lack  of  ma- 
terial for  a  strait  when  needed — instance  Coi'toreal's 
Itio  Xevado,  where  his  progr-ess  was  impeded  by  ice. 
In  later  times  Cortereal  was  credited  by  many  with 
not  only  having  discovered  the  strait,  but  with  having 
named  it.  I  am  not  certain  who  originated  this  theory ; 
but  we  are  told  by  Forstcr,  Fleurieu,  Burney,  Hum- 
boldt,'* and  others,  that  Cortereal  found  tlie  strait, 
named  it  Anian,  in  honor  of  certain  brothers  with  him, 
and  was  lost  when  returninf*'  to  utilize  his  discovery. 
The  authorities  differ  as  to  whether  there  were  two 
brothers  or  three,  whether  the  name  was  that  of  tlie 
family  or  of  one  of  the  brothers,  possibly  that  of 
(Jortereal's  own  brother;  and  they  likewise  differ 
respecting  the  identity  of  the  strait  with  Hudson  Bay 
or  8t  Lawrence  River.  It  does  not  matter,  however; 
none  of  the  earliest  writers  mention  the  circumstance. 

'^Jlfdlinil'a  Divert  Votj.,  2">,  from  Rimupio.  A  letter  nunouncin.t,'  Cabot's 
return  crtjdits  liim  witli  'Imving  likewise  di.scovcri'il  the  seven  cities,  four 
liiiiiilnMl  leagues  from  Kngland,  on  the  western  |)iissii;.'<\ ;'  aiul  still  anotlier 
Kiys  thiit  he  hud  visited  '  the  territory  of  the  (Jrand  Cham.'  liniant's  Hist. 
U.  .v.,  i.  i:!4. 

^ I'hriiicr'n  Hist.  Foy.,  400;  Fb'uriev,  \n.  Mnrrhaml,  I'lj/.,  i,  vi. ;  fiiinici/\i 
J)iMC(it!.  Utiiifh  Sen,  i.  .'">;  Ihimhiihll,  K^xai  Pol..  .'UD.  'H  prit  son  nom  d'uii  dca 
frercs  cnilMirij^uda  sur  le  vaisscau  de  Caspar  de  Corteral.' 


EARLY  maps;. 


n? 


It  is  tolerably  certain  that  the  strait  of  Aniaii  was  not 
named  tor  more  tlian  iii'ty  years  after  Corteivals  V(ty- 
age,  and  I  shall  notice  the  matter  again  in  (hie  timi-.* 
Joliami  Ruyseh  in  l.")()8  printed  the  tirst  map  that 
sliowed  any  part  of  the  New  World,  whieh  he  [)ul)lished 
in  l*tolemy's  geography.     It  represents  the  mystery 


KtYwcii'd  ^Lvr,  1508. 

of  the  strait  in  an  early  stage  of  development.  As  yr.t 
there  was  nothing  to  impede  navigation  to  India. 
It  is  said  tliat  the  Ptolemy  ma})  of  loll  sej)arates 
llie  Terra  Corterealis  from  the  Asiatic  main.  To 
(|U()te  from  an  earlier  volume  of  this  series:  "As  long 
as  the  new  lands  were  Ix^heved  to  be  a  part  of  Asia, 
tlie  maps  bore  some  resendjlanee  to  the  actual  coun- 
tries intended  to  be  rei)i-esented,  but  from  the  iirst 
dawning  of  an  idea  of  separate  lands  we  shall  sec  the 
greatest  confusion  in  tlie  efforts  of  niap-makei's  to 
depict  the  New  World."  Ponce  de  Leon's  famous 
search  for  the  fountain  of  youth  in  Florida  might  in 

*  The  London  0»f(/•^,•/// /,Vr;'H-,  xvi.  I.")4,  tliinks  tliat  rortorcal,  cnteriii.; 
Hudson  Hay,  tlum^'lit  it  \)iut  of  an  opening  on  the  I'acilic  ahrady  knov.  ii 
(iM'forc  l.">(K):)  as  the  strait  of  Anian;  and  the  Xorth  Ami:r''riui  Urncir,  Janu- 
ary Isyj,  lib,  ducnw  this  not  very  brilliuut  theory  more  probable  than  any 


I  I 


38 


THE  NORTHERN  MYSTERY. 


a  certain  sense  be  cited  as  a  phase  of  the  present  sub- 
ject; but  this  bubble  soon  burst,  and  so  fur  as  I  know 
had  no  effect  on  the  vaj^aries  of  Jater  days.  The  map 
in  Stobuicza's  Ptolcuii/  of  1512  is  said  to  show  the 
New  World  as  a  continuous  coast  up  to  50°.  A  Portu- 
j:fuese  chart  of  about  1518  exhibits  for  the  first  time 
the  Pacific  divided  by  an  isthmus  from  the  Atlantic; 
leaving  s[)aces  between  the  (xulf  of  Mexico  and  Lab- 
rador wliere  the  coast  may  not  be  continuous. "^ 

Schoner's  globe  of  15'J0  exjdains  itself  It  was 
doubtless  founded  on  mere  conjecture,  though  in  cer- 
tain lespects  an   approximation   to  accuracy,  for  as 


if 


j4 


"A  0,      a 


a    vn. 


j-ERR*)   Cflll'"'''' 
DC  CUMfi 


T  /^<j 


o 


"^    ^"^ 


-^ 


'dQQ> 


(i'Q    :__  S^  Cb    O 


v^'^r^^-.c^^, 


hjto  .  _.  ^_''»;y 


i\~  I— t,  -J     ""'""lOX-TlRRA  \ 


SciioxEu's  Glohk,  lo'iO. 

yet  there  were  no  discoveries  to  suggest  a  broad  sheet 
of  water  north-west  of  the  newly  found  lands,*  In 
the  earliest  land    expeditions   from    Mexico  to  the 

*  See  IliM.  Cent.  Am.,  i.  133. 

*  III  lin/iiiif'H  Ilisl.  U.  S.,  i.  140,  it  is  stated  tliat  the  Rio  Jordan  visited 
by  Aillon  in  1.V20  on  the  Carolina  coast  Wiis  souyht  as  the  'sacred'  Jordan  of 
biblical  tradition ! 


KSTliVAX  GOMEZ.  H 

iH'ar  north-Avost  of  Mithoacau  and  Coliiim  in  1522-4 
niiu'li  intorest  was  oxcitod  by  rc[K)rts  of  a  [iiovincu  of 
Ci^'uatan,  or  of  an  island  sonio  ton  days' jouinoy  be- 
yond, inliabitc'd  by  women,  liko  Amazons,  who  bcin'j^ 
visited  at  intiTvals  by  men  from  the  mainlan<l,  killed 
their  male  ehildien;  they  were  withal  rieh  in  |»eai-ls. 
This  was  all  the  more  interesting  becansu  CoJ'tes 
expected  t  )  Hiid  rich  and  marvellous  isles  in  liis 
V()yaL,'e  to  India,  for  which  lie  was  then  prc'  iiin^'.'' 
In  ir)24  Fi'ancisco  C'oites  Ibund  also  in  Colima  traces 
of  Christian  rites,  and  rinnors  of  a  vessel  wrecked 
in  earlier  years.  Verrazaiio  visited  the  eastern  coast 
in  ir)24,  and  has  been  credited  with  being  the  first  to 
jtromulgate  the  true  theory  of  tlie  eai'th's  size  and 
the  geogi'aj>hical  relation  of  the  New  World  to  Asia.'* 
1  find  nothing  in  his  re})ort  to  justify  sui-h  a  conclu- 
sion, tiiough  the  name  '  ^lar  de  Verrazano'  is  a})j)lied 
to  the  wistei-n  waters  (jii  a  later  map.  Estevan 
(lomez  sou^^.it  the  strait  in  l;')2o  between  Florida 
and  Xt'wfoundland:'-'  and  about  his  retui'n  an  amusing 
story  has  often  been  repeated.  He  brought  hoi.ie  a 
cargo  of  csc/ai'os,  or  slaves;  and  an  enthusiast  in  the 
cause  of  discovery,  failiuLT  to  catch  the  first  syllable, 
luslucl  to  court  with  the  news  that  Gomez  had  at 
last  found  the  passage  to  the  Spice  Islands,  having  rc- 
turned  with  a  cargo  of  claros,  or  cloves!  Tlu;  truth 
was  soon  known,  nnich  to  the  amusement  of  the  court 
and  the  messenger's  discomfiture.  In  those  days  the 
Spaniards  little  thought   of  sailing  to   tlie   extreme 

' '  Y  Rsiinisino  me  tmjo  Kelacion  <le  los  Seftorea  de  la  Provineia  de  Cigu.-xtan, 
qiu'  SL'  uliiiiiiiii  iiiiu-lio  lialter  una  Isla  toda  pDhlada  de  Mii;.'crt's  sin  Vai'oa 
iiinj,'iini>,  \  cnu'  en  cicrtos  tit'iiipo  van  de  la  Tierra-Finne  ilomlirea,  eon  i(>8 
«|iiaUs  liaii  atcsd,  y  las  (|ui'  rjiiedan  ])refiadas,  si  ))arcn  Mii;,'fi-i's  la  j.'uarilan; 
y  si  M<mil>rcs  his  eclian  de  su  Conipania.'  L'oHiJs,  Jtist.  S.  Espai'iu,  34'J-oO; 
Jj.aiinioiif.  J/ixl.  Mil/,.,  MS.,  «•_». 

"Ilriiunl'x  IJhi.  U.  S.,  i.  ISO. 

"  '  It  is  also  deeiei'd,  that  one  Stcplianiia  Ooniez,  ■\vlio  also  himselfe  ia  a 
Bkillfull  Xaui;,'at()r,  shall  goe  another  way,  where  liy  betweene  tlu'  IJaoealaos, 
and  Florida,  loaf,'  since  our  countries,  he  saith,  he  will  linde  out  a  wuye  to 
Catuiu:  one  ouely  sliijjpe  called  a  Caniuell  is  furnished  foi-  him,  and  he 'shall 
liaue  no  other  thing  in  charge,  then  to  search  out  whether  any  jiassage  to  the 
gieat  Chan,  from  out  the  diners  windings,  and  vast  compassings  of  thiu  our 
Oceuu,  were  to  be  founde.'  I'iUr  Mufti/r,  dec.  vi.  cap.  x. 


THE  NOIITHKRN  MYSTERY. 


i ' 


Jiortli;'"  hilt  l{(>lK'rt  Tlionic  in  ir)*J7  ur'j;'('<l  his  k'wiij;  to 
"il'oi'ts  in  th;it  direction.  "  Xowi-  then,  il'  iVom  tlio 
saydenewc  roiindc  huidi's  the  Sec  l)fc  Niiiil^al>l(',  (hero 
is  MO  dotd)ti!  Imt  saylinu"  Xorlhwardo  Jiiid  passiii''-  tho 
pole,  dcsccndiiiiL;'  to  tlu;  ecjuiiiot'tiall  l.viic,  wee  sliall 
Iiitti;  these  Ihiiides,  and  it  shoul<l  hcc  mui'h  nioiu; 
shorter  wav  than  evtlier  tht'  Si)aiiiardes  or  the  Portin- 
^aK's  haiu.'  " 

The  hesl  chai'ts  of  thesi'  daj'S  wei'c  n(»t  ])uhhslied. 
( 'outined  lor  the  most  pai-t  t(»  the  rejucsfntat  ion  ot" 
netual  discoveries,  they  left  tlie  iKJi'tliern  parts  hlaidi, 
and  ha\t'  no  special  interest  in  connection  with  thi; 
])resent  suhject.  Pni)lish<'d  maps  inchdi^iMl  nioi'e  freely 
in  specniatioii.  The  l^tolemy  map  of  I. '»•■)<),  as  liei'cwith 
j^iviii,  was  circniated  with  slight  variations  in  dilferent 
I'ditions  of  i'toh'mv  and  Mnnster  for  nianv  years;  and 


I  N  J  1 A  »";"  '■'" 


,r 


/--  , 


i 


IJ      O      V      V      S 


(  U^  tHIIihrUH-J  •-,   ?       ^     \  ^ 


:W/■^ 


•■V-     = 

;,,  C?  '^■'    •■■  " 


:rr.' 


'  O     R     B      I      S 


vro^i^s  •■ 


#*"^ 


^ I 


I'toi.kmy  y\.\v,  ir);}o. 

other  nia]>R,  hoth  mannscript  and  print,  were  of  tlio 
.same  type,  representing  North  America  abovy  ^lexico 

'"  Peter  ^fartyr,  dec.  vii.  cap.  v.,  nlmiit  tliia  time  wrote:  '  Rut  oonceminjj 
the  8ti'ayf,'ht  tliere  is  little  hope;'  ami  e.>i])icially  had  he  no  faith  in  north- 
ern pnisiHftM.  'To  the  south!  To  the  soutli !  For  the  f^reut  and  exceeding; 
riclies  of  the  /Kiniinoetiall,  tliey  that  seeke  riches  must  not  goe  v.uto  the 
cold  and  fn)zen  north.'  See  JSri/aii/'n  Hint.  C.  S.,  i.  I'K). 

"  TUoriit'a  Book,  iu  Uukhiyl'n  Diitid  Toi/.,  4S;  Jd.,  Voy.,  i.  "Jl^-'JO. 


OUZMAX  AXl)  .inri'A'KZ. 


41 


as  a  naiiow  codtiiu-iit  fxti'iuliii;^'  iioi-th-i'ustward  to  tlm 
ii'ui(»ii  dl"  ( inculaiid,  scparutoil  from  ii|)|ifr  linli.i  l>y 
a  witk'  strait,  iiiid  nearly  severed  just  ulntvt;  l-'lurida 
l)V  11  l)r(>ad  inlet  I'roin  the  west.  The  oriiiiii  <tt"  this 
inlft  or  hay  is  not  known,  l>ul  it  was  |)rohahly  loimded 
on  certain  Uiijinlihsht'd  i'i'|»orts  of  Wiri'a/ano  or  ( lo- 
nwA.    Orontius    Fine,  in  his  niaj*  of  If).'}!,  adhered  to 


J.'UIM<  ^ 


tn^/,'>b  ^-^'^ 


the  oriL,''inal  idea  tliat  the  new  i-c^ions  were  part  of 
A^ia,  disi\';,ardinL,f  the  conjectures  of  Ids  contempo- 
raries, which,  if  accidentally  more  accurate  tiian  his, 
wei'c  mucli  less  consistent  with  inal  knowled^'j. 

Nuho  de  (jruzmaii's  conijuest  in  l."»:5i,  e\teiidin<^ 
to  Sinaloa.  did  much  to  discredit  earlier  tales  of  a 
pi'o\ince  of  Ama/oiss;  hut  the  discovery  of  a  pLu-o 
cailcil  Aztatlan  seemed  to  fui-nish  some  conlirma- 
tion  of  su|>postMl  ahorin'inal  traditions  ahout  an  Aztec 
min'ration  from  the  nortli-west.  In  1 ."):!;{  the  efforts  of 
Cortes  ^^•el•e  so  far  succ(!ssful  that  Jimenez,  one  of  his 
connnaiidei's,  discovei'ed  land  which  was  supposed  to 
he  an  island  and  named  Santa  Cruz.  Had  Jimeticz 
heen  able  to  explore  more  fully  the  eastern  coast  of 
his  new  land,  the  theory  would  doubtless  have  been 
on    his   return  that  he   had  reached  a  part  of  the 


1 


!    .Ill 


4a  THE  NORTHERN  MYSTERY. 

Asiatic  continent,  and  had  entered  the  mouth  of  the 
loiijjf  Houi^Iit  strait.  Tliis  would  liave  been  natural, 
and  niii^ht  have  had  nuich  influence  in  shapini^  later 
conjectuie  and  ex]»loration;  but  Cortes  was  intent 
not  only  on  finding'  the  strait  but  rich  islands  on  the 
way  to  India;  therefore  he  was  willinj^  to  acce]»t  the 
new  discovery  as  an  island,  even  after  a  fruitless  at- 
tempt at  occuj)ation  and  Hn<lin<(  riclies.  The  idea  that 
it  was  an  island  was  soon  abandoned, only  to  be  revived 
for  a  lon-'t.'r  life  in  later  years.  Meanwhile  some  one 
called  attention  to  a  ]»o))ular  romance,  some  twenty- 
iive  years  old,  in  which  the  followino"  |)assnj^e  occurred: 
"Know  that  on  the  rin'it  hand  of  the  Indies  there  is 
an  island  called  (Jalifornia,  very  near  to  the  terres- 
tiial  [)aradise,  which  was  |>e()pled  with  black  women, 
without  any  men  amon<>;  then.,  because  thev  were 
acx'Ustomed  to  live  after  the  fashion  of  Ama/ons," 
Therefore  the  new  island  was  ap|)r(t})riately  named 
C^difornia,  because  of  its  position,  its  sui)poseJ  wealth, 
and  of  the  Amazons  of  nati\  e  tradition. 

At  the  same  time  J)ie_i;-o  de  (iuzman  made  a  trip 
fiom  C  uliacan  to  the  Vacpii,  to  verity  the  re[)orts  of 
the  Seven  Cities,  and  oi'  a  river  four  or  live  l.;aLfUes 
wide  Howiii!^  into  the  South  Sea,  and  havinjf  an  iron 
chain  stretched  across  its  uioutli  to  prevent  boats 
juMH'tratiniLf  tlie  inti'rior."  On  the  eastern  coast 
J;i(ijurs  ( 'artier  wastjiiestioninin"  the  Indians  of  Canada 
al)out  the  w«sl.  Jieferriim'  doubtless  to  the  yfreat 
lakes,  they  sai<[  tliat  from  the  upper  St  Lawrence 
there  "  was  IVtsh  watt  r,  which  went  so  I'arre  uj)wards, 
that  tiny  had  never  lieard  of  any  man  who  had  ujone 
to  the  liead  of  it,  and  tliat  tliere  is  no  otl.er  })assane 
but  with  snuill  boatcs."  Less  intelligible,  but  e(|ually 
interestintj  to  the  hearers,  was  their  statement  that 
fr(»m  JIochela'>;a  w.'s  but  a  month's  iourne"  to  a 
country  of  cinnamon  and  cloves.'^     Agnese's  maj)  of 

^-  (litziiinii,  SfiiHiiiIa  lii'l,  AiiiUi.  .10.1.  The  Scvon  fitios  may  lutvo  1k'  >  an 
aftortliduulit  lit  tlie  uutluit',  an  lio  ilid  nut  wiiti'  until  HOiiie  ycur.-i  uft ;'  tho 
evtints  rlcsiTilx'd. 

^■^  Ji'iiinutio,  Viajiji,  iii.  433;  lluk!it)jl'»  Vuij.,  iii.  I'lS. 


VACA,  SOTO,  AXD  ?aZA.  » 

lo^G  and  a  Portuguese  map  of  the  same  year  are 
iitially  the  same  as  tlie  Ptt>lemy  map  ol'  1530, 
rth-western  coast  hue  is  for  the 


esse 


except  that  the  ik 
most  ]xirt  left  vaj^ue  and  iiideiinitii,  hvu\<f  represented 
hy  dotted  hnes,  and  th.at  the  latter  lacks  the  narrow- 
iii!^  to  an  isthmus  just  ahovi'  Florida,  but  shows  a 
strait  ali'ordiiiy  a  passajjje  to  Cathay  just  below  liaea- 


laos,  or  Newfouiu 


Hand. 


It  was  in  15;3G  that  Cabeza  d<,*  A-^aca  arrived  in 
Sinaloa  and  Mexico  from  his  o.'land  trij).  His 
report  contained  little  or  nothin^f  that  was  marvellous 
al)out  the  nortii.  He  had  received  a  few  tui-.jUt»ises 
and  emer.dds  irom  the  Indians,  who  said  they  came 
from  the  north,  "where  were  poi)uloU8  towns  and  very 
lar_L>e  houses,"**  referrinjjf  of  course  to  the  l*ueb]o 
towns.  lUit  this  in  connection  with  other  I'umors  of 
nurthci-n  towns  was  sutKcient  to  kindle  anew  tlie  ilame 
of  adventure.  While  Soto  was  wanderin^j  in  tlM>  Id'oad 
Mis.sissippi  V'alley  without  contriitutiui^  anything'  of 
importance  to  the  marvels  of  the  \ortheru  ^lystery, 
Friar  Miiicos  de  Xiza  started  northward  I'rom  C'ulia- 
ean,  and  went  so  iar  pioliabiy  as  to  come  actually  in 
si,L;'ht  of  on(-'  of  the  towns  at  C'il)ola,  oi*  Zuhi;  thou<^"ii 
Jlernan  Coitc's  and  others  reij^arded  Niza's  narrative 
as  |»ure  fiction.  Friar  ^larcos,  however,  jirefcrred 
I'alscliood  or  ufross  cxaLTiJferation  to  the  truth.  He* 
]»i'oved   to   his 


u   s, 


ilislaction  that  California  was 
an  island,  and  that  then-  wei'o  thirty  otlu'rs  i'i<'h  in 
]>carls;  \\c  1  ;),rned  that  the  coast  turned  abruptly  to 
the  west  in  iJi)";  he  learned  luuch  of  a  countiy  richer 


d 


and  niore  populous   tlian   3l('\ic«»,   mcUKhi 


M» 


Ciboh 


'ro*:ontciK',  Abacus,  and  Maiiita:  he  saw  Irniii  a  dis- 
tance Cibola,  a  town  lar<j;'er  than  Mexii'o,  though  the 
smallest  of  the  Seven  Cities;  ho  listened  credulouslv 
to,  if  he  did  not  invent,  stories  of  <j;old  and  precious 


'*  See  Kohr.'i  I  Hat.  Disrov.,  'iO'J.  '290.     In  A/.,  29(i,  is  iinotlii  r  .similar  )i)np 
liy  Moiiii'in,  l."i40,  without  tiio  stiait;  but  tliuru  is  a  strait  bitwctu  Jkioiiliui^ 

Utlil   IrclMi'l. 

'' Calif  ~ji  ill  Wiai,  JMdtioii,  \Ct~. 


"I! 


'I 


ll 


m  THE  NORTHERX  MYSTERY. 

stones  buinjif  in  connnon  nse;  aud  after  takin_<^  formal 
possession  ot  this  New  Kin<j:<loni  of  Sun  Francisco 
he  i-etunu'd  to  Mexico  in  153^.*"  Xiza's  misstate- 
ments were  soon  exposed;  but  nevertheless  tht-v  were 
Avidi'ly  circulated,  and  their  influence  was  felt  lor 
many  years.  The  names  Cibola,  Totonteac,  and  the 
Seven  Cities,  semi -mythic  in  later  years,  originated 
with  him;  though  the  last  had,  before  the  discovery 
of  America,  been  ap[)lied  to  a  mythic  region  in  the 
Atlantic. 

In  ]r)40-?  were  made  the  famous  expeditions  of 
Coi'onado,  Ulloa,  Alarcon,  and  Cabrillo,  with  which 
the  rea<li'r  is  familiar.  The  reports  of  these  explorers 
M'ere  })lain  statements  of  fact.  They  weredisajipointt'd 
ill  their  expectation  of  rich  kingdoms  in  tlie  north; 
hut  they  mdulged  in  no  wild  .--peculations  of  wliat 
might  have  been  iound  had  they  penetrated  farther. 
They  revealed  the  coast  line  beyond  latitude  40''; 
showed  Califoi'iiia  to  b(.>  a  ])eninsula;  explored  both 
shores  of  the  gulf;  discovered  the  Colorado  in  two 
places;  exposed  nearly  all  Xiza's  misre])resentations; 
jiroclaimed  in  their  ti'ue  character  the  l*ueblo  towns 
oi"  modern  Arizona  and  New  Mexico;  discovered  the 
liio  (ii'ande  del  Noiti-;  and  even  e\j»lored  the  great 
])laliis  f;tr  to  the  nortli-east.  Indi'cd  they  made  known 
substantially  all  tliat  was  to  be  known  j'or  ovi-r  two 
centuries  of  nortliern  geogra[)iiy;  and  they  practi- 
cally coiivlnciid  S])aln  that  in  this  region  there  was 
no  tield  i(»r  coufjuests  similar  to  those  of  Cortes  and 
]*i/,aiTo,  though  there  might  be  a  strait  above  the 
fortieth  jiarallel. 

\vt  es|)eclally  In  the  I'ecords  of  Corouado's  adve'U- 
tures  wei'e  left  tlu^  seeds  of  mystery  and  perplexity. 
So  fully  was  exploration  suspiMided  that  the  regions 
described  became  semi-mvtliical.    Jt  was  not  rare  in 


lat 


vr  years  for  I'ven  S|)anlards  to  discuss  the  genei'a 


I 


topic  of  northern  gvogra[>liy,  without  any  ai)[)areut 


'"A'l'.ii,  UvKeubrimkiito  de  las  Skfc  Citulail(S. 


QnVmA  AXD  TOTOXTEAO. 


# 


'"-'•  •  '■  'i"v.-'  .st,va„,;;  n ,"   •  ii";;  J'"'^  ,«■'■-  "»<■, 

'•'"■  Ifi"  .1.1    N  ,■       i,7  '^"'"■""'"  '■■"in  Tiun,,..;,  , 

""/';'  •••"'™ti"M.s;  ,„!.i , , :  „.',,'',;:""" '/.'  ""-•  >•'■- 

'"I  Ik'.'!.  „,..st  lil„,,il  „,•,,„,•'  '"" 'wliv,..  wl,0 

'■IS   .l,.V..|,fi„„.   „,„        ,   '         '      ■       "I"    .  .,,t|„„,    ,.„„(;.ssi,,r 

••'>'","•"'  "'-cunt.     T     ,;.,,.      '"",''"  '""    '"■"",' 

'■-/'"■•-iM.-.  as  ),i  eJ  '1,      '    '"1.'"''""  "■""•■"•..  was 
"■■■',"  ^■""'  <"  (l„.  (;,,,', '//'■■'''■"■■'».  «l..,r,,,|lv  „  ,  ,t 

:;7'''''''''''''-'ii'm;    :;t''n" '■'''' ''■■'' "'■'''••■«■' 

"I ,.i„A,  ,.,   „  '•■"''■■'^'  ■■""'   <liirM, 


40 


THE  NORTHERN  MYSTERY. 


bccaiiso  tlioy  mtulo  siu^ns  that  tlioy  had  sailed  tliirty 
days,""  iiioauiii<4'  pcrliaps  to  coiuioct  the  falsoliood 
Avith  the  visit  of  Cardonas  to  tlio  coast,  thouL,di  hitor 
Miitois  d'u\  not  so  undurstaiid  it,  and  located  these  shi])s 
at  Quivira,  or  rather  carried  Quivira  to  the  siii)>s. 
Niza's  Totonteac,  as  the  natives  told  (yoronado,  was  a 
small  town  on  a  lake;  and  this  mythic  town,  as  we 
shall  see,  loni;'  lived  under  one  name  or  another, 
^loreover,  several  items  of  really  later  origin  were 
.sometimes  dated  hack  to  Coronado's  time. 

Before  Coronado  undertook  his  exploration  Niza's 
<liscoverit's  becominjjj  known  had  created  some  ex- 
citement  in  Spain,  a  curious  phase  of  which  was 
a  quarrel  in  the  Council  of  the  Indies,  in  Spain. 
Cortes,  Cuzman,  Soto,  and  Alvarado,  each  had  a 
license  for  discovery  in  the  north,  and  in  their  ah- 
•smice  were  re] (resented  by  counsel.  Each  lawyer 
endeavored  to  make  the  stui)i<l  con.'<fjo  understand 
that  Cibola  was  in  the  vi-ry  heart  of  the  ] (articular 
tei'rit((ry  his  client  was  authorized  to  rule;  and  that 
to  allow  enci'{(ac]unent  by  another  on  a  conquest  for 
wliich  such  sacrifices  had  been  made  wouhl  be  a 
grievous  wr((nu\  After  hearing  the  argun^ents  in 
ia\((r  of  Caliibrnia,  New  (lalicia,   and    Florida,  the 


il 


council  wiselv   cai 


h 


me  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was 
unable  to  deti>rmine  the  location  of  Cibola,  and  ac- 
cordinglv  authoiized  Vi('er((V  jNfendoza   to  continue 


1 


us  exp 


•lc(rati 


tl 


Kdis  r((r  the  nrovmce 


1» 


19 


inioa's  V((yage  left  some  doubt  V\'hether  there  was  a 
strait  just  ahove  Santa  Cruz  s(  parating  the  southern 
en<l  of  the  ])eninsula.  Alarc((n  was  entertained  (di 
the  gulf  and  river  sh((res  by  the  natives  with  rej)orts 
<(f  gi'and  livers,  c((pper  mountains,  ])((werful  chief- 
tains, and  hearded  white  men.    ()n(>  or  nud'i? 'old  men' 


d  tl 


usually   accidupanied  tiu^  ('((mmander    m  Jus  v((yag(^ 
on  (lie  Ctdoiado,  mIio  did  not  fail  to  impose  upon  tlio 


^^Onmnrn.  Ilht.  furf. .  L'Tt>-4.  It  is  repeated  by  Salmeron  and  other  WTit^rs, 
vitli  viuiiiiirt  rmlwilisliiiHiits. 

''•'y'roir^o  Ud  Atanjiii:^,  aOO-408. 


^Ill 


RUSCKLLI  A\D  MUXSTER. 


47 


crodiility  of  his  visitor,  tdliii'LC  lilni  ainoiijjf  otlier  tbiiigs 
of  an  old  woman,  (iuatazaca,  who  lived  without  cat- 
iniif,  oil  a  laki!,  or  iiuar  the  sea,  or  hy  a  mountain,  in  the 
country  whore  copjjer  hells  were  made.  Cabrillo,  be- 
yond heai-ini;-  nunors  of  white  men  in  the  interior, 
contrihuted  notliinif  to  mythic  annals;  in  fact  liis 
ex]>loration  was  well  ni^^h  I'or^^otten  in  later  years. 
Most  |)i(»miiKiitly  to  he  remend)i'ied  in  connection 
with  Cahrillo  was  that  he  is  said  to  liave  discovered 
and  named  Ca|)e  Meutlocino — whii-h  he  certainly  did 
not. 

Two  maps  of  1  a-lO  and  ir)4I  repres(>nt  very  accu- 
ijitely  tin;  |)eninsula  coasts,  the  ;inll",  and  the  r^^aiidand 
shore;  but  tliey  Icjave  the  interior  a  blank,'-'"  lluscelli's 
m;i|»   of    1544,   which   1  i-eproduce,   a<lhere.s    to    hrst 


ErsiELU's  M  \i\  I.I  1 1. 


])rinci|il(>s  indi-t'd.  Xoj  ..iilv  ;iiv  \.-\v  Sjiain  iin  I 
Florida  I'epresenti'd  as  j)art  of  Asia,  but  l>acala(»s 
IS  ]»ictiuvd  as  a  i-entral  land  coiinectod  by  narrow 
isthnuises  on  th(>  west  with  Asia  and  (.nthe  ea.st 
with  JMir(H)e.     A  vt>ya<^e  to  India  uccordinj^^  to  thid 

•"Sw  iniii>s  in  II!»t.  Cent.  Am.,  i.  1J3-4. 


48 


THE  NORTHERN  MY.STERY. 


map  would  luivu  been  attended  with  many  diliiculties. 
Tlio  niajt  ill  Munster's  Co.siiiojjntjJtio  of  \i)A^)  is,  as^ 


/      iNniA      \ 

SVl'KKlOn     ') 


Tr.i;l;A  :.i<UAHIIR 

DKllACALIIlM 


18  1.  AMDIA 


,0    y  /-  \       V  FllANCrSOA  /     .-.^-^  /J,  ^, 


VOCRTCBAeL 


'HlllP<.M<n>.* 


\    AMKIIICAMKU  BHAHt?.    V 


MrNsTi;ji"s  M.\r,  I'A'). 

Avill  ))(•  observed,  a  eopy  ol'  ilie  Pfo/ciui/  of  In.'lO,  so 
jar  as  the  southci'ii  ]iarts  ol"  T<-iiiistitaii,  I'lnijda,  I"'i-an- 
elsea,  and  ('orteical  are  coiiceriH'il ;  hut  it  extent.-; 
Ihrtlier  north.  IJacalaos,  or  Xewioundland,  joins 
Jlurope  as  in  IviisfH'Ui's  niap.  hut  it  rracli-'s  Tar  to 
the  wi'si,  as  does  u|>jter  India  Inr  to  the  east,  until 
a  strait  is  l»Tt  Ijv'tweeii  thcin,  into  tlie  northern  ocr.iii; 
wliilt'  south  of  these  lands  is  'the  st  raii ,'  w  it  h  the 
insei  iptioii,  "Per  lioe  {'wAh  iti-r  j)alet  ad  Mohiea^.' 

As  we  ])ass  1.550  to  recMrt'd  the  use  that  was  made 
of  the  hrilliant  (hseovcrics  aehit  \e'd  itefon  t'.ii  dale, 
\\  ith  the  va^•aries  fonn(K'd  on  tliosf  <U><i.\t  rirs,  .oid 
«>n  new  ones,  real  or  fictitious,  we  find  in  Uaiiinsio"-. 
iiiai)  of  iaad'"  the  tirst  printed  repr< -entation  <»f 
Xorth  America  as  it  was  Jictualiy  known;  that  is,  with 
iii<Heations  /f  a  hroad  e<uitiiient,  hut  ail  let't  hlaiik 
Ite-yond  the  points  of  (hscovcry.     Jn  the  western  inte- 

■•'  ltd  III  null},  r«i(/(/i,V«'netiii,  irtd.l.  iii.  4."i.'>  tl.  Tin-  lir-it  KJition  nf  ilun  %iihnin- 
V'ii.s  in  ir).Vi.  1  am  not  curtuiu  tliut  it  oimtaiiu'il  tlu  i^uiu  iiiajt;  but  ii  iimkca 
no  iliUcnuce.     Also  ill  AVti*e««'  Solen,  pi.  i\    no.  11. 


M 


RAMUSIO  AND  HOMEM. 


m 


Fiaii- 

jct'ms 
ir  t<» 
r.iitil 
■I  all ; 

I     tllL! 


made 
ilalr, 
aM<l 
lUslo  -» 
>ii  ')t" 
,  with 
hlaiik 
iiitt;- 

.  volume 


rior  a  vapfuo  reconl  of  Coronado's  i-xpcditioii  is  g-Iven, 
hut  with  a  curious  transposition  of  east  for  west  iu 
the  l(K'atioii  of  CiI)ola,  Tigucx,  Cicuic,  and  Quivira 
respectively,  all,  it  would  seem,  for  the  purpose  of 
folic >win<jf    (jroniara's  supposed    theory  that    Quivira 


,  .i^'-'-j^dk-^  :  ,_. 


(Jniilini 


^  .-       \   /     LA  NOVA f-Af-ORiDA 

I     ',*%"    8PAGNA  ^r^ 


iLit  Iti  rtumtn 


:X5  '*.    V 


.  ^^  Q  ^o°  Cliviitn  ilA^,Viiii.-iv        _ 


W"-  1  l\t.ill„ 


I 
lis 


^; 


"O  i  1 


t/">.-;-. 


liAMrsio'a  Map,  l.wO. 

was  on  tile  western  coast.  And  there  Quivira  ro- 
nuiincd  lor  many  years.  Tlu  Sierra  Nevada  has  het-n 
named  hy  Cahrillo.  (California,  not  named,  is  a  j)e- 
niiisuhi  of  pecidiar  shape  not  <- ipied  hy  later  map- 
makers;  and  heyond  the  limits  of  my  <'<>pyi  s«>me  .'")()' 
West  of  California,  lieis  an  island,  (iiapam.  There  is 
no  exjiressed  ojtinion  nspectiui;'  the  strait.  In  its 
main  features  this  luap  is  of  a  tyjie  often  rej)eated. 
1"he  manuscrii»t  map  of  the  l*ortu.,aie.>e  Honn'm, 
made  in  1  .">.') M,'-'^  ilitfers  widily  in  tin*  north-west. 
Jl<»mem  adh'.res  to  the  old  idea  that  North  America 
is  a  very  nair(»w  continent,  ext endinii-  from  south-west 
to  north-east;  and  he  ij;ives  tlje  naviy^ator  his  choice 

'•'- Taken  from  A''i/i/'«  Hint.  Ihncov.,  377.     Most  uaiiics  omittcil,  as  liuving 
iiu  bcuriu';  on  tliio  Huiiji'Lt. 

I  I'lT.  h'  W.  CoAiT,  Vot.  I.    4 


M) 


THE  NORTHERN  MYSTERY. 


of  many  ways  by  water  to  the  Piieifie.  As  Kolil 
says:  "Our  author  a])))cars  to  liavu  had  a  t^rrat 
passion  for  islands  and  a  stronj(  belief  in  north-west 


-*•'!%" 


A(i  liKL  r.  r,  r' 


'W'-'Vi'- 


-^,     ''■> 


7  —<  :Lj^  "^/l   ':p^ 


"^3-  ' 


SKA  DE  FLORIDA    V 


/^V^ 


**>l"l  fi  litis  orviilii 


IfoMKM's  Mai-,  1558. 

passniifes  from  tl)e  Atlantic  to  the  western  oecan. 
Jlc  cuts  n|i  tbe  whole  of  iiDi'thiM-n  New  !^'r;in('(^  into 
lar^'f  islands,  and  coiixcrts  srxcral  biMiiches  of  tho 
St  I^Mwrence  into  sea-channels  and  strails.  IK;  puts 
down  a  strait  in  eveiy  ])la('e  Avhere  Cartiei',  in  his 
report,  had  said  he  had  l(»oked  for  one,  even  if  hethd 
not  lind  it."  From  va^'ue  rumois  of  the  ufreat  lakes 
and  Hudson  iJay  ln'  makers  the  ;L;r»'at  UKirc  Ic/nird- 
'iiKifi'ifiii  a  name  loi-  the  western  ocean,  the  origin  of 
Avhich  is  not  known.-'' 

About  laGO-;")  some  few  nun  in  Spain  became 
{^I'eady  interested  in  lindiiiLj  the  northern  j)assa'.^e, 
tiioui;h  they  did  not  succeed  in  arousing'  the  court  to 
actual  endeavor,     l^rominent  amonL?  these  was    tho 

■■'■' ]];nimsio,  IVcf/;/'.  iii.  rt.  Miitinj,'  in  155:?,  sccins  to  linvc  liail  liko  i.liMH 
of  ("aiiiiil.i.  •  Fi'iiiii  wliicli  |('iiilicr"s  icjiorts|  «i^  iirc  nut  yit  ilciir  \\  li<tlii  r  it 
(New  l'"r,iiic<'|  is  jnini'tl  to  tin-  iiiiiiiiljiiiil  of  l"loiiil;i  iii\il  Nrw  Si);iiii,  or  i.i  all 
•lividrcl  into  i>l,iitl»;  or  wlu'tiuT  it  is  jiossililo  to  pi  l>y  tlio.so  [lart.-i  to  tl\o 
proviucc  of  Cutliiiy,  us  Stljustiuu  Cabot  wioto  mc  many  ywira  ago.' 


Mi:\i:XI>KZ  AND  rUDAN'IlTA. 


St 


A(l»l;Mitatli>  l\>(li'(.  ]\fc'm'ii(li'Z(lo  Avilcs,  famous  in  tlio 
annals  of  rioiida.  Jlo  wrote  scvoral  |»a]u'i-s  on  the 
suliject.and  in  oni' of  tlieni  stated  that  in  l.').')1  he  liad 
hron'j,ht  IVom  Xew  S|>ain  a  man  who  elaimed  to  have 
heen  on  a  Fi-enrli  shi]),  wliieh  had  sailed  I'oui- hnndred 
jean'ues  on  a  A/v."  dr  nun'  running'  inland  iVom  Xew- 
i'onndland  t)V.ai-d  Florida.  The  shij/s  crew  then 
landed  ;unl  a  ((tiaiter  of  a  lea'^'ue  distant  loimd  anotlui 


eliainn 


1,  on  v/liieh  tliev  hnih  lour  small  vess'l, 


aiK 


I 


sail.d  allot hei'  three;  hnndred  len^^nes,  to  latitude  4H\ 
i\ort!i  ol'  ^[exieo,  near  the  mini's  of  Zaeateeas  and  San 
^lai'tin,  whei-e  were  lar^'e  and  |»ros|ten)ns  setil-iiients. 
'I'hf  channel  led  to  the  South  Sea,  towaivl  China  and 
the  Miihiccas,  thon.L;h  it  was  not  Tollowed  so  lar.  The 
Fri'-.i'li  .'hip  on  her  return  was  wrecked,  hut  the  nar- 
rator v.iih  souk;  others  was  saved  hy  a  l*ortu;jfUi'SC 
vi'ssel.  'I'his  was  jierhaps  tin;  iirst  deiinite  narrative  of 
a  fictitious  V(»va<»i?  throii'di  the   famons  sti'ait.     The 


slor\'    was  often  I'coea 


ted; 


an( 


I  other  like  trii 


)s  Were 


inventt'd,  a  ;  \\i'  shall  sei'.  jNTc^nendez  douhtless  told 
the  stoi  V  in  1,^0(1(1  faith,  hi'lii'^'  deceived  hy  an  adveu- 
tmvi' v.ho  took  advantaL;"e  of  his  i  nt  husiii--m.'' 

Our  of  the  Spaniai'ds  wJio  like  Mi'iieiidiz  was  in- 
terested in  the  |ti'ohlem  was  ^Vndres  de  I'rdaneta, 
friar  and  naviij^atoi*,  the  man  wIm)  first  cro.ssed  tlu) 
Paciiic  eastward  and  discovercnl  the  iiorthei'ii  route. 
Unlanetii  was  ac(]uainted  with  ^Ei-nendez,  and  know- 


'■'  Xfiritri''  '<',  V'lvifs  Ajiiii^rij'oii,  W);  lit.,  in  Sufil  if  .U'.v.,  I'/'/'/c,  x\xi';.-xl. 
It  w;;  1  i;»  l.")li'>  lluit  >rincliikz  toll  t!ii<  ^Imy  ;  Imt,  lir  liml  iipiMrriilly  ]>riMciitfil 
aiiu'iiioriiil  1)11  tlu'iKissii'^i'MHiu  niter  |."i.it,  Niivaiictc,  in  tin ■  I  "';/'  ■••  .1;  "■  /</<<<, 
i|n(itr(  froiii  .stvcr.il  uri,L;iiml  iipimnimiiatii(iit  ut'  Mcaiuili /.  Iiimii-i.t  tliciii 
li"'  speak  II  f  a  i-a  It -water  eliaiiiiel  finiii  t  he  i-e;4iiiii  iif  tlie  tiay  <>f  S.iiita.  Maria,  ill 
latiUlcle  117  ,  \\iiiill  ';;i)e<  tiiwaiils  tlie  W.  N.  W..  ami  it  i<  nu^jiec  teil  tli:.t  it 
g'les  ti  till' Siiiilli  Sea;  aiicl  tlie  linliaiis  ivill  many  eiiw  s  like  tliu.e  of  New 
Sjiaiii  lliiiilaliiesl,  wliieli  ( 'iiroiiailu  I'uuiiil  in  tim-ie  |i'aiii.-i,  aiul  eariy  the  hiiles 
i'l  eall'ies  t.)  ^ell  tit  the  French  lit  New  t'liiindlaiul ;'  iiihI  in  a  siiliieiiueiit  <iik', 
of  'another /(((C.r)  ilv  tun r  \\\\w\\  leails  towanis  China  ninl  enters  tin;  Soiitli 
Sea ;  mill  thi.-t  u  ileetne'l  I'eptain.  iill!ioii;;li  no  one  jias  ^'one  l>y  it  to  the  South 
Sea,  liiit  tin  y  have  pme  l.y  it  over  .".(HI  h'a,mie-i  W.  N.  W..  stiirtilii,'  at  4'J  anil 
leaeiiiii;,'  4'>  ,  ."iKt  lea:.'nes  north  of  Mexieo,  anil  not  ovi'r  KM)  lea;,'iies  from  tho 
.^oiiih  Sea  or  from  ('liina  itself.'  Aeosta,  lli-'l.  Xai.  Im/.,  l.VJ-.'l,  allmles  t'» 
Ml  lieniUv.  iiml  hi.s  imsilive  lieliif  ill  II  ntliiit.  '  I'.l  A'lekllltailo  I'eilro  Meleile^ 
liolire  tiV  plutiou  y  excehti!  ea  la  mar  Alinuuiia,  str  eosa  ciei'ta,  cl  uucr 
K-Htiveho,' 


Ml  THE  XORTIIERX  MYSTKRY. 

in,i(  Jill  the  current  rujiorts  aliout  the  strait  and  its 
discovery  by  lort'i^ner.s,  dcomctl  it  of  tlio  utmost  iui- 
portaiKv  for  Sjjaiii  to  ascerta'ii  tli'^  truth.  In  a  docu- 
iiiont  i»f  loGO  \ui  wroto  of  tlio  rciJoit,  current  in  Ni'W 
Spain  al)out  the  French  findinuf  a  [)assaiL!^o  from  N\;\v- 
foundhmd,  l)eufinnin«^  above  hititudo  70",  extendiniuf 
west  and  soutli-west  to  below  50°,  which  atlorded 
open  sea  navi<;ation  to  China;  also  that  on  theii'  re- 
turn they  had  foun<l  another  exit  below  50°  toward 
Floriila.'^'  This  writer  was  wiser  and  less  credulous 
than  AEenendez,  for  he  never  placed  implicit  faith  in 
these  rumors;  still  less  did  he  claim  for  himsijlf  the 
discovery  of  the  strait.  Yet  such  a  claim  was  attiib- 
uted  to  him.  One  Salvatierra,  a  Spanish  n()bleman 
returniuLf  home  from  the  West  Indies,  toiiched  at 
Ireland  in  15<»8,  and  there  rehiti.'d  that  Urdaneta  had 
foun<l  the  jjassaj^e  in  1550  or  1557,  and  had  shown 
tlu!  narrator  a  map  on  which  the  discovery  was  laid 
down.  The  fiiar  had  revealed  the  niatter  to  the  hinuj 
of  Portuu[al,  who  had  ur^ed  him  to  ke(([)  it  a  profound 
secret,  lest  the  Kni;lish  should  come  to  know  it  and 
make  trouble  for  Spain  and  Portugal.^"  The  exact 
orii^in  of  this  tale  is  not  known,  although  it  was  not 
without  its  inlluence  in  later  speculatit)ns. 

In  1 5(;-2  the  Frenchman  llibault  by  no  m«\ans 
neglected  the  prol)lem  on  the  Carolina  coast.  "As  wo 
now  (b'maunded  of  them  concerning  yo  land  called 
Seuola  [Cibola],  whereof  some  liaue  written  not  tt> 
bee  farre  from  thence,  and  to  l)ee  situate  within  the 
lan<le,  and  toward  the  Sea  called  the  vSouth  Sea.  They 
shewed  vs  by  signes  that  which  we  vnderstood  well 
enough,  that  they  might  goe  thither  with  their  Boates, 
by  riuers,  in  twentie  chiyes."^''  In  15G3,  when  Fran- 
cisco de  Ibarra  reached  the  province  of  Topia,  in 
north-western  Durango,  by  some  means  he  and  his 

•■'Xarftrrcti',  Vinijrx A pdrri/on, ^-40;  Iil..m  i^nl'l  tj Mex.,  V'ingo!i,x\\\\.~\\{. 

•'' Jiirnti  r'l*  Hint.  I'tii/.,  44!>,  repciituil  briully  l)y  uthui-  writers,  l-'orster 
givi's  III)  iiuthorities. 

-'  ll'diuuU'H  True  and  Last  DlscoHcrie  of  Florida,  iu  Ifuklui/t'8  Dir.  Toy., 
102-3. 


ABRAHAM  ORTELIUS. 


53 


n 


ncans 
Vs  wo 

alk'd 

(»t    to 

the 

riR'V 
I  well 
)ates, 
Kiuii- 
|i:i,  in 
(I  his 

|vi.-xli. 
l'"or8tcr 

[.  Vol/., 


associates  jjcrsuadod  tliomsolvos  without  any  known 
rcasDM  that  they  had  found  a  grand  and  I'icli  country, 
a  second  Mexico;  and  ho  it  was  represented  in  the 
reports  under  th(!  name  of  Cojjala.  It  is  ))robahle, 
however,  tliat  this  was  dehl)erate  deception  rather 
than  the  enthusiasm  of  exijlorers.'^" 

I  reproduce  the  map  puhhslied  by  the  famous 
geop^rapher  Abraham  Ortelius  in  liis  Thcdtnim  ( hhis 
Terrarum  of  1574.'-'"  It  will  be  seen  that  this  map 
combines  the  leading  features  of  the  Kannisio  and 
I'tolemy-Munster  ma[)s.  From  the  latter  we  have 
tile  strait,  and  even  the  indentation,  though  now  re- 
duced to  a  small  bay  and  not  almost  severing  Canada 
from  Florida,  while  as  in  llamusio  wo  have  a  bioad 
stretch  of  continent,  and  an  attenipt  to  show  tlio 
discoveries  of  Niza,  Coronado,  Ulloa,  Alarcon,  and 
slightly  those  of  Cabrillo.  The  topographical  features 
of  the  peninsula  and  gulf  of  California  are  nuich  im- 
iirovod,  also  the  course  of  the  rivers  Howing  into  the 
latter.  Totonteac  and  other  names  are  atldod  from 
Niza,  and  those  of  Tuchano  and  Tolm  from  unknown 
sources.  The  Gomara-Kamusio  transposition  of  tho 
Cil)(tla-Quivira  towns  is  continued  ;  and  Tiguex,  with 
its  river,  really  tho  Kio  (Grande  del  Norte  of  New 
^Mexico,  is  transferred,  as  Cicuic  (Pecos)  and  Quivira 
had  been  before,  to  the  coast  of  what  was  later  I'pper 
California.  Finally  the  kingdom  of  Anian  appears 
on  tho  same  coast  above  GO'. 

This  name  of  Anian,  as  ap})lied  to  a  north-western 
kingdom  and  to  the  famcjus  strait,  apparently  origi- 
nated during  this  decade  of  loTO-SO,  but  under  cir- 
cumstances that  have  never  biicn  ex[)lained.  There 
was  a  theory,  of  which,  however,  I  hear  ncjthinir  be- 

^'fliarra,  Rihirion,  .Vj.l-lit. 

'•"•'Ort'lirii,  Tlnatrvm  Orhis  Trrrarrm,  Antwerp,  ir>74,  gr.  folio,  text,  0!). 
Tlure  \\>-vo  curlier  editions  of  I.ITO  luul  l.'iTl;  and  later  ones,  in  (litleront 
lan«ii.i},'e>  of  l.l.SS,  ir.!).'.,  l.VW,  KiO.I,  l(iO(i,  and  KWl ;  also  a  Th<mnriiH 
III  oi/rK/i/i.riin,  liy  the  same  author,  of  1 57S,  lolMi,  an<l  Kil  1.  In  my  edition  of 
tile  T/irri/riiiii.  there  are  over  70  brilliantly  eolored  maps,  finely  engraved  on 
copper  by  Hogenheig,  two  of  which,  the  Ti/iir:<  OrhiM,  or  the  wurlil,  and 
AiiiiricfK  sin'  _X,ifi  Orhis,  Xoni  JJi-Kcri/itio,  relate  to  the  I'acitic  Stites  ter- 
ritory.    Ouo  page  01  text  ia  givcu  ou  America,  of  iio  speciul  iuiportaucc. 


GMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


73  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER  N.Y.  1^580 

(714)  d;  3-4503 


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THE  NAME  AXIAX. 


6S 


r.. , 


^.:  - 


►-.  .J 

°      to*' 


foro   tlio  eiijjlitconth  century,  tliat  Cortcreal  in  1500 
I  the  sti-iit  from  two  or   tlu-eo  l^rotliers  wlio 


namet 


(1   li 


fi 


)f  li 


)\V 


n   hj-otlicrs. 


a(H'()ni])anie(i  Jinn,  or  ironi  one 
There  were  also  vao'ue  traditions  of  three  brothers  who 
liad  passed  tliroui;h  a  strait,  sometimes  cal-Jed  from 
them  '  Fretum  Trium  Fratriim.'  It  appears  that  there 
was  a  province  of  Ania  somewhere  in  Asia,  as  de- 
sciihcd  ]>y  the  early  travellers  and  geographers."*" 
Anaiii,  we  learn  that  "An  excellent  learned  man  of 
I'oitiiigale,  of  singuler  grauety,  autlioritie,  and  expe- 
lit'iice,  tolde  nice  [llakluyt,  in  1582]  very  lately  that 
one  Aims  Cortciral,  [this  being  editorially  explained 
as  a  form  of  '  loao,'  'loamies,'  or  'John,']  Captayne 
of  the  vie  of  Tercera,  about  the  yeere  1574,  which  is 
not  aboue  eight  yeeres  })ast,  sent  a  Ship])c  to  discouer 
the  X(H-thwest  passage  of  America,  and  that  the  same 
ship[)e  arriuing  on  the  coast  of  the  saide  America,  in 
lift  it!  (.yghte  degrees  of  latitude,  founde  a  great  entrance 
exceeding  deepe  and  broade  without  all  inq)ediment 
ot"  ice,  into  which  they  passed  aboue  twentie  leagues, 
and  founde  it  alwaies  to  trende  towarde  the  South, 
the  lande  lying  lowe  and  plaine  on  eyther  side:  And 
the}-  perswaded  them  selues  verely  that  there  was 
a  way  oi)en  into  the  south  sea."^^  Hei'e,  then,  we 
ha\'e  as  elements  the  old  po})ular  belief  in  a  strait, 
tlie  Asiatic  ])rovincc  of  Ania,  the  'three  brothers/  the 
voyages  of  the  Cabots  and  Cortereals,  the  fact  that 
there  were  several  'brothers'  of  both  families,  the  name 
Amis  Cortcreal,  the  reneM'ed  intei-est  in  the  subject 
at  this  junctiu'e,  and  the  circulation  of  the  name  on 
Ortelius'  nuijis.  Out  of  all  this  was  evolved  the  name 
strait  of  Anian,  which  early  in  the  seventeenth  cen- 

"I  Iinvo  not  found  nny  mention  of  Ania  iii  niiy  (Incunicnt  or  map  of 
earlier  date  tliaii  that  of  wliicli  I  am  now  trcatin,'  ;  luit  IJai my,  ///-/.  l)i.i,-nr. 
Si'Ulh  Si(ty  i.  .■>,  iiiijilio.H  tliat  Mareo  I'olo  nieulion.-t  the  jiroviiiee.  So  <h)is  «;il- 
liert,  in  his  hi^ronrnc  of  |.")7l».  Ortelius  himself  ^ives  th(!  iianie  Ania,  iit  the 
interior  ojipositi!  Japan  iu  iiis  map  of  Asia.  Tureiias,  llin  /'iliiriirn  ■<,  iv.  itO(i, 
mentions  Aniaii  as  an  island  on  the  eoastof  China.  l»"Avity,  Ac  Mninh.  UVM, 
has  Anian  on  his  geueial  map  as  tiie  exti'enio  north-eastern  piovini'e  of  Asia. 

'I  llithlKiit's  J)in  r.i  V«!i.,  7.  N'<ithin;,'  further  is  known  ahout  this  voya^io, 
Imt  it  is  not  unlikely  that  u  Tortugueao  uaviyator  in  thcbe  tiuica  may  Lave 
entered  lludbuu  Strait. 


56 


THE  NORTHERN  MYSTERY. 


tury  became  common.  It  is  not  unlikely  tliat  light 
may  yet  be  thrown  on  the  process  of  evolution.  At 
present  all  is  conjecture.  I  know  not  whether  the 
name  Anian  appears  in  the  Ortelius  editions  of  1570 
and  1571,  as  in  that  of  1574;  nor  do  I  know  his 
motive,  or  that  of  the  author  he  followed,  for  trans- 
ferring the  province  to  America.  There  is  no  doubt, 
howevei,that  the  strait  was  named  from  the  province, 
and  it  is  })lain  that  the  resemblance  of  the  names  Anus 
and  Anian  caused  the  discovery  and  name  of  the  strait 
to  be  attributed  to  the  Cortereals.''^ 

In  the  cosmographical  work  of  Peter  Apianus,  as 
amended  by  Gennna  Frisius  and  published  in  1575,''^ 
are  two  maps,  which  it  is  not  necessary  to  copy. 
One,  with  movable,  revolving  attachments,  represents 
North  America,  without  names,  as  an  island  detached 
i'rom  South  America,  equidistant  between  what  may 
be  regarded  as  Cuba  and  Japan,  and  a  little  larger 
than  either.  The  other,  with  only  the  names  llic- 
iiiisfifoii  and  Baccaleanim,  makes  of  tlie  continent  a 
very  narrow  strip  of  land  attached  to  South  America, 
extending  north-west,  north,  and  north-east,  and  sepa- 
rated by  a  long  and  wide  strait  containing  an  island 
from  Eastern  India  in  the  role  of  an  Arctic  continent.** 


^^Amorctti,  Voij.  Mahlonado,  20,  3G-9,  favors  the  theory  that  the  name 
Aniiiu  may  have  hud  u  Chinese  orij,'iii,  ami  gives  quotations  ami  i-cfcrcnces  to 
support  that  view;  ami  that  the  iovnx  Stnta  <le  Anian  on  the  earhcst  maps 
indicates  its  oiigin  through  Venetian-Italian  medium,  that  is,  !Marco  Polo,  per- 
haps. He  eites  Sprengel  to  the  effeet  that  the  name  is  on  Mercator's  map  of 
]")70;  and  Engel  as  having  seen  it  on  a  map  of  1. ")(»().  Amoretti  is  otten 
inaccurate  in  his  references,  as  when  he  says  tliat  Urdaneta  saw  the  name  on 
a  map  of  I.IOS,  and  that  (iali  visited  the  strait  in  I.IS'J;  but  it  is  not  impos- 
i^ihlc,  nor  inconsistent  with  the  views  expressed  in  the  text,  that  the  name 
began  to  1)0  used  just  before  ratlier  than  just  after  l.'iTO.  !Malte-]5run,  in 
AniiidiH  (ha  WijitKjia,  xix.  3t).">,  says  i\\i\t  Ani  is  Japanese  for  '  brother,' and 
suggests  tliat  the  name  may  have  originated  from  tlie  Portuguese  having 
told  the  Ja|i!iiieso  of  the  discovery  by  tlie  'brothers.'  In  l'o/«;/r;<  «/(  A'o/v/, 
llcrw'il,  f,  Ehsii'i,  82,  we  read  :  'On  parla du Golfe  iVAnkin,  h  travers  ducjuel  ies 
.la])()nois  et  eeux  du  Pais  do  Jcaxo  assuroiont  (ju'il  y  avoit  un  passage  jusiju'i'v 
la  Mer  do  Tartu  lie.  On  alia  au  delii  du  Jajion,  jus(iu"au  50'.  On  eutra  dans 
iin  Detroit  fort  commode,  pour  aller  dans  I'Oceau  Septentrional.' 

'■^■^ Ayiano,  i'otoiwuravhia,  Auvers,  l.")".!.  The  work  is  chielly  theoretical; 
the  description  of  the  Aew  World,  fol.  34,  seeiaa  to  be  taken  from  Goniara ; 
the  maps  are  on  fols.  3'2,  3.1. 

^'  in  Gillivrl'x  JJinroitrsc  of  n  Discoiieric /or  a  vrir  Pa/iKctrjc  to  Cafain,  London, 
lo'ii,  is  u  map  'in  which  all  inipedimuuts  in  the  way  of  the  north-west  pas- 


t^; 


I 


LADRILLERO  AND  GILBERT. 


57 


light 
1.  At 
dr  the 
'  1570 
iw  his 
trans- 
doubt, 
)viiice, 
i  Alius 
3  strait 

nus,  as 
1575,"^ 
►  copy, 
resuiits 
jtached 
at  may 

larger 
es  fhe- 
inciit  a 
.morica, 
d  sepa- 
i  island 

incut.'" 

the  name 
tcieuct's  to 
[licst  maps 
I'olo,  per- 
|)r'b  map  of 
ti  it)  otten 
le  name  oa 
)iot  impos- 
tho  iiiime 
-IJrun,  iu 
Ltlicr,'  ami 
[Hii  luivin.^ 
an  Soril, 
luiiuol  k'S 

p'utra  dans 

tcorctical ; 
Cjoiuai'a ; 

I,  London, 
[west  pas- 


In  1584  one  Juan  Fernandez  de  Ladrillcro  made  a 
sworn  statement  in  Spain  respecting  the  strait,  of 
whose  existence  some  eight  hundred  leagues  north  of 
Com[)Ostela  ho  was  sure.  He  was  over  sixty  years 
of  a<'c,  liad  oone  to  America  in  1535,  and  had  navigated 
those  waters  as  a  pilot  for  twenty-eiglit  years.  The 
strait  was  said  to  lead  to  where  the  EngHsh  caught 
codlish,  or  bacalaos;  and  ho  with  others  once  at- 
temi^ted  to  find  it.  Had  lie  been  alone  with  one 
vessel  lie  would  have  gone  on  aiul  made  the  discovery; 
but  contrary  winds  and  damages  to  the  accompanying 
sliii)s  Ibrced  tliein  to  turn  back,  and  they  remained  in 
the  (  alifornias  until  the  vessels  were  ordered  to  join 
Villalobos'  ex[)edition  to  the  Mc^luccas.^"  A  Portuguese 
had  written  to  inform  the  emperor  that  he  had  been 
imjiiisoned  by  the  king  of  Portugal  because  he  had 
found  the  strait,  and  [)assed  through  it  from  one  ocean 
to  the  other.  The  emperor  notified  the  viceroy,  and 
the  latter  therefore  sent  out  the  expedition  which 
Ladiillero  accompanied.  He  liad  heard  other  pilots 
talk  of  this  matter;  and  especially  an  Englishman 
who  had  sailed  with  him  twenty-seven  years,  and  who 
with  his  countrymen  had  entered  the  strait  while 
fishing  for  liacalaos.  Now  therefore  in  1574,  when  the 
English  and  French  were  believ^ed  to  be  entering  the 
South  Sea  by  this  codfish  canal,  Ladrillero,  notwith- 
standing his  age  and  infirmities,  was  willing  to  go  and 
fortify  the  strait  for  Spain. '"^  Xaturally  enough  an 
old  ]>ilot,  desiring  a  position  of  honor  and  profit, 
found  something  in  his  store  of  old  recollections  to 
support  a  growing  theory,  and  counted  on  his  expe- 
rience in  American  waters  to  give  him  preferment. 

Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert's  ideas  on  our  general  topic 
were  set  forth  in  157G  in  A  DiscoL'i\se  Of  a  Discoucrie 

f'a;:iO  arc  clcare.l  away  in  a  most  summary  maimer.'  Introd.  to  Hakluyt  Soc. 
reprint  of  J/dl.liiyt'n  Div.  Voi/.,  I,  li. 

" '  y illaloljos'  voyage  was  in  l.">42,  vliich  fixes  the  date  of  Ladrillero's 
txploitd.     It  is  not  unlikely  tliat  he  may  liave  l.ceii  with  Alarcon  or  Ulloa. 

•"  Ladrillero's  Mcniurinl  in  the  Spanish  archives,  consulted  by  XaviUTcte, 
Sutil  1/  Mt-c,  xlii.-iii.;   Viu'jca  A^kjc,  41. 


u 


THE  XORTIIERN  MYSTERY. 


■    I! 


for  a  new  Passac/e  to  Cutaia.^^  His  first  chapter  was 
clcsiiL?ii(jd  "to  prone  l)y  autlioritie  a  passa<:>'e  to  be  on 
the  North  side  of  America,  to  goc  to  Cataia,  Cliiiia, 
and  to  the  East  India,"  the  authority  beini^'  that  of 
the  ancient  writers  hke  Plato  and  Aristotle  toucliini^ 
the  old  Atlantis,  contirnied  by  all  the  'best  nK)deru 
geoi^ra})hers'  like  Frisius,  Apianus,  Munster,  and  the 
rest,  to  the  effect  that  America  is  an  island.  "  Then, 
if  when  no  ])art  of  the  sayd  Atlantis  was  oppressed 
by  water,  ant!  earthquake,  the  ccuists  round  about  the 
same  w^ere  nauigable:  a  farre  greater  hope  now  I'e- 
maineth  of  the  same  by  tlie  Northwest,  seeing  the 
most  part  of  it  was,  since  that  time,  swallowed  up 
with  water,  which  could  not  utterly  take  away  the 
olde  deeps  and  chanels,  but  rather,  be  an  occasion  of 
the  inlarging  of  the  olde,  and  also  an  inforcing  of  a 
great  many  new:  why  then  should  now  we  doubt?.  .  . 
seeing  that  Atlantis  now  called  America  was  eucr 
knowen  to  be  an  Hand,  and  in  those  daycs  nauigable 
round  about,  wliicJi  by  accesse  of  more  water  could 
not  be  diminished,"  The  writer  adds:  "What  moued 
those  learned  men  to  atHrme  thus  much,  I  know  not, 
or  to  what  ende  so  many  and  sundry  trauellers  of  both 
ages  huue  allowed  the  same:  But  I  coniecture  that 
they  would  neuer  haue  so  constantly  afiirmed,  or  noti- 
fied their  opinions  therein  to  the  world,  if  they  had 
not  had  great  good  cause,  and  many  probable  reasons, 
to  haue  led  them  thereunto  1" 

The  second  chapter  is  '  to  prooue  by  reason'  what 
had  been  so  clearly  established  by  'authoritie'  in  the 
first.  The  reason  was  threefold:  1st,  the  deepening 
of  the  waters  in  the  nortli,  whereas  "all  seas  are  mniu- 
tained  by  the  abundance  of  water,  ^o  that  the  neerer 
the  ende  any  Iliuer,  ]3ay,  or  llauen  is,  the  shallower 
it  wareth;"  2d,  the  facts  that  no  intercourse  is 
known  between  Asiatic  and  American  peo[)les,  that 
Paulus  Yenetus  travelling  in   Cathay  never  reached 

•"  Gilbert's  DiicoiDve,  London,  1570;  reprinted  in  IlaldinjC.t  Voy.,  iii.  11-24. 


A  DISCOVRSE  OF  A  DISCOUERIE. 


69 


r  was 
bo  on 
?hina, 
Kit  oi' 
ichiug 
K)deni 
id  the 
Then, 
ircssed 
)ut  the 
ow  re- 
Q'y  the 
red   up 
av  the 
sion  ot 
QO"  of  a 
ibt?... 
IS  cucr 
iiigable 
•r  could 

inoued 
low  not, 
of  both 

re  that 
noti- 

oy  had 

casons, 

[i  what 

in  the 

[jpcning 

iiiniii- 

iieercr 

ilU)Nver 

Lirt^e   is 

Is,  that 

leached 


■i. 


■m, 


11-24. 


America,  any  more  tlian  Coronado,  "wlio  trauollod 
the  N<nth  i)art  of  xVnierica  by  land,"  reached  Asia; 
and  ;3d,  a  complicated  argument  is  founded  on  the 
great  ocean  current,  which  not  only  had  been  observetl 
by  voyagers,  but  which  must  of  necessity  have  a 
passage  by  the  north  to  complete  the  circle  and  to 
"  salve  his  former  wrongs." 

Ill  the  third  chapter  is  proved  "by  experience  of 
sundiv  men's  trauels,  the  opening  of  some  parts 
of  tills  Northwest  ])assage."  The  travellers  were 
Paulus  Veiietus,  or  ]\Iarco  Polo,  who  sailed  iiftoeii 
hundred  miles  on  the  coasts  of  ]\Iangi  and  Anian 
north-eastward,  all  being  open  sea  so  far  as  he  coul<l 
discern;  and  Coronado,  who  "passing  through  the 
couiitrey  of  Quiuira,  to  Siera  Neuada,  found  there  a 
great  sea,"  etc.,  according  to  the  (jromara  blunder; 
and  Jcjim  l^aros,  Alvar  Nunez,  Jac(iues  Cartier,  and 
others,  especially  Cabot,  who  in  07°  ^0'  would  have 
gone  to  Cathay  but  for  mutiny. 

The  fourth  cluqiter  proves  "by  circumstance  that 
the  Nortliwest  passage  hath  been  sayled  throughout," 
that  is,  l)y  the  'three  brothers'  from  Europe,  and  by 
certain  Indians  who  came  to  (lermany  before  the 
Clii'istian  era,  an<l  others  in  IIGO.  Next  are  three 
chapters  to  prove  that  these  Indians  could  have  sinno 
by  no  other  way;  and  three  more  of  general  conclu- 
sions and  on  the  advantages  of  linding  the  passage.'*^ 

^''Just  after  Gilbert,  Rioluird  Willos  Icarmidly  wrote  on  'Certaiuu  other 
reasons,  or;ir;,'iini('iits  to  jii'ooue  a  pas.sii'^'e  l)y  the  N'ortliv.cst.'  //iiU<i;iI'k  To//., 
iii.  '2iA).  lie  l>t.^':iii  by  oxertiu;,'  all  his  iiiiremuty  ami  loaniiu;^  to  ilenouin.'o 
tlic  seheme,  to  kIjow  that  the  old  writers  were  in  erroi',  or  i^nioraiit  on  thu 
subject,  tliat  there  was  no  strait,  that  it  was  iee-bloeked,  that  the  I'ajiid  cur- 
rent provinu'  its  existence  worlil  also  prtsvent  its  na\i;;ation,  and  that  if  Imi- 
f,dislinii  11  eould  pass  the  str;iit  they  niiglit  not  lie  pi'miitted  to  trade.  l'assa,i;,'es 
from  L'toleniy,  .Mercator,  and  Moletius  are  adduced  ia  favor  of  th'  strait's 
non-existence.  Ail  tliis  was  but  a  device  to  give  vei^dit  to  later  ar'^unients 
by  v.iiicli  Mr  \Villes  showed  that  these  olijeetions  had  no  force.  His  vicw.s 
Were  .similar  to  those  of  (Jilbert;  but  ho  added  the  exiiei'ience  of  'a  I'ortugall' 
wlio  passMl  the  strait  ami  was  imprisoned  therefor  many  years  in  Lisl)on;  of 
Urdam-ta,  'a  Fryer  of  Mexico,  who  came  out  of  Mar  del  Zur  this  way  into 
Oerm:mie;'  of  ('al)ot,  who  learned  tluit  the  'straii;ht  lyetli  neere  tlie  'A\H 
Meridian,  betweene  (II.  and  (i4.  degrees  in  theeleuation,  eontinuin.L,'  tiie  samo 
biedth  about  ID  degrees  West,  where  it  openeth  Southerly  more  and  more, 
until  it  come  under  the  tropicke  of  Caucer,  and  bo  ruimeth  into  Mar  del  Zur, 


60  THE  NORTHERN  MYSTERY. 

From  the  narratives  of  Martin  Frobislier's  voyages 
of  1570-8  to  the  inlet  bearing  liis  name,  and  to  the 
Meta  Incognita,  as  the  regions  of  tlie  far  north  were 
often  termed  from  his  time,  we  learn  that  "the  11. 
we  found  our  latitude  to  be  G3.  degr.  8.  minutes,  and 
this  day  we  cntred  the  streight,"  a  sentence  pregnant 
with  meaning  to  the  theorists,  especially  as  we  read 
of  the  people  that  "they  bee  like  to  Tartars."  And 
again,  "Tliis  said  streight  is  supposed  to  haue  passage 
into  the  sea  of  Siir,  which  I  leaue  unknowen  tis  yet. 
It  seemeth  that  either  here,  or  not  farre  hence,  the 
sea  sliould  haue  more  large  entrance,  then  in  other 
j)arts  within  the  frozen  or  temperate  Zone."  Later 
the  author  sj)ea]vs  calmly  of  crossing  the  inlet  to  the 
east  shore,  "being  the  supposed  continent  of  Asia," 
and  back  to  tlie  "supposed  firme  with  America." 
They  were  doubtless  in  the  strait,  but  cosmography 
had  to  yield  to  the  love  of  gold,  believed  to  be 
[)lentiful  in  the  black  rocks  around  the  ex[)loreis. 
Yet  of  the  third  voyage  it  is  said  that  Frobisher  con- 
fessed that  "if  it  had  not  bene  for  the  charge  and  care 
he  had  of  the  Fleete  and  fraughted  ships,  he  both 
would  and  could  have  gone  through  to  the  South 
Sea."^» 

"I,  Thomas  Cowles  of  Bedmcstcr,  in  the  countie  of 
Somerset,  Marriner,  doe  acknowledge,  that  six  yeares 
past,  at  my  being  at  Lisbon,  in  the  kingdomt  of  Portu- 
gall,  I  did  heare  one  Martin  Cliacke,  a  Portugall  of 
Lisbon,  reade  a  booke  of  his  owne  making,  wdiich  he 
had  set  out  six  yeares  before  that  time,  in  Print,  in 
the  Portugale  tongue,  declaring  that  the  said  Martin 

at  the  least  18.  degrees  more  in  bredth  there,  than  it  was  where  it  first  began ;' 
and  of  Krohisjior,  wlio  returned  safely  from  the  icy  regions.  Respecting  the 
currents,  'Lay  yon  now  tlie  summo  hereof  together.  The  riucrs  runne  where 
tlie  cliani'ls  are  most  hollow,  the  sea  in  taking  his  course  wareth  (lee]icr,  the 
Sea  waters  fall  continually  from  the  North  Southward,  the  Northcasterno 
current  striketh  downe  into  the  straight  we  speake  of,  and  is  there  augmoitcd 
with  whole  mountaines  of  ice  and  snowe. .  . .  Where  store  of  water  is,  there 
is  it  a  thing  impossible  to  want  Sea,  where  Sea  not  oucly  doeth  not  want, 
but  wareth  deeper,  there  can  be  discouered  no  land.' 

'^^' lliikhtjit'n  I'oi/.,  iii.  30-3,  80-1,  with  au  argument  provijj  the  existence 
of  the  strait  from  the  tides,  etc. 


to  the 
:li  were 
the  11. 
tcs,  ami 
regnant 
^ve  read 
"    And 
passage 
L  iis  yet. 
nee,  the 
in  other 
'    Later 
„>t  to  the 
t  Asia, 
.nicrica." 
lography 
?d    to  b<3 
sxplorers. 
sher  co!i- 
and  care 
he  both 
le  South 

ountie  of 
|ix  yeares 
,f  Portu- 
tngall  of 
vvhicjh  he 
IPrint,  in 
\\  ^lartin 

i  first  began ;' 
tspecting  the 
li-unnc  where 
li  deeper,  the 
lorthcasterne 
lo  augmoitoil 
liter  is,  there 
Ih  uot  want, 

Ihe  oxisteuco 


I 
I 


FROBISHER  ^VXB  DRAI 


61 


^4 


Chacko  had  founde,  twelve  yearcs  now  ]iast,  a  way  from 
the  Portugall  Inclies,  through  a  guHe  of  the  New 
found  Ijanil,  which  lie  thought  to  be  in  59.  degrees  of 
the  eleuation  of  the  North  Pole.  By  nieancs  that 
hee  being  in  the  said  Indies,  with  foure  other  Shippes 
of  great  burden,  and  lie  himsolfe  in  a  small  Shippe  of 
fourscore  tunnes,  was  driuen  from  the  company  of 
the  other  foure  Shippes,  with  a  Westerly  winde;  after 
whicli,  hee  past  alongst  by  a  great  number  of  Hands 
which  were  in  the  gulfe  of  the  said  New  found  Land. 
And  after  hee  ouershot  the  gulfe,  hoe  set  no  more 
sight  of  any  other  Land,  vntill  he  fell  with  the  North- 
west part  of  Ireland;  and  from  thence  he  tooke  his 
course  homewards,  and  by  that  meanes  hoc  came  to 
Lisbone  foure  or  tiuc  wcekes  before  the  other  foure 
Shij)S  c»f  his  company  that  he  was  sei)aratecl  from, 
as  l)cfore  said.  And  since  the  same  time,  I  could 
neuer  see  any  of  those  Books;  because  the  King  com- 
manded them  to  be  called  in,  and  no  more  of  them  to 
be  printed,  lest  in  time  it  would  be  to  their  hindrance. 
In  witnesse  whereof  I  set  to  my  hand  and  marke,  the 
ninth  of  Aprill,  Anno  1579."*'^  All  of  which  explains 
itself.  I,  like  Cowles,  have  never  seen  any  more  of 
those  books. 

Francis  Drake's  voyage  in  1579  had  some  indirect 
bearing  on  the  present  subject.  It  was  the  hope  of 
finding  a  strait  by  which  to  reach  home  with  his 
ill-gotten  gains  that  carried  him  into  the  northern 
Pacific;  and  his  failure  in  this  respect  caused  England 
for  a  long  time  to  confine  her  search  to  the  Atlantic 
side.  His  presence  and  ravages  in  the  South  Sea  made 
Spain  realize  more  fully  the  importance  of  finding 
and  fortifying  tlie  strait  for  her  own  i»rotection;  and, 
Drake's  hcmieward  route  being  for  years  not  clearly 
known,  rumors  were  current  that  he  hatl  actually 
found  the  northern  passage,  and  had  returned.  More- 
over, there  appeared  soon  after  a  fictitious  narrative 

*" Pitrcha.%  Ifis  P'lhjrmvs,  iii.  849.  The  story  is  meutioued  by  Jeffcrys, 
Buruey,  and  many  others  tioiu  this  source. 


''I'    Ir 


t& 


TTir:  Nor.THERx  mystery. 


connected  witii  tliis  expedition.  Padre  Ascension  told 
the  tale  to  l^idre  Zaiate  do  Salnieroii,  v.'lio  Avrote  of 
it  in  1()2().  It  seems  that  "a  loreiii^n  ])il()t,  named 
N.  de  Moreno,  who  < Altered  a/  in;;fcs'' — \v!iato\'er  that 
may  mean — "from  the  Sea  of  the  North  to  tliat  of 
the  Soutli  by  tlie  Strait  of  Anian,"  gave  this  account 
to  llo(h'i<''o  del  IJio,  tlien  ixovernor  of  Xew  Calicia: 
j\[orena  was  set  on  shore  in  the  region  of  the  strait 
of  Anian  "very  sick  and  more  dead  than  alive"  hy 
Drake  as  the  latter  vv-as  returning  homeward.'''  He- 
covering  his  health  he  wandered  through  diver;;  lands 
i'or  four  years,  over  nujre  than  live  hundred  leagues 
of  tlerrd  /innc,  until  he  came  to  a  Ijrazo  dc  mar  (Wy'uWn'j; 
New  ^lexico  i'rom  a  great  western  land.  This  hody 
of  water  ran  north  iuid  south,  and  seemed  to  the 
])ilot  to  extend  northwai'd  to  the  port  where  lie  had 
landed.  On  its  banks  were  many  large  settlements, 
including  a  nation  of  white  people,  wlio  possessed 
horses  and  fought  with  lance  and  shield.  "Padre 
Antonic^  [Ascension]  says  he  believes  they  are  ]\Ius- 
covitcs,  I  sav  that  when  we  see  them  we  shall  know 
who  they  are,"  writes  Salmeron.  On  the  coast  where 
he  was  put  asliore  Morena  saw  many  good  ports  and 
great  bays,  and  fi'om  thnt  point  he  thought  he  could 
sail  to  Spain  in  forty  days.  He  came  out  iinally  in 
New  Mexico,  and  went  down  t()  Sombrerete,  where 
he  told  his  story  to  (lovernor  Hio,  He  was  n'oing 
to  England  to  bring  his  discovery  before  the  court, 
but  was  willing  to  guide  the  governor  to  the  strait.'''^ 
JJrake  s  narratives  do  not  record  the  putting-ashore 

■"  TIio  a]ipavcnt  meaning  is  that  the  pilot  had  entered  tlio  Pacific  by  the 
strait  with  Drake,  and  Avas  landed  near  its  entrance  as  hewaH  alxnit  toi-eturn 
Ijy  the  same  route;  yet  the  Spaniards  ought  to  have  known  Aveli  enongli  the 
way  by  which  Drake  came,  even  if  uncertain  liow  he  returned. 

'-  tSdliiwro)!,  llclucioncx  <!(•  X.  Jff.v.,  ol-'J.  Itodrigo  del  Hio  y  Loza  was 
governor  of  iS'ueva  \'i/eaya,  not  Galicia,  in  l."i!K)-U.  I'adre  Xiel,  Ajmii/a- 
inlnilo--','^, ideutiiiva  Drake's  port  with  the  mouth  of  the  Carmelo  Kiver  I  'Esc 
desemboijue  del  rio  Cannelo  y  an  puerto  que  el  hace,  quo  el  jK'.dre  Zarato  no 
apunta,  quiz;i  jiorque  Sebastian  Vizcaino  no  surgic'i  en  el,  y  so  llama  eso  puerto 
cl  puerto  del  J)ra(pic,  eoirespondu  eon  esa  punta  de  I'inos  y  puci-to  de  Mon- 
terey nl  desembo([Ue  del  rio  Colorado,  que  entra  ae;\  en  imestra  eosta  con 
veintidoa  leguas  de  boea,  en  cuarunta  y  un  gradoi;,  do  lutitud  y  dosciontos  ciii- 
cueuta  y  uuo  do  longitud.' 


IN  NEW  MEXICO. 


)li  told 
•otii  of 
named 
3r  tliat 
liiit  of 
(•count 
jalicia: 

A'o"  by 

."    lle- 

;\;  lands 

lcaj]^ncs 

lividini^ 

lis  Ixnly 
to   tUo 

I  lie  luid 

lennunts, 

losscssod 
"Padre 

.re  ]Mus- 

x\\  know 
;t  where 
oris  and 
ho  could 
iually  in 
.!,  v.iiere 

lO  court, 
strait^-^ 
>--asliorc 

Icific  l)y  the 
lut  to  return 
^enough  the 

Lo7.a  -was 
i-l,  Apitiita- 
lUver!  'Kse 
ZAratc  no 
„  eso  puerto 
ko  tie  Mon- 
li  costa  con 
Icientos  chi- 


of  any  man  in  the  north.  ^lorena's  story  was  doubt- 
less imre  iiction;  but  it  is  probable  that  it  liad  an 
inlhieiice  in  funning  the  later  behef  that  California 
was  an  island. 

liodi-in'o  del  Eio,  to  whom  ^lorena  made  known  hi.s 
adventures,  i^iving  his  views  in  1582  as  an  expert 
respeclinn"  tlie  pro])er  outfit  for  a  ibrce  to  explore  New 
^lexico,  recoiiniHiids  that  material  be  furnished  for 
IniildinLC  a  vessel,  botli  lor  crossing  hr(r.(>s  dc  nui.r  idcely 
to  be  encountered,  and  perhaps  f  )r  returning  by  water, 
lie  understands  that  the  country  reae'ies  to  the  strait 
near  the  (Iran  China,  in  latitude  57",  and  })lausibly 
conchides  that  in  a  territory  so  broad  there  nnist  bo 
notable  things.^'' 

Espejo,  in  liis  New  INTexican  travels  of  1 58  l—T, found 
no  occasion  to  build  shi})S,  nor  did  he  reach  the  (Jran 
China;  l»ut  a  Concho  Intlian  in  northern  Chihuahua 
told  Jdni  of  towns  having  liouses  of  three  and  four 
stories  situated  on  a  gi"eat  lake  some  iifteen  days' 
journey  to  the  west;  at  Zuhi  and  west  of  it  I  e  lieard 
again  of  a  great  lake,  now  sixty  d;iys  distant,  with 
great  and  I'icli  cities,  whose  inhabitants  wore  golden 
fracelets;  and  iinally,  in  the  region  of  the  modern 
l*rescutt,  lie  was  told  of  a  miij^htv  river  behind  the 
sierra,  on  the  banks  of  wliich  wvvo  tovrns  in  com- 
])arison  with  which  those  already  seen  were  nothing, 
the  inhabitants  using  canoes  to  cross  the  river  and 
pass  ii'oni  town  to  town.''*  And  Vargas,  writing  just 
after  I'lsjjejo's  return,  attaches  no  small  importance  to 
that  gi'cat  river,  really  the  Colorado,  suggesting  that 
it  might  be  tlio  Estrecho  do  ]>acalaos.  ^loreover,  the 
re})orted  lal;e  towns  might  have  a  significance  in  con- 
nection with  the  fact  that  the  ancient  Culhuas  came 
from  those  regions.*^  Thus  did  men  tr}'  to  arouse  the 
"I'l  enthusiasm  for  northern  discovery  dormant  since 
Coronado's  time. 


**L'-^/<rj(>,  llcUtcion;  Ildkluiji's  Voy.,  iii.  385. 
*''J<otiiijiii,.,  Tt'diiioiiio. 


04 


THE  NOnTHERX  MYSTERY. 


Ricliard  Ilakluyt  published  in  London  in  1582  his 
Dlvi'i's  foj/ar/cs  tonc/iiiKj  the  discoiirrie  of  Anwricd,  from 
■which  I  have  already  drawn  frouly.  A  kind  of  prefa- 
tory note  is  entitled,  "A  verie  lato  and  great  pj'()l)a- 
bilitie  of  a  passafje  l)y  the  north-west  part  of  America 
in  58  degrees  of  northerly  latitude,"  which  ])rol)al)ly 
rests  on  the  discoveries  of  Anus  Cortoreal  in  1574, 
already  cited.  Then  in  the  'Epistle  33odicatorie  '  arc 
set  down  eight  reasons  for  l)clief  in  the  north-west 
passage.  These,  with  which  the  reader  is  already  so 
familiar  thnt  a  inure  allusion  will  suffice,  were:  1st, 
Cabot's  statement  to  Raniusio  that  the  nortli  of 
America  is  all  divided  into  islands;  2d,  Verrazano's 
map,  to  be  noticed  presently;  3d,  Gil  Gonzalez'  exi)lora- 
tions  on  the  western  coast  of  Central  America;  4th 
and  5th,  the  reports  of  natives  to  Jacques  Cartier; 
Gth,  the  re[)orts  of  Florida  Indians  to  llibault;  7th, 
the  experience  of  Frobisher  '*on  iho  hyther  side,  and 
Sir  Fraunces  Drake  on  the  back  side  of  America," 
with  the  testimony  of  the  Zeni  respecting  Estotiland ; 
and  8th,  the  judgment  of  Mercator,  "there  is  no 
doubt  but  that  there  is  a  straight  and  short  way  open 
into  the  West,  euen  vnto  Cathay."^" 

The  map  published  in  Hakluyt's  work  and  here  re- 
produced was  made  by  Michael  Lok,  who  claimed, 
without  much  apparent  rea  m,  to  have  fashioned  it 
largely  after  Vcrrazano's  chaits.  It  is  a  strange  com- 
bination of  the  geographical  ideas  that  we  have  no- 
ticed on  earlier  maps.  The  entrance  to  the  strait, 
which  is  short  and  leads  by  two  arms  into  a  great 
north-western  sea,  is  by  Frobisher's  inlet.  The  bay 
of  old  that  so  nearly  cuts  the  continent  in  twain  is 
christened  'Mare  de  Verrazano,  1524,'  though  that 
navigator  is  not  known  to  have  reported  having  seen 
or  heard  of  any  such  western  sea.    California  is  still 

^^ Ilakluyt' <t  Dh\  Voij.,  7-13.  He  adds:  'And  hcere,  to  conclude  and  shut 
vp  this  matter,  I  hauc  heardc  my  selfo  of  Merchants  of  oredite,  that  liavo 
lined  long  in  Spaine,  that  King  I'liillip  hath  made  a  lawe  of  late  that  none  of 
his  subiectcs  bhall  discouer  to  the  Northwardea  of  fiuo  and  fortio  degrees  of 
America,'  leat  the  strait  be  found. 


.TOIIX  PAVIS. 


6<r 


1582  his 
lea,  from 
af  prota- 
,t  jn-oba- 
Ainorica 
probably 
in  1574, 
orie '  arc 
»rtli-wost 
Iroadv  so 
ere:   1st, 
nortli   of 
irrazuiio's 
,'  c'Xplora- 
rica;  4tli 

Cartior; 
lult;  7tli, 

side,  and 

America," 

stotiland ; 

ore  iis   no 

way  open 

\[  hero  re- 
claimed, 
lliioned  it 
iin""c  com- 
have  no- 
[he  strait, 
a  great 
The_  bay 
twain  is 
lii<>-li  that 
rin«jf  seen 
lia  is  still 

luilc  autl  shut 

Itc,  that  have 

1  that  none  of 

lie  degieea  of 


% 


a  pciiinsula,  but  is  joined  to  tbe  main  by  a  nari'ow 
istlimus  in  45°,  where  the  coast  turns  abruptly  east- 
ward to  and  past  C'abrillo's  Sierra  Nevada.     What 


4/ 


^r//\^s:^^t 


A*  \|     NP^   TV/,,.  # 


i    "    r      c"  f' 


Lok's  Map,  1oS2. 

foundation  Lok  Imagined   himself  to  have  for  this 
geographical  abortion  I  do  not  know." 

John  Davis  did  not  indulge  in  any  very  wild  specu- 
lations respecting  the  Xorthorn  Mystery ;  yet,  return- 
ing from  his  voyages  of  1585-7,  he  wrote:  "I  liauo 
brought  the  passage  to  that  likelihood,  as  that  I  am 
assure* I  it  must  bee  in  one  of  foure  i)laces,  or  els  not 
at  all;"  and  again:  "I  hane  bene  in  7:3  degrees,  find- 
ing tlie  sea  all  open,  and  forty  leagues  betweene  land 
and  land.  The  passage  is  most  probable,  tlie  execution 
easie,  as  at  my  coming  you  shall  surely  know."***    To 

" HrdhiyrA  Dh\  To//.,  .")".;  Kohl'.'i  Ifixt.  Dhcov.,  200.  Between  the  two 
sliips  ami  ftlxn-c  the  hue  connecting  tlieni  are  the  followuig  inscriptions,  in 
Latni:  .1  k/iI/)  vhU'h  (lircrf/i/  lu'htrfroni  the.Mohicmf!,  and  hence  in  tifiifo  tin: 
.Uoliirm.-*,  mild  inlha  year  IJIS.  A.  Gcdmno.  ^'./';.s/».s;— which  seems  sulli- 
ciontly  ahsnrd;  and  Thw^  far  th<:  vo;/a;/es  of  thir  Prirtu;iue.-«',  LIM;  <  f  thi 
Spaniards;  l.ljO;  offhr  EiKjU'^h,  iJ6'0— wlii'ch  is  not  much  liioro  iiitelligiblu, 

*=Jhdl,ii/r.i  Toy.,  iii.  108,  111,  110-'2O. 
Hist.  N.  W.  Coasi,  Vol.  I.    5 


G6 


THE  NORTHERX  MYSTERY. 


50 


tlic  English  colonists  of  Carolina,  1580,  the  natives 
said  tha'  the  Roanoke  "gushed  forth  from  a  rock,  so 
near  the  Pacific  Ocean,  that  the  surge  of  the  sea 
sometimes  dashed  into  its  fountain;  its  banks  were 
iidiabited  by  a  nation  skilled  in  the  art  of  refining 
the  rich  ore  in  which  the  country  alK)unded.  The 
walls  of  the  city  were  desciibed  as  glittering  from  the 
abundance  of  pearls,"  Governor  Lane  exjilored  the 
river  in  a  vain  search  for  tliese  marvels.''"  To  Raleigh 
in  1587  Haklu^'t  wrote:  "I  am  fully  perswaded  by 
Ortelius  Lite  reformation  of  Culuacan  and  the  gulfe 
of  California,  that  the  land  on  the  backe  part  of 
Virginia  extendeth  nothing  so  far  westward  as  is 
put  downe  in  the  Maps  of  those  parts;"  and  noting 
a  report  of  Florida  Indians  to  Ribault  of  a  great 
interior  city  where  King  Chiquola  dwelt,  the  same 
writer  says:  "This  secmeth  to  be  La  grand  Copal." 

The  map  in  Hakluyt's  edition  of  Peter  Marfi/r, 
1587,  leaves  the  great  north-west  a  blank,  as  unex- 
plored; yet  it  ])uts  amaredulce  at  G0°,  about  midway 
of  the  continent,  and  by  great  rivers  running  north- 
ward from  the  interior  indicates  the  probability  of 
o[)en  sea  on  the  north.  California  is  a  peninsula,  as 
in  Ortelius'  map;  Quivira  is  on  the  coast,  in  40';  in 
the  interior  just  below  latitude  40^  and  over  the  name 
New  IMexico  is  an  immense  lake  some  six  hundred 
miles  in  length,  comnnmicating  by  rivers  perhaps  with 
the  (lulf  and  with  the  ocean  just  above  Quivira. 
Drake's  discovery  of  Nova  Albion  is  shown  for  the 
first  time  just  below  50  ;  and  the  coast  line  seenjs 
to  extend  to  55°  before  trendinsf  westward.  The 
Cathay  coast  is  about  fifty  degrees  west  of  Nova 
Albion.  If  we  disregard  tlie  great  lake,  and  look 
upon  the  mare   dulce  as    Hudson  Bay,  this  is  the 

*>> Ocorr/c  naiin-ofr>^  Hhf.  U.  S.,  i.  09-100. 

'•"  llakhi)jf.t  Vol/.,  iii.  'M'.],  .tl  1.  In  loS!)  .lunn  B.  Lomas,  iuaskinc^  a  license 
to  si'ttlu  New  Mexico,  miiU'rutootl  tliat  ti'iTitni y  ti)  incliule  eviTytliiu^Lf  aljovo 
tlu!  l!io  (^)lR•llOH,  and  clainuMl  tiie  rii^'iit  tf)  fditify  both  coasts,  and  to  linild 
sliijjs  to  sail  both  toward  Spain  and  the  i'liilinpiucs.  Loiiuui,  AnKiciitoi/  CapilU' 
lacloii. 


the  natives 
11  a  I'ock,  8o 

of  tlio  sea 
banks  were 

of  refilling 
nded.     The 
ig  from  the 
q)lored  the 
To  Raleigh 
•swaded  l)y 
I  the  gidfe 
lv:e  part  of 
«'ard  as  is 
ind  noting 
of  a  great 
,  the  same 
d  Copal."=° 
'r  Martyr, 
'^,  as  unex- 
Lit  midway 
ing  iiortli- 
babihty  of 
linsula,  as 

in  40";  in 
'  the  name 
:  hundred 
'haps  with 
!  Quivira. 
in  for  the 
line  seenjs 
ard.     T]i(3 

of  Nova 

and  look 
lis  is  the 


kili.i!;  fi  license 

lythiajf  jibovu 

mill  to  Imild 

'cjitoi/  Capita- 


IIAKLUYT. 


67 


uncertainty  about  the  eiict  d.U:e.='  ^^     '  "^"^^' 


Shlut  of  Amax,   1,100 


;''  I  have  oniy  tli(^  very  l)i,l 


68 


THE  NORTHERN  MYSTERY. 


In  his  great  work  of  1590  Acosta  devotes  a  chap- 
ter to  "  the  strait  whicli  some  affirm  to  be  in  Florida." 
"As  ^Magellan  found  that  strait  that  is  in  the  South, 
so  others  have  claimed  to  discover  another  strait  which 
they  say  there  is  in  the  north,  which  they  place  in  the 


HoNDius'  Map,  1595. 

land  of  Florida,  a  land  stretching  so  far  that  its  end 
is  not  known."  He  alludes  particularly  to  the  ideas 
of  Menendez,  and  mentions  as  some  of  the  hitter's 
reasons  in  addition  to  those  already  noticed,  namuly, 
]>ii>''es  of  Chinese  vessels  found  floating  in  the  At- 
lantic; and  the  presence  of  whales  from  the  South 
Sea  observed  in  a  bay  of  Flovida;  and  besides  'the 


its  end 
to  ideas 
latter's 
uiiiiulv, 
ho  At- 
Soiith 
js  'the 


ACOSTA. 


CO 


i.oitlifm  ge.itllcs.    An(lolsculw.,r^.   °  gospel  to 

y-nd  CapS  Mendocino  "Swstli^r*/'  '"'^'''-  "^''- 
<liat  name,  "it  i,  „r,f  i.',        't  *''"  hrst  niont  on  of 

!^"t  from  ^>•haJ  a  L:;^tr™m'th- ''"''■"'"■'  *''"  '^'■"'. 
It  runs."'-"  I  reproduJo  I  *'°'"«*'""S  immonso  ivliat 
about  laOa.       "''i"""^'""'  "  ""P  i"ade    by  Hondiu« 

SO      *  , 

Acosta,  Hist.  Nat.  Ind.,  71,  152-3. 


ill:; 


CHAPTER  III. 

APOCRYPH^n.  VOYAGES  TO  THE  NORTHWEST. 
lo9G-lG09. 

Juan  de  Frcv's  Pr?:tended  Discoveries — The  Story  to  Loic — Prescmp- 
Tioxs  against  its  Trptii — Writers  on'  the  Si'iuect — Ex-vmixatiox  of 
EvinENCE,  Historical  and  (iEotatAviiicAi. — Docrtless  a  Pcre  Fic- 
tion'— ^[ERCAToa — Wytkliet — The  Great  Northwest — Imacixary 
Coasts,  Rivers,  axd  Towxs — Conrad  Liiw's  HE:MARKAiiLE  Map^Closb 
OE  THE  Century— Cai'Tain  Lancaster — Herrera — Vizcaino— Acri- 
lar's  River — Ascension  — Torqcemada — OSate — Lake  Copalla — 
Zinooada  and  Queen  CiSacacohola^ — Tidax — John  Smith  —  ^Lvl- 

DOXADO'S     PUETENDED    VoYAGE    THROUGH    THE    STRAIT    OF    AnIAN — A 

Famous  Lie. 

In  recording  the  fictitious  voyages  it  seems  most 
},i-oper  and  convenient  to  notice  each,  not  under  its 
own  pretended  date,  but  under  tlic  date  when  tho 
claim  was  first  made.  By  this  system  the  first  of  tho 
famous  voyages,  several  anonymous  and  vaguely  re- 
corded trips  through  tho  strait  having  been  already 
referred  to,  belongs  here,  under  date  of  159G,  when 
Jnan  de  Fuca  tokl  his  talc  of  having  discovered  tho 
Northwest  passage  in  1592.  This  is  also  tho  only 
one  of  the  a})ocryphal  voyages  the  authenticity  of 
wliich  still  finds  defenders;  but  more  on  this  matter 
[>resently. 

In  April,  1590,  ^lichael  Lok,  an  Englishman  well 
known  for  his  interest  in  geograjdiical  discoveries, 
met  Juan  de  Fuca  in  A'^enice.  Fuca  had  lately  arrived 
in  Italy  from  Spain,  and  in  Florence  had  encountered 
an  English  pilot,  John  Douglas,  with  wiiom  he  came 
to  Venice,  and  l)y  him  was  introduced  to  I^ok.  Fuca's 
story  was  as  follows:  He  was  a  Greek,  born  in  tho 

(70) 


JUAX  DE  rUCA'S  STORY. 


71 


OS 


JT. 


;— rRKSUMP- 
MINATION  OP 
L  I'ruE  FlC- 
-Imacixarv 
Map— Close 
AiNO— Aori- 

3  COPALLA— 
MITII  —  MaL- 
?    AXIAN— A 


3ms  most 
under  its 
vlien  tlio 
st  of  tho 
••uoly  rc- 
ali'oady 
|i)G,  when 
cred  the 
lie  only 
ticity  of 
s  matter 

liian  well 
Icoveries, 
V  arrivetl 
buntered 
[lie  oanie 
Fuea's 
|i  in  the 

170) 


island  of  Ce])lml()nia,  and  liis  real  name  was  Apostol 
Valerianos.  He  had  been  forty  years  mariner  and 
pilot  in  the  8[)anis]i  West  Indian  serviee,  and  Avas 
n  board  of  tlie  oalleon  wlien  ca[»tured  by  Cavendish 
ff  the  point  of  California,  November,  1587,  havini; 
lost  sixty  thousand  ducats  on  that  occasion.  Subse- 
(luently  he  was  sent  as  pilot  of  three  vessels  and  one 
hundred  men  despatched  by  the  viceroy  to  find  the 
strait  of  Anian  and  fortify  it  against  tlie  Englislr 
but  by  ]-eason  of  a  mutiny 


on 


o 


th 


)ldi 


ers, 


f 


or 


the  sodomie  of  their  Captaine,"  the  ships  turned  back 
from  the  Californian  coast,^  and  the  captain  was  pun- 
ished by  justice  in  Mexico. 

"Also  hoe  said,  that  shortly  after  the  said  Voyage 
was  so  ill  ended,  tlie  said  Viceroy  of  Mexico  sent  him 
out  againe  Anno  151)2,  with  a  small  Caraucht,  and  a 
Pinnace,  armed  with  Mariners  onely,  to  follow  the 
saide  A^)yage,  for  a  discouery  of  tlie  same  Straits  of 
Allien,  and  the  passage  thei'cof,  into  the  Sea  whicli 
they  call  tlie  Xortli  Sea,  which  is  our  Xorth-west  Sea. 
And  tliat  lie  followed  his  course  in  tliat  Voyage  West 
and  North-west  in  the  South  Sea,  all  alongst  the  coast 
of  X<>>i('  SfHinid,  and  Culifornia,  and  the  Indies,  now 
calletl  North  Aiiicrien,  (all  which  Voyage  liee  signified 
to  me  in  a  great  ^lap,  and  a  Sea-card  of  mine  owne, 
which  I  laied  before  iiim)  vntill  lice  came  to  the  Lat- 
itude of  fortie  seuen  degrees,  and  that  there  finding 
that  the  Land  trended  North  and  North-east,  with  a 
broad  Inlet  of  Sea,  botw(.'en  47.  and  48.  degrees  of 
Latitude,  hee  entred  tliereinto,  sayling  therein  more 
than  twi'iitie  dayes,  and  found  that  Land  trending 
still  sometime  North-west  and  North-east,  and  North, 
anil  also  East  and  Soutli-eastward,  and  vei-y  much 
liroader  Sea  then  was  at  the  said  entrance,  and  that 
hee  ])assed  l)y  diners  Hands  in  that  sayling.  vViid  that 
at  the  entrance  of  this  said  Strait,  there  is  on  'the 

'  Im  it  portsil)l(!  that  Fuca  might  have  hoard  L'uhnlluro's  Htory?  It  will 
1)0  rumciuhcriMl  that  tliat  jtilot  claiinud  t>  havu  bouu  with  a  tlcut  that  turuuil 
back  from  California  ut  a  muoli  earlier  date. 


72 


APOCRYrilAL  VOYAGES  TO  THE  XOIITHWE-iT. 


■  I 


Nortli-wust  coast  tlioroof,  a  great  Hodlaiul  or  Tlaiul, 
Avitli  an  exceeding  high  Pinacle,  or  spired  liot-ke,  like 
a  piller  thereupon.  Also  he  said,  that  he  went  on 
Land  in  diners  places,  and  that  he  saw  some  peo[)le 
on  Land,  clad  in  Beasts  skins:  and  that  the  Land  is 
vci-y  fruitfull,  and  I'ich  of  (xold,  Siluer,  Pearle,  and 
other  things,  like  Nona  Spania.  And  also  he  said, 
that  he  being  entred  thus  farre  into  the  said  Strait, 
and  boing  come  into  the  North  Sea  already,  and  find- 
ing the  Sea  wide  enough  euery  where,  and  to  he  about 
tliirtie  or  fortie  leagues  wide  in  the  niouth  of  the 
Straits,  where  he  entred;  he  thought  he  had  now 
well  discharged  his  office,  and  done  the  thing  lie  was 
sent  to  doe."  So  he  returned  to  Acapuleo  before  the 
end  of  the  year,  hoping  for  reward;  and  was  wel- 
comed by  the  vicero}^  with  fair  promises,  but  after  two 
years  of  vain  waiting,  by  the  viceroy's  advice  he  Avcnt 
to  Spain  to  seek  reward  for  his  services  from  the  king. 
Even  here,  though  welcomed  at  court  "in  wordes 
ai'ter  the  Spanish  manner,  but  after  long  time  of  suite 
tiiere  also,  he  coukl  not  get  any  reward  tliere  neitiier 
to  his  content;"  and  sf)  at  length  "he  stole  away  out 
of  Spaiiie,  and  came  into  Italic,  to  goo  home  againe 
and  line  among  his  owne  Kindred  and  Countrimen: 
lie  being  very  old."  He  thought  the  reason  of  S[)an- 
ish  ingratitude  was  occasioned  by  the  belief  that 
England  had  relinquished  the  search  for  a  strait,  and 
therefore  there  was  nothing  to  fear.  Xow  he  was 
disposed  to  ho  revenged  on  the  Spaniards  by  serving 
the  noble-minded  ([ueen  of  England,  lio})ing  also  that 
she  would  make  good  his  losses  at  the  hands  of  Caven- 
dish. If  provided  with  a  ship  and  pimiace  he  would 
undertake  to  make  the  voyage  through  the  strait  in 
thirty  days. 

Lok  wrote  to  Cecil,  Raleigh,  and  Hakluyt,  urging 
them  to  furnish  money  to  bring  Fuca  to  England  with 
a  view  of  acting  on  his  i)roposition ;  but  the  money 
was  not  forthcoming,  and  in  a  fortnight  Fuca  started 
for  home.     In  July  Lok  wrote  to  the  pilot;  and  in 


LOKS  NOTE  IX  rURCIIAS. 


78 


w 


so 


ro])lyroc'oive(lii  letter  (liiti'rl  at  ro])lial()nia  in  So])toM\- 
1h  r.'iii  whicli  Fuca  declaivd  liiinsi'lf  still  ready  lor  the 
undertakiiiL];-  if  money  could  he  furnislu'd.  Similar 
letters  were  excliaii!^''ed  in  laUT,  and  a^ain  in  l.lDS; 
l)ut  Lok  was  busied  with  other  mattei-s  and  unahle  to 
raise  the  needed  funds;  iind  receiviiiL,'  no  reply  to  a 
k'tter  of  1G02  he  inferred  that  the  C^reek  pilot  was 
death" 

This  account,  in  the  shape  of  a  note  by  Lok, 
was  puhlislied  by  Purcluis  in  lO^a,  and  has  been  re- 
peated  from  this  source  by  later  writers.      That   it 

IS  presented  accurately  and  in   jierfect  Ljood   faith 

iar  as  liok  and  Purchas  are  concerned  there  is  no 
reason  to  doubt.  There  is  some  evidence  that  the 
Greek  pilot  gave  his  true  name  and  birth|)lace.''  ]>ut 
there  are  indications  that  his  claim  of  loss  at  the 
hands  of  Cavendish  was  ^•rosslv  exai'-fn'rated,  if  not 
unfounded.* 

The  fact  that  I  describe  Fuca's  voyai^e  in  this  cha])- 
ter  shows  that  I  rej^ard  his  story  as  fiction.  ]\[any 
intelligent  writers,  however,  believe  it  to  be  in  the 
main  true;  indeed  I  think  that  such  has  been  the 
})revaleut  opinion  in  later  yoars.^  Therefore  something 
of  argument  becomes  necessary. 

-  Purchas,  Ili.i  Pilijriiwfi,  iii.  849-.r2,  with  copies  of  one  set  of  the  letters 
aUuded  to. 

^lu  I S,")4  Alex. S.  Taylor  had  inquivies  mailo  in  Cephalonia  tlirougli  a  ITnited 
States  consul.  The  most  detinite  .statement  ol)taincd  was  one  frimi  a  l)i(igfapli- 
ical  work  of  Masarachi,  i)nl)lisliei1  in  N'enice  in  1S4.'?,  evidently  made  up,  so 
far  as  Fnca  was  concerned,  frcmi  the  story  to  Lok,  and  proving  nothing;  yet 
there  were  other  items  that  seened  t(j  show  that  Foeea  was  tlie  name  of  ;in 
old  family  there;  that  a  hrnncli  of  the  family  lived  near  Valeriano,  thus 
ILiitly  acei minting  for  the  name  'Apostolos  Valerianus";  and  tliat.lu.'in  iiim- 
self  was  rememl)ered  traditionally  as  a  great  navigat(jr.  Jlufi-hiii'/s  M(t/(i- 
■Jiii:  iv.  ll(i-:>2,  l(il-7. 

^  In  two  sworn  statements  made  at  the  time  hy  the  captain  and  a  ]iasscn- 
ger,  thiiuih  many  persons  are  named  wlio  lost  much  less  tliun  (iO.OIIO  ducats, 
l''uea"s  Uiime  does  not  a})pear.  Xiinirrcle,  Vki'ii't  A/idr.,  lO-t.  Tlieit;  is  nothing 
in  t!ie  narrative  of  ('avendish's  voyage  to  indicate  that  he  found  a  (ireek 
jiilot  on  tlio  Sta  Anna,  as  some  have  implied;  liut  the  fact  that  lie  did  tind 
and  retiiin a  Spanish  and  a  I'ortuguese  pilot  might  pos^ihly  indicate  that  lie 
dill  (10/  tind  the  (ireek.  Neither  is  there  anything  to  support  the  statement 
tliat  Vizcaino  was  on  hoard  the.'iJ^ri  Anna. 

■'  Not  much  was  sai<l  of  Fuca's  voyage  before  1770,  except  to  mention  it, 
after  I'urclias,  as  one  of  the  many  items  of  evidence  on  a  vexed  <[uestiou. 
There  was  no  iutelligeut  criticism,  auJ  uo  fouudatioii  for  any.    When  e.\plora- 


7t 


ArOCRYPIL\L  VOYAGES  TO  THE  NORTHWEST. 


The  story  itself,  in  other  than  jj^eooraphical  aspects, 
is  improbable.     It  is  unlikely  that  bj)ain  would  have 

tion  began  again,  the  voyagers  sought  for  Fuca's  sti'ait.  Tlio  Spanianls  hail 
little  or  no  faitli  in  the  (ircek  pilot's  discoveries,  anil  they  foiiml  nolliing  to 
cluingc  their  opinion.  Captain  (Jook  in  177S  saiil :  'We  saw  nothing  like  it; 
nor  is  tlierc  the  least  proliahility  that  ever  any  sueh  thing  existeil.'  Cook'n 
Vol/.,  ii.  -•).'{.  ]'"orster  in  ITWi,  //('-'.  I'oi/.,  400-1.  pronounceil  part  of  the 
story  fabulous  ami  the  rest  suspicious.  Hut  in  17SS  Meares,  I'oi/.,  li.  hi. 
l.xii.  -iii.  I."),")  (i  et  seij.,  having  fouml  an  inlet  on  the  Xorthwest  Coast,  which 
he  iliil  not  fully  exi)loro,  but  which  he  was  inclined  to  regard  as  pot-siljly 
the  entrance  of  'the  strait,' declared  Fuca's  voyage  authentic,  and  tornially 
named  it  the  'Strait  of  Juan  de  Fuca.'  Tliis  anil  other  opinions  expiessed 
before  the  geography  of  tho  region  was  fully  known  have  obviously  no  special 
force;  but  one  of  Meares'  strongest  points  is  the  custom  of  llattening  the 
heads  of  native  children  as  <lescril)ed  by  Fuca— a  point  somewhat  weakened 
by  tho  fact  that  Fuca,  nays  nothing  on  tlu;  subject.  Fleuricn  in  17S7,  Introd. 
to  Mdich'iMl,  Voij.,  i.  pp.  xii.-xvi.,  regarded  Fuca'.s  story  as  probably  true,  but 
exaggerated.  Fuca  jjiobahiy  discovered  the  entrance,  and  jieihaps  the  inland 
sea.  Navarretc  in  \^1,  Sutil  y  Mi. v.,  l7r///('.  Hi. ;  I'iai/i.i  A/iur.,  104,  pro- 
noiniceil  tho  st.iry  a,  fiction,  I'elying  on  the  absence  of  all  eonlirniation  in  tho 
Spanish  archives,  and  on  tho  latest  uortjiern  discoveries.  Ijurnej',  //c'-7.  JJixrijv. 
Soiil/iSci,  ii.  1 10-17,  in  180(i,  while  deeming  much  of  the  luirrative  eri'oneous 
and  exaggerated,  thinks  it  'not  easily  conceivable,  that  mere  fancy  or  conjec- 
ture sliould  ehnnce  upoij  the  description  of  a  sti'ait  so  essentially  corrc^poniling 
■with  the  reality.'  IJut  Humboldt  in  180S.  £.t.-<(il  Poli/ii/nc,  :V2U,  lUl,  hail  no 
hesitation  in  dcdaiing  Fuca'.s  story  a  liction,  and  his  voyage  ajiocryphal. 
Since  tiie  time  of  Ihnnboldt  and  Navarrete  there  has  lieen  luit  little  inves- 
tigation or  argument  on  the  subject.  Most  writci-s  have  seemed  to  regard  all 
the  early  exiiloi'ations  of  the  Spaniards  as  v>rappeil  in  niysteiy,  have  .■^ecn  no 
r  ason  Vi  by  Fuca  may  not  have  made  a  voyage  as  well  as  Vizcaino  and  other;^, 
have  deemed  his  description  as  accurate  as  that  of  many  other  early  voyagers, 
and  have  drifted  into  a  lukewarm  support  of  the  pilot's  veracity.  They  have 
not  appreciated  Fuca's  motives  for  falsehood,  nor  the  fact  that  he  was  as 
likely  to  locate  a  strait,  in  mIioso  existence  nearly  all  believed,  and  which 
nuist  be  above  44',  between  47'  and  M'  as  elscwliei'c,  and  that  nowhere  be- 
tween those  limits  could  his  error  have  been  greater.  (Jf  course  the  strait 
would  be  wide,  with  islands,  and  probably  trending  in  ditl'erent  directions. 
^Murray,  X<irlh  Aniii:,  ii.  87,  in  1820  deemed  Lok  a  respectable  witness,  and  tho 
discovery  of  a  strait  conclusive.  Lardner,  ///■</.  Mar.  J)i,-<ror.,  ii.  280-1,  in 
IS.'iO  spi.>ke  of  the  narrative  as  entitleil  to  nnich  imlulgence,  like  other  old 
writings,  Fuca  having  probably  entered  the  strait  and  felt  sure  it  led  to  the 
Atlantic,  while  1'ytler,  J/i.tt.  \"n  ir,  7S-i»,  in  18151!  declared  the  story  to  rest  on 
apocrji)lial  authoiity.  The  authenticity  of  the  voyage  is  defended  by  the  Xorlh 
Amcr.  I'cr/cti)  of  .January  IS.'iit,  p,  12l!-(!,  as  also  by  (ireenhow,  in  his  Jfint., 
4'2-'A,  of  1840,  andhis  J lixt.  <>r.  (iml  ('a/.,  SOet.'ieq.,  407  1 1,  wiio  pronounces  tho 
geographical  descriptions  'as  nearly  conformal  de  with  the  truth,  as  those  of  any 
other  account  of  a  voyage  written  in  the  early  ])art  of  tlie  seventeenth  century. ' 
Most  later  writers  have  followed  ( Jreenhow;  and  for  a  time  doubtless  Americana 
allowed  themselves  to  be  inlluenced  somewhat  by  national  jirejudices.  They 
often  pointed  triumphantly  to  the  fact  tiiat  the  voyage  was  defended  by  '  lirst- 
class  English  authority' like  the  (Jiiarfcr/i/  Uiricir,  xvi.  For  similar  reason.s 
some  J''iigii3hmcn  like  Twiss,  <tir;/oii  (Jin-.^fion,  0(5-70,  felt  called  upon  to  tiiko 
the  other  Side,  CaUatiain  184(!,  Lcltci-K  on  Or.  (Jiic-:fioii,  11-11$,  found  nmeh 
internal  evidence  of  truth,  but  deemed  the  stnry  somewhat  iloubtful.  To  \ico- 
lay,  (hri/oii  Tn:,  '2S-,'50,  it  seemed  to  have  stood  the  test  of  investigation.  See- 
man,  Vol/,  of  t/n' '  Hcmld,'  i.  07-8,  thinks  Fuca  sailed  ronnd  Vancouver  Island. 
Taylor,  lIulfhliKjii'  Mai/.,i\.  110-22,  101-7;  Piu\lic  Moiifhlij,\\.{yVi;  JJyoirnc'n 
L.  Cal.,  22-3,  modestly  believes  that  his  own  I'esearches  shov/ing  the  ex- 


LIXE  OF  ARfiUMEXT. 


75 


1)  iiuil  othei-«, 


withlicl;!  l•o^vard  from  such  a  man  as  Fuca;  she  would 
luiturully  luivo  utilized  his  services  in  the  northern 
expeditions  under  Vizcaino;  it  is  hardly  credible,  to 
one  ac(juainted  with  the  sjurit  of  the  times,  that 
she  could  have  trusted  so  implicitly  in  the  relin- 
(luishment  of  the  search  by  Eni^dand;  and  least  of  all 
would  she  have  permitted  a  })ilot  to  carry  sucli  a 
grievance  and  such  a  secret  to  foi'eign  parts.  More- 
over, the  i'act  that  about  this  time  men  of  his  class 
were  hal>itually  telling  falsehoods  about  the  northern 
strait,  ci'eates  a  prol)ability  that  Fuca  also  spoke 
lalscly.  His  temptation  and  opportunity  were  great. 
The  JCnglish  were  eager  to  lind  the  strait;  they  sus- 
])ected  that  Spaniards  had  made  and  were  concealing 
the  discovery.  Accidentally  through  Douglas,  a  con- 
genial spirit,  whether  dupe  or  accomplice,  the  Greek 
pilot  meets  ^lichael  Lok.  Ho  need  no  longer  rely  on 
the  old  tlieories  and  rumors.  To  an  Englishman  ho 
may  safely  claim  to  have  made  an  actual  discovery  in 
government  craft.  Lok  will  credit  the  tale,  because  it 
agrees  with  the  theoritis,  desires,  and  suspicions  of 
himself  and  his  class.  Fuca's  reward  will  be  an  ample 
one — satisfaction  for  pretended  or  exaggerated  losses 
at  tlie   hands  of  an  English  corsair,  honorable  and 


istcncc  of  tlio  Focca  family  in  Ccphalonia  have  removed  every  vestige  of  douT)t 
of  till!  antliciiticity  ol  all  that  Fuca,  iiuiy  (iver  Imvc  chiiiiieil  to  do.  Pijilssiii, 
('.  S.,  j;!9;  Dickinson,  Sji'crhr.^,  i.  l(Jo-7 ;  and  Jiord,  in  liritisk  C'oliimhld,  1. 
pp.  vii.-:;i..  support  Fuca,  Lord  introducing  Hoiiioinia,:4inarydctail:<  of  his  inter- 
view with  Lolv.  In  later  years  Klwood  Evans,  I'luji  t  Soiniil,  1-.") ;  Hi.<t.  On  i/nii, 
MS.,  l.")-l(!,  h;is  little  or  no  douht  of  Fuca's  discoveries;  else  the  pilot  must 
have  been  a  nuracnlous  prophet.  Mr  F\ans  has  a  curious  theoiy  that  tliu 
t^clection  of  Vizcaino,  an  old  friend  of  Fuca,  and  jiroliahly  aware  of  his  dis- 
coveries, to  head  the  later  expeditious  Mas  in  itself  a  strong  eontirniation  of 
Fuca's  tale.  As  a  matter  of  fact  a  strong  argument  on  tiie  other  .side  may  bo 
drawn  from  the  facts  that  Vizcaino  made  any  voyages  at  all,  that  Fuca  did 
not  acc(imp;iny  him,  and  that  I'uca  was  iKjt  named  in  the  instructions  and  i-e- 
ports  (  f  the  expedition.  Mrs  Victor,  Scurch  fur  Frcli'iit  Aiiiuii,  in  The  (tirr/mid 
Miiiillilij,  iii.  474-"),  writing  of  tlie  famous  search  ni  its  romantic  tispects, 
accepts  Fuca'.s  voyage  without  question.  Speaking  of  his  lielief  that  he  had 
leaclicd  tlie  Soutii  Sea  entrance  of  the  strait,  .she  says  with  mueli  reason: 
'Familiar  to  us  as  is  the  Strait  of  Fuca,  we  see  evei'y  thing  to  justify  such  a 
belief  in  the  mind  of  the  th'eek  navigator;'  and  indeed  tlieri^  can  bo  no  doubt 
that  Fuca  would  have  formed  such  an  opinion  had  he  ever  reached  the  en- 
traneo.  Finally,  in  Tin-  C<tli/oniia»,  ii.  olio-l),  '  D.  S.'  has  an  article  entitled 
The  Voyaijc  of  Juan  de  Fuca  a  Fraud, 


70 


ArOCnvrilAL  VOYAriKS  TO  THK  NOJtTnWJlST. 


!!; 


jn'ufitablo  cinployinc'iit  in  English  service,  and  the 
I'anio  of  JiscMn'L'i'hiij:  the  h)ni;-s()ULjlit  strait,  in  the  ex- 
i.stcncc  of  which  he  hke  others  had  perfect  conlidcnce. 
There  is  reasonable  prcsunijjtion  that  the  man  under 
these  circumstances  reported  a  fictitious  discovery,  a 
presumption  which  nothing  hut  evidence  can  overcome. 
Historically  no  such  evidence  has  been  found. 
Nothing  is  known  on  the  subject  except  what  Fuca 
told  Lok.  No  later  writer  mentions  either  voyage  on 
any  other  authority;  and  no  contemporary  writer 
mentions  them  at  all.  The  Spanish  archives,  natu- 
rally the  best  source  of  information  on  government  ex- 
l)e(litions,  have  been  pretty  thoroughly  examined  for 
material  I'elating  to  o-^.rly  northern  voyages,  and  s])ecial 
search  has  been  made  for  documents  on  Fuca's  re- 
ported expeditions.  The  search  has  been  made  by 
men  who  were  competent  and  diligent,  and  under  cir- 
cumstances which  would  have  been  more  likely  to 
prompt  the  production  of  spurious  confirmation  than 
the  suppression  of  real  proofs.  Not  a  word  has  been 
found  bearing  directly  or  indirectly  on  the  subject. 
The  loss  of  a  document,  it  may  be  said,  is  not  unusual. 
True;  but  is  it  conceivable  that  of  all  the  pa})er 
covered  with  ink  in  the  inevitable  Ilispano- American 
style — of  all  that  must  have  been  written  in  fitting 
out  five  or  six  vessels  for  two  distinct  expeditions,  in 
appointments  and  instructions  of  officials,  in  reports 
of  failure  and  success,  in  judicial  proceedings  against 
the  wicked  captain,  in  Fuca's  own  memorials  and 
appeals  for  a  just  reward — not  one  scrap  should  have 
come  to  lights  But,  we  arc  told,  it  was  the  policy  of 
Spain  to  conceal  all  information  that  might  give  an 
advantage  to  foreign  powers.  Is  she  likely  to  have 
kept  this  secret  so  effectually  that  it  could  not  bo 
revealed  when  her  own  interests  demanded  it?  But 
let  us  suppose  such  to  have  been  the  case;  that  all 
papers  on  this  topic  Avere  collected  in  one  cxpedicnte 
and  destroyed;  the  difficulty  is  by  no  means  removed. 
Spain  could  not  silence  all  the  members  of  both  cxpe- 


■JCST. 

',^  and    tlio 
ill  tlio  cx- 
2onfiticiico. 
nan  under 
scoveiy,  n 
ovorconic. 
'II    found, 
k'liat  Fuca 
^'ojago  on 
ly  Mritcr 
k'os,  natu- 
niiont  ex- 
uined  for 
lid  special 
'uca's  re- 
made  by 
nder  cir- 
likely  to 
ion  than 
has  been 
-subject, 
unusual. 

0  l)a])er 
■ineiican 

1  fitting 
tions,  in 

reports 

against 
als  and 
Id  have 
olicy  of 
^ivc  an 
to  have 
not  bo 
?    But 
hat  all 
edlente 
novcd. 
I  expe- 


rUC.VS  STATKAfKXT  FALSE. 


if 


-•nghtJiec.nso/brn;:  tun    ,•''"''•'  ''■"'"  •"^•"  ^^■''" 

f'^'T  schemes.  Why  is  it  Vl L  '"  '*'  J'^""^''"'^itv  to 
<>»;^uiy  voyage  of  labo:^^  C^uT  '"^""^''^'^  J^'"''^', 
^"'^•"'•••^t'n.  ,si,eh  expe<h-tions  '  I'^miuent  n,<.n 

;---'";-^'   that  the   o-oienMne^t  tl  '"'  ^^'''^  '"  'V"o- 

r*'  ^^^'--'yeifectLd  thl  l:^,^:;?;  ^^^^  ^rn,orUuun, 
^ovemmout  in,j,ortune<l   bnlit  -^  l     u'^  ''"^^'  ^^'^'^  <  ''- 
^■xpo(ht.ons  in  151)7  an<l  igo>  ^V^^^"''''3'  sent  out  tu-.. 
^vas  corrcs,,onding  witJi  Lok  '  T  ?       •"""  '"^"'^^  ^'"'''^ 
••^  «"'gle  circuuLstancc  in  wnf  .i  1 '"  '"  ""^'  '"'^^•^^'^■••. 
^•".ya^i^os   to  inchcato  t  at  he  Vn       "^  "^  ^'^^^"••^'•"o'. 
voyage;    yet  Padre  A  cens  on  "^T  '^,  '• '7  i^''^"^'- ''"'.' 
^vas  a  vohnninous  writer  an      'n  ^^'I'^^'y^  chronich-.^ 

-l^'r £Ca:S3tt  ^'i  ^"-'^  «tate- 
eortmnty  bv  a  total  absenc"  o/  i"  ''""  "''^^^^  ^^'^«-^"to 
"^^<^  «  '!o  reasonably  accou  l?]-^^^'^'"^-  ^^^timony 
J^ypothesis.  There  LuaiuXu^  "'  ^"  '''"^^^  ^^hc;^- 
oi  testnnony  to  sliake  th  .  )""?  i^^'^'^''^^^'  •^our<.o 

o"n>resent  accurae  L^Wer^^^r^'^'  ^"^'^  ^'^^^  i^ 
.^•0'>i,;rapliy.     To  suppo  "t  h  s  .^  •  "^^  "orth-west  coast 

^""■-t  describe  tlie  ph  s  L    I  f""'  ^^^'  ^^'^^^'^^  PiJ"t 
'i-^'^tion  more  fnJlv    and   /  ^'^"'"f  ^^^' the  region  h 
ir'-iWowitJu^ut  Ssc^I  T'"?';''^^  tJi^n  AVouId    lo 
^'-^^l  than  undergo  ;!;V^^^^  fulJv   i  , 

-Pocted  to  do  in  a  I     ef  ^^S""'^"^^-  ^^^  could  I  L 
"lary  statements  den^  kI  n'^!  iT'?'^^'^-     ^-^t^'''^--- 
^^^^  props,  but  one,  su     iti  Z^-        ''^''  ^"''^  ^^'''^''^  •••H 
^-^  i^H,cked  down,  ^T^ol"  ^IT^  ^^'^'^J'^  ^'-o 
lc>lerab]y  good   gukssinl   on    Iw    ''  '^'''''^  ''"'-^-'- 


7t 


ArOCRVPTTAL  VOYAGKS  TO  Till-:  NORTHWEST. 


.«rT  ,  m-J  C  Cuut,on(-;r7«'"''*'  '"J" 

C.S=ott(-.-  %  \^X^,      / 

&.gook'^- ':^  '';•" '"lJ\  <.  ■M> >  - 

":^- '^^t^     \^^""^# 


C.B8'llB?-,fi'l.>'"'  \    c=.  \  "" 


Bar 


:r^ 


C  Fl!i'tt9ry(\ 


(?5 


V, 


CEbThtCTION  IS^V 


rMic;ih  U,i.l.jr> 


Straits  of  Juan  de  Fuca. 


FUCA'S  I'lLLAR. 


n 


we  liiul  ill  the  ciitraiicc  to  l^iLji't  Scuiid  cortaiii  foa- 
tuivs  that,  with  due  allowaiicc  lor  the  rxa^'ncration, 
aiul  coiit'iisioii,  and  orror  ooimnon  iti  siicli  cases,  may 
Ih'  made  to  tit  his  narfativf;  and  aihiiittiiiL;'  therct'ore 
that  he  discovered  the  strait,  we  can  account  more  or 
less  satisl'uctoi'ily  lor  the  loss  or  su})i)re«sion  ol'  his 
original  I'eport." 

Fuca  claims  to  have  entered  a  strait  between  47" 
and  4H  ,  ini|»lied]y  just  ahovu  47  ,  and  even  to  have 
saili'd  by  that  strait  throUL>li  to  the  Atlantic;  hut 
there  is  no  iidet  within  firty  miles  (»t"  that  latitude. 
Ninety  miles  f'-' iher  north,  however,  in  latituih^ 
48"  'M',  there  is  a  strait  leading-  to  the  body  of 
water  which,  under  various  names,  sejjarates  Van- 
couver Island  from  the  maiidand.  I  iL?ive  hei'ewith  a 
map  of  these  waters.  Fuca's  strait  was  thirty  or  forty 
leagues  wide  at  the  entrance;  this  one  is  twelve  or 
twenty  miles,  accordin<^  to  the  j)lace  and  metliod  of 
measurement.  At  the  entrance  (»n  the  north-western 
shore  Fuca  noted  "a  sj^reat  Hedland  or  Hand,  with  an 
exceeding'  high  Pinacle,  or  s[»ired  Kockc^,  like  a  piller 
t]iereu})on;"  but  nothing  of  the  kind  exists  in  the 
locality  indicated.  It  is  true  that  opposite,  on  the 
s(>uthern  shore,  about  Ca[)e  Classett  and  the  Tatouche 
Islands,  are  numerous  detached  rocks  Avhicli  the  ac- 
tion of  the  waves  has  left  in  colunmar  and  fantastic 
forms;  rocks  which  are  not  uncommon  on  ditfei'ent 
)>arts  of  the  coast.  Some  voyagers  have  found  nothing 
here  to  correspond  with  Fuca's  ])illar;  others  have 
identitied  with  that  landmark  one  of  the  rocks  alluded 
to;  and  Wilkes  has  furnished  a  sketch  which  I  copy, 
('onnnander  Phelps,  on  the  contrary,  has  found  the 
jtillar  several  hundred  miles  farther  north,  on  Galiano 
Island."    Obviously   nothing   but   a  veiy   j)rominent 

•■'  Phi'lp^''  Tli'minhrencoi  of  Smith',  Pliil.,  ISSl,  p.  40.  lie  thinks  tliat  Fnca's 
v.i(;no  liingna,i,'e  has  huen  misiuulorstood,  iuid  that  thu  pillar  was  at  tiic  supposed 
•Hitlit  into  thu  Atlantic,  whore  is  'a  reniarkaljlo  promontory  VM)  foot  high.' 
Hi3  admits  that  iiotliing  of  the  kind  is  found  near  tlie  south  eml  of  Vancouver 
Island.  Mearcs,  Voij.,  1.").'},  found  '  a  very  remarkable  rock,  tli;it  wore  the 
form  of  an  ohelisk,'  not  far  from  an  island  near  the  southern  .shore.  Van- 
couver, Voy.,  i.  "JIT,  did  not  liud  Mearcs'  '  Piuaacic  rock,'  'or  any  other  rock 


80 


APOCRYPHAL  VOYAGE?;  TO  THE  NORTHWEST. 


landmark — certainly  not  one  of  many  and  ordinary 
rocks  on  t!io  Avroni^  side  of  the  strait — can  suffice  for 
tlie  ])urposes  of  this  investigation. 

Fuca  entered  liis  strait  and  sailed  in  it  for  twenty 
days,  until  he  came  to  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  Tliis  has 
to  be  'explained'  by  the  thcor}'  that  he  sailed  round 
the  island,  coming  out  again  to  the  Pacific  in  about 
51'.  A  professional  pilot  cannot  reasonably  be  sup- 
posed to  have  made  such  i\n  error.  As  he  advanced 
Fuca  found  the  strait — one  hundred  miles  wide  at  the 
entrance — to   grow  wider,  im}>liedly  throughout  his 


( 


-,;k^' 


JcAX  iJE  Puca's  Pillak. 

navigation;  but  as  a  matter  of  fact  the  channel  narrows 
to  a  mile  in  width  long  before  the  outlet  is  readied. 
Fuca  found  tho  shores  of  the  passage  trending  N.  W., 
N.  E.,  N.,  E.,  and  S.  E. — that  is,  naturally,  he  sailed 
those  courses  successively  m  his  voyage  to  the  Atlan- 
tic.    The  far-fetched  'explanation'  is,  that  from  a  [)oint 

ijKiro  congpicuons  tliaii  tlumsaiids  nlniifr  the  coast,  vai'ying  in  fcirni  and  t-izc; 
somo  eoiiiual,  ollici'.s  wilh  Hat  wiilfs,  Hat  tops,  ami  almost  uvury  otliur  sliauu 
that  can  lic  li^iiicd  l)y  tho  imagination.'  Wilkcn,  ^'.  ,S'.  K.c.  J-J.ipi'  /.,  iv.  ")!!(, 
.')27,  docs  not  till  us  where  lie  foiin<l  the  'I'^ica's  Pillar'  which  ho  sketched, 
l)nt  it  was  donhtless  on  t!ic  south  side.  The  vit'ws  |)iescnte(l  l)y  ^lear.s  and 
othci's,  and  especially  tiiosi;  on  the  U.  S.  (Joast  Survey  charts,  show  no  land- 
mark corrcspondintr  at  all  with  with  Fuca's  'Hedland'  an<l  'Spired  Kocke.' 
Findlay,  Jhn  rtnri/  Pucijic  Orvan,  i.  .'!74,  414 -l(i,  thoug'h  su^jportiui;  l''nea's  voy- 
age, says:  'At  ii  little  distance  S.  \V.  from  the  foot  of  the  cajw  [Classet],  and 
just  within  theconlines  of  the  heacli,  is  a  rock  in  the  shape  of  a  ]iil!ai-,  about 
400('.')  feet  high,  and  (lO  in  circumf'rence.  .  .These  coluninar  rocks  ai-e  very 
nmnerous  just  hcrcahout;  and  l)e  Kuca,  the  discoverer,  remarked  one  in  jiar- 
ticuLiir,  \\  liich  may  lie  that  here  adverted  to.  Capt.  W'ilkes  has  f,'ivcn  a  sketch 
of  it. .  .Tin  rock  in  ijuestion  is  dithcult  to  niuko  out  uinoiig  the  tiiousauds  of 
every  variety  of  form  about  it.' 


rEST. 

cl  ordinary 
I  suffice  for 

for  twenty 
TJiis  ]ias 
il'-'d  round 
c  in  about 
fy  be  sup- 
advanced 
"ide  at  the 
?b()ut  his 


narrows 
reached. 
^'N.  W., 

10  sailed 
J  Atlan- 
1  a  |)oint 

11  and  .'izc; 

/•,  iv.  a  I!), 
3  •sIvL'tchcd, 
ileiii-.'.s  iiDil 

W  III)  lilllll- 

■'iicji'm  \oy- 
issotj,  and 
liar,  id)oiit 
H  live  wiy 
1110  ill  par- 
uayliutcli 
)UsaiHls  uf 


THE  n-YmiET-PTOLEMV  MAfs 

nofir  the  entrance  is  a  lame  K„  i      ^  " 

«"|.tlnva,-,l  and  eastw^d    fl,  ^^  f.,"''"'^'-  «f>-otcl,m,, 

«'"Hwdc.nee«,  nor  rcquiri,      "tj     *'''"'>'  '■""""faiWo 
;Hc.|t..  that  the  land'wa    -vc'rT'?";';-  Hi     ".''^  «*"*'-- 

'"ve'^t;:;ri.f "'■'•-' ■  -^i''--"  ti™ "  '■ »"''  "*  °'' 

t"  <«vreo,ne  tiie^str^S 2,      '^'''-^  """""? 
'»  (iction;  „ot!,mg  to  prove  B"''      v   f  "«''^  *«''« 

gjons:  i.othiny  tlmt  «■  thout  •  v ,  1   "  r'"","^'  *''"*  >«- 
I"«  <Io.seri,,tioC,  even  if  hifvSf '''''';'"•''•''•'-*'' «'"' 
-as  not  o>e„  remark-ably  !„ekvif  ,"*'"""'•    Fuea 
"I  tlio  future  anv  nronf  „        •''     '  '"''  RUessinir     u 
voyage  to  the  .Jit  "eL    ^r  *  "'  *'«'-'''  "- '«  » 
"overy  of  a  strait,  the    a  „I-  •,  ?'"  ,'M'"rted  the  .h's- 
"1' t  .at  he  reached  the  efct    •  "'ri';^'  "''''^  '^«  «ot 
a'Hl  trusted  to  his  ima-^Sfon  V       u"'"^"  «°  30', 
""'■-  oan  be  said  in  his"&™r     H     ""  "'"'"'■     N" 
'ate  however,  than  many  wW^"  '™'  """■"  «"■'«- 

t"'i'"n^r.':fT.^rTf"^^^ 

i'»ee.  that  of  R       •     .    ^'  ^^it  another  Asinf,V.  ! 

;-[«!;....  tl.o  coaJt'north"  S    T,^"""''-"  •-"' 
,    :}'"'■'"  's  ajT'lied  for  tlic  first  I;  ' "'"""  ^'^ait 

northern  passage  but  t„  ,  "'"'  "»'  *<>  tliu  Ion., 

••'"'I '0°and  le,,din.;f"nt1;'p    •«'■■""  '""t"<l««  CO" 
■•'trait;  and  finally  To  /.r""'"' '"'"  "'«  northern 
^•""tincnt  (Ion,    L Irthorn'T''  ^I"-"'  l'-'"t'-atin. '  h 
"'«;:  '/"fee  still  farther  i    "7  rf  ''^  "^'''"l  a  eirenl,  r 
""Jl  {-r  a  narro«-  channel      '    "''  ""'""-''^'"l  «•'"'  the 

^v;t;itt"SL!;;roT"i"r""jf  .""■"•  '^ ""'"-"«'  '•« 

=-«.«v«» /.„,/„„„„;,„„     ''•"•     ^"t  "I   tills  „.„rlc  tho 


Mil 


^i'illl 


i    ■ 


,.:ii;i! 


iiiilil 


82  APOCRYPHAL  VOYAGES  TO  THE  NORTHWEST. 

territory  is  shown  by  sections  on  a  larger  scale  in  a 
series  of  maps,  three  of  which  I  re|»roduce.  The 
first  represents  California  and  Granata  Nova — the 
latter  being  nearer  the  modern  New  Mexico,  Ari- 
zona, Colorado,  and  Utah.  The  gulf  and  peninsula 
are  well  drawn,  but  with  a  superfluity  of  rivers  flow- 
ing into  the  former.  Local  names  along  the  coasts 
are  mostly  found  in  one  or  another  of  the  known  voy- 
ages.    The  western  trend  of  the  shore  is  noticeably 


^ 


V.DE  STE^NO    -^ 


i.Ct   CEUHI  ^  " 


Y.DE   PA)(AHOS 


1t 


''« 


•JIO 


U6« 


SCO 


2;0: 


Wytfliet-Ptolemy  Map,  1597— No.  1. 

exaggerated.  The  chief  river  connects  the  gulf  with 
a  great  lake,  round  which  above  40'  stand  the  Seven 
Cities,  a  confused  rendering  of  the  ancient  Atlantic 
island  myth  in  combination  with  the  seven  towns  of 
Cibola  described  Ijy  Coronado.  It  is  not  unlikely 
that  at  some  stage  of  its  existence  the  oft-recurring 
lake  myth  may  have  had  connection  with  the  real 

tnrlo  lUiixtmIn  Mndio  ft  opera  Cornrly  Wijtfl'icl  Louonienm.  Lovanii,  l.")07.  The 
tk'serij)tive  text  is  on  \^\^.  1G7-7.').  It  aiUls  nothing  of  interest  io  the  maps, 
but  might  lie  (juotcil  entire,  did  space  permit,  for  its  hUiuderingreforeiiuus  to 
the  explorations  of  Niza,  Coiouailo,  and  Cabeza  do  Vaca. 


NOVA  GRANATA. 


Great  Salt  Lake.  The  rivers  are  those  discovered  by 
Ciirdeiias,  Diaz,  Alarcon,  Coronado,  and  heard  of  by 
Espujo — the  map-maker  not  knowing  that  all  were 
one  river,  the  Colorado  and  its  branches.  Nova 
Granata  must  come  from  the  name  Granada,  applied 
by  Coronado  to  one  of  the  Zuni  to\yns.. 

TJie  second  map  represents  the  section  next  west 
and  north,  under  the  name  Limes  Occidentis  Quicuu 
et  Aniaa.    The  coast  extends  still  westward  to  Cape 


Wytfliet-Ptolemy  Mav,  1597— No.  2. 

!Mcndocino,  to  whicli  in  40°  is  joined  a  largo  island. 
The  coast  names  arc  taken  equally  from  Cabrillo's 
California  voyage,  from  Coronado's  wanderings  from 
New  ^[exico  to  Kansas,  and  from  unknown  or  imagi- 
nary sources,  doubtless  satisfactory  to  the  c<jsmog- 
ra})lier.  The  geographical  features  above  45°,  like 
most  below  that  latitude,  are  purely  imaginary.  I 
can  hardly  conjecture  any  plausible  origin   for   the 


I  .1, 


'I 


n"  !! 


84 


APOCRYPHAL  VOYAGES  TO  THE  NORTHWEST. 


great  river  flowing  into  the  northern  sea,  with  its 
three  to^^•lls  of  Pagul,  Salboy,  and  Cubira^.'^o,  unless 
they  were  brouglit  over  from  Asia  with  the  prov- 
ince of  Bergi.  The  third  map  is  the  central  north- 
ern section  adjoining  the  two  preceding  on  the 
north  and  east  respectively,  under  the  name  Conlbas 
Itctjlo  cum  Vicitiis  Gentihus.  Here  we  have  another 
uiysterious  river  with  four  towns,  in  regions  as  yet 


Wytfliet-Ptolemy  Map,  1597 — No.  3. 

unapproaehcd  by  white  men,  save  on  the  wings  of 
imagination.  Here  also  we  have  the  round  mar 
dulce  elaborated  into  Lake  Conibas,  and  in  its  centre 
an  island  and  a  town  of  the  same  name ;  also  a  River 
Cogib,  more  like  a  strait,  connecting  it  with  the 
northern  sea.  It  is  likely  that  this  representation  is 
owing  to  Canadian  aboriginal  rumors;  for  not  far 
a\vay  to  tlic  cast  are  the  lakes  from  which  the  Sague- 
nai  flowed  down  to  the  St  Lawrence  at  Hochelaga; 
while  about  the  same  distance  southward  are  New 


^vith  its 
1,  unless 
e  prov- 
l  north- 
on  the 
Conibas 
another 
5  as  yet 


COXRAD  LOW'S  BOOK. 


85 


inQ;s  of 
nd  mar 
s  centre 
a  River 
ith  the 
ation  is 
not  far 
Sai^ue- 
hehiga; 
re  New 


Granada  with   its   Seven    Cities,  very  near   to  the 


lea 


-Wi 


great 


Canada, 
a  region  as  yet  unvisited,  the  great  northern  interior 
^vas  becoming  remarkably  well  known. 

Conrad  Low,  in  his  Book  of  Sea  Ilcroeft,  1598, 
gives  a  general  map  like  those  of  Ortelius,  Ptolemy, 
and  others;^  but  another  map  in  this  work  has  some 
decidedly  novel  features,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  an- 
nexed copy.  It  represents  only  the  regions  north  of 
GO  ,  putting  California  above  70"  and  beyond  the 
strait  of  Anian,  but  explaining  in  an  inscription  that 


Low's  Map,  1598. 

it  is  known  only  by  report  to  the  Spaniards.  The 
river  Obilo,  with  apparently  a  new  mouth,  lias  towns 
on  its  banks,  as  in  Wytfiiet  No.  3.  But  Lake  Conibas 
discliar!>:es  its  waters  westward  into  a  fjreat  Ljulf  near 
Anian  Strait,  and  is  no  longer  identitied  with  the 
circular  mar  chilcc,  which  we  are  told  in  an  inscrip- 
tion is  the  body  of  water  whose  end  is  not  known 
to  tlie  Canadians.  Of  the  two  great  Arctic  bodies  of 
land,  that  on  the  east  is  said  to  be  the  'best  and  most 
healthful  in  all  the  north;'  while  on  the  other  it  is 
explained  that  the  ocean  has  broken  through  to  the 

•*  Liiir,  Mecr  O'ler  Scehaiicii  Duch,  Dar'nm  Vcrzfkhnft  sflii'l  die  Winnlerfnirr, 
Gi'domkwurd'Kji'  Itvhe,  etc.  Colin,  l.")!>8.  A  collection  of  voyaged  trauslutcd  aud 
abridged  from  \arioua  well  kuowu  sources. 


86 


APOCRYPHAL  VOYAGES  TO  THE  NORTHWEST. 


II  1 


polo,  forming  four  channels,  two  of  which  arc  shown 
on  this  copy,  which  only  includes  half  of  the  original. 
This  map  is  in  severrl  respects  remarkable,  as  the 
reader  may  convince  himself  by  a  comparison  with 
the  annexed  rough  sketch,  which  shows  the  regions 
mapped  by  Low  in  their  true  proportions,  and  on  the 
same  scale.  The  strait  of  Anian  in  its  latitude  and 
width  bears  a  resemblance  to  Bering  Strait  which  is 
really  startling.  •  Note  also  the  general  likeness  of 
Bergi  and  Anian  with  their  great  river  to  Alaska  with 
its  rivers  Kwichpuk  and  Yukon.     No  less  wonderful 


Map  for  Comparison. 

is  the  correspondence  between  the  Cogib  River,  flow- 
ing north-west  from  Lake  Conibas  into  the  Arctic  Sea 
just  beyond  the  strait  of  Anian,  and  the  Mackenzie 
River,  flowing  from  the  Great  Slave  Lake.  Comjiaro 
the  tmir  dulce,  its  strait  and  island,  with  Hudson  Bay 
and  the  corresponding  features.  Let  us  also  bear  in 
mind  how  little  is  known  even  yet  of  the  region  above 
80'';  and  not  forget  the  part  played  by  ice  in  those 
latitudes.  Suppose  certain  of  the  complicated  chan- 
nels frozen,  as  they  were  likely  enough  to  bo;  and 
suppose  an  exploring  expedition,  as  well  equipped  and 
observant  as  were  the  best  in  those  times,  to  have 
sailed  through  from  ocean  to  ocean  in  1598,  and  to 


FURTHER  ACCOUXTS. 


87 


have  made  this  map  as  a  record  of  actual  ol^servations, 
and  I  liave  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  the  map 
would  under  those  circumstances  be  reL?arded  to-day 
as  a  marvel  of  accuracy.  I  have  no  theory  to  rest 
on  tliese  facts;  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  geography 
de[)ic-ted  was  purely  imaginary,  and  the  resemblance 
to  reality  accidental;  yet  to  many  intelligent  men 
of  the  past  and  present  these  coincidences  would  be 
confirmation  stronger  than  holy  writ  in  su})})(>rt  of 
whatever  they  might  happen  to  be  interested  in.  I 
shall  not  be  surprised  if  even  yet  the  accuracy  of  this 
ma[»  as  herein  published  is  made  to  confirm  the 
authenticity  of  one  or  another  of  the  fictions. 

Felipe  III.  on  his  accession  in  155)8  is  said  to  have 
found  among  the  papers  of  his  father  a  narrative  of 
certain  foreigners  who  from  the  coast  of  Newfound- 
land were  driven  by  a  storm  into  a  great  bay,  Jmd 
thence  into  a  strait  by  which  they  passed  into  the 
Houth  Sea,  coming  out  at  48,  and  finding  a  river  which 
l)r()ug]it  them  to  a  magnificent  city.  This  report  fur- 
nishod  one  of  the  motives  for  Vizcaino's  expedition." 
About  the  same  time  Hernando  de  los  Rios  sent  to 
the  king  from  Manila  a  notice  of  two  ways  for  a 
(juicker  and  safer  navigation  from  Spain;  one  by  a 
passage  entering  above  Florida  and  penetrating  to 
New  Mexico,  in  latitude  45°,  according  to  inft)rmation 
« )btained  by  the  Jesuit  Padre  Sedcno  and  an  Augus- 
tine friar  who  died  at  Manila;  and  the  other  by  the 
strait  of  Anian,  according  to  a  written  statement  of 
Friar  Martin  de  Racla,  founded  on  information  from 
Juan  de  Kibas  to  the  efiect  that  certain  Portuguese 
jiassed  through  it  to  India  and  China,  and  from  Uclieo 
to  Lisbon  in  forty-five  days.^ 


10 


"•' Tonjueniada,  Monarq.  Iiid.,  i.  G94,  says  the  strait  was  that  of  Anian 
al)ovo  Cape  !Meuilocino.  Navarrete,  ]'laiir'H  Ajxic,  41;  hi.,  m  Siitil  ij  Mcx., 
I'i'iijr,  xHii.-iv.,  consulted  a  MS.  relation  of  Padre  Ascension  in  the  arciiives. 
SahiuTon,  liiditciones,  \\-'i2,  adds  that  one  man,  apparently  of  tlie  same  party, 
escaped  after  the  rest  had  perished,  reached  Florida,  and  died  at  Vera  Cruz, 
where  lie  had  a  priest  write  down  his  account  and  sent  it  to  ex-(JuYcrnor  Kio. 

'"Original  in  the  archives  of  Seville,  cited  by  Navarretc.  Also  alluded  to 
in  a  letter  of  the  kiuy,  1002.  CoL  Doc.  Iiud. 


83 


APOCRYPHAL  VOYAGES  TO  THE  NORTHWEST. 


!  I  hi: 


I     '  ■  ! 


! 


A  postscript  attached  to  the  letter  of  Ca[)taiii  Lan- 
caster on  his  East  Indian  voyage  of  1(500-1,  but  of 
doubtful  authenticity,  states  that  "the  Passa^^e  to  the 
East  Indies  lieth  in  02.^.  degrees  by  the  North-west 
on  the  America  side.""  The  historian  Herrera,  in  his 
description  of  1(101,  gives  Quivira  its  proper  situation 
far  to  the  eastward  of  Cibola;  but  his  map  is  on  a 
very  small  scale,  without  names  lor  the  most  part, 
California  is  correctly  delineated,  and  a  broad  ocean 
separates  that  region  from  Asia;  but  in  latitude  45°, 
just  above  Cape  Fortuna,  the  coast  line  turns  abruptly 
to  the  E.  N.  i:.,  extending  in  that  directio?i  to  o.l>ov<j 
latitude  G0°,  beyond  which  all  is  blank." 

Vizcaino's  first  expedition  had  been  directed  to  the 
gulf,  and  contributed  nothing  to  our  subject;  l)ut  his 
second  voyage  was  on  the  outer  coast  up  to  aliout  tlio 
limit  of  Cabrillo's  earlier  exploration.  Of  his  actual 
discoveries  in  general  and  in  detail  enough  is  said 
elsewhere,  and  I  liave  to  note  only  thoso  points  con- 
nected with  the  ^Northern  Mystery.  For  one  of  his 
main  objects  was  to  find  the  strait;  and  some  of  his 
discoveries  were  tliought  to  have  a  bearing  on  that 
all-important  search.  The  Carmelo,  near  IVEonterey, 
described  as  a  river  of  some  size,  played  a  minor  role, 
as  we  shall  sec  in  subsequent  speculations;  Ijut  of 
course  the  more  important  developments  were  farther 
nortli.  These  were  by  no  means  complicated.  In 
January  1G03  Vizcaino  passed  Capo  Mendocino  and 
reached,  in  42°,  a  point  which  he  called  Cape  Blanco 
dc  San  Sebastian.  Martin  de  Aguilar,  in  the  other 
vessel,  named  a  Capo  Blanco  in  latitude  43°,  near 
which  he  thought  he  saw  the  mouth  of  a  large  river, 
named  at  the  time  Santa  Ines,  but  generally  known 
later  as  Rio  de  Aguilar,  which  by  reason  of  tlie  cur- 
rent he  was  unable  to  enter.  From  the  cape  tlie 
coast  trended  north-west,  according  to  Torquemada;" 

'^Purchas,  His  Pihjrimes,  i.  1G3;  Burnei/'a  Jlist.  Discov.  South  Sea,  ii. 
109-10. 

^-  Ilcrrcm,  Denrri/irioii  <!<'  Indias  (cd.  1730),  i.  G,  24. 
"  Ton^ucmada,  i.  710,  7-5. 


TORQUEMADA  AND  ASCENSION. 


89 


in  Lan- 

.  but  of 

0  to  the 
■th-west 
a,  in  his 
ituation 
is  on  a 

ist  part. 
Lcl  ocean 
udc  45", 
abruptly 
.()  aliovcj 

■d  to  the 

but  his 

bout  the 

is  actual 

1  is  said 
ints  con- 
ne  of  his 
no  of  his 

on  that 
ontcrey, 
nor  rote, 
but  of 
farther 
,ed.     In 
hio  and 
l^lanco 
le  other 
3°,  near 
|tc  I'iver, 
known 
ho  cur- 
,pe  the 
imada;'* 


but  north-east  according  to  Padre  Ascension,  in  a 
narrative  (hstinct  from  that  followed  by  Torcjue- 
niada" — whence  not  a  little  confusion. 

Torqueniada  also  writes :  "  It  is  understood  that 
this  river  is  the  one  that  leads  to  a  great  city  dis- 
covered by  the  Dutch;  and  that  this  is  the  strait  of 
Anian,  by  wiiich  the  ship  that  found  it  passed  from 
the  North  Sea  to  the  South;  and  that  without  mis- 
take in  this  region  is  the  city  named  (}uivira;  and 
that  it  is  of  this  place  that  tlie  relation  treats  which 
his  majesty  read,  and  by  which  he  was  moved  to  this 
ex})loration." 

And  Ascension  to  the  same  effect :  "  Here  is 
the  head  and  end  of  the  kingdom  and  Tierra 
Firme  of  California,  and  the  beginning  and  en- 
trance of  the  strait  of  Anian.  If  (ni  that  occasion 
there  had  been  on  the  ship  even  fourteen  soldiers  in 
healtli,  doubtless  we  should  have  ventured  to  explore 
and  })ass  through  this  strait  of  Anian,  since  all  had 
good  intentions  to  do  it."  It  does  not  matter  here 
what  river  Aguilar  saw,  or  whether  he  saw  any. 
There  was  but  little  doubt  that  he  had  reached  the 
entrance  of  the  strait;  and  there  are  indications  that 
Padie  Ascension  verbally  and  in  various  minor 
memorials  gave  much  freer  vent  to  his  conjectural 
theories  than  in  the  writings  that  are  extant  in  print. 
Vizcaino's  map  has  no  bearing  on  the  Northern 
^lystery,  showing  only  a  short  'coast  which  leads  to 
Ca[)e  Blanco,'  extending  north-eastward  from  Cape 
Mendocino. 

The  viceroy  in  1 002,  writing  to  the  king,  expressed 
his  o})iiiion  that  there  was  very  little  prospect  of  find- 
ing mighty  kingdoms  in  the  north,  deeminuf  it  likely 
that  t(nvns  already  found  were  types  of  those  that 
would  come  to  light;  yet  he  attached  considerable 
importance  to  further  exploration  with  a  view  to  find- 
ing the  strait  and  settling  all  disputed  questions  re- 
si)ecting  northern  geography;  and  he  thought  Ouato 

^^Astriision,  Jklaciun,  538  et  seq. 


00 


APOCRYPHAL  VOYAGES  TO  THE  NORTHWEST. 


I  MiiliHif 


,i;,ii' » 


I 


¥U 


ill  a  position  to  solve  the  mystery  at  a  niiniinuin  of 
exijense."^ 

Onato  had  occupied  New  Mexico,  which  he  wished 
to  utihze  merely  as  a  base  of  operations  f(jr  more 
hrilHant  con<juests.  He  was  j^rievously  disappointed 
that  liis  ambitious  schemes  did  not  meet  with  royal  and 
^  iceregal  apjnobation.  He  had  but  httle  fondness  for 
])etty  exploration;  yet  he  undertook  several  in  the  hope 
of  findini^  something  to  advance  his  greater  projects. 
One  he  directed  toward  Quivira,  without  results;  and 
another  down  the  Colorado  to  its  mouth. 

It  was  in  100-4  that  Onate  made  his  trip  from  New 
Mexico  to  Zuni,  to  Moqui,  and  thence  across  the 
modern  Arizona  to  the  Colorado  by  way  of  the  Santa 
]\Iaria,  and  thence  down  to  tlie  gulf  He  had  no  idea 
of  any  connection  between  his  Hio  Cohjrado — really 
tlie  Chiquito — which  was  said  to  run  one  hundred 
leagues  through  pine  forests  to  California  and  tlie 
sea,  and  the  real  Colorado,  which  farther  down  he 
called  Buena  Esperanza  or  Rio  del  Tizon.  From  the 
Amacava,  or  Mojave,  Indians  who  came  down  the 
Colorado  to  meet  him  at  the  mouth  of  the  Santa 
]\[aria,  Onate  heard  of  Lake  Copalla,  fourteen  days 
north-west,  where  the  Indians  had  golden  ornaments 
and  spoke  Aztec — or  at  least  they  spoke  so  much  like 
a  native  Mexican  of  the  company  that  the  visitors 
asked  if  he  came  not  from  Copalla.  It  is  not  impos- 
sible that  the  Mojaves  had  vague  notions  of  Great 
Salt  Lake ;  all  the  rest  was  imaginary. 

Farther  down  the  Colorado,  to  inquiries  for  the  sea 
the  natives  "  all  replied  by  making  signs  from  the 
west,  north-west,  north,  north-east,  and  east,  and  said 
that  thus  the  sea  made  the  circle,  and  verj  near,  since 
they  said  that  on  the  other  side  of  the  river  it  was 
not  more  than  four  days,  and  that  the  gulf  of  Cali- 
fornia is  not  closed  up,  but  a  branch  of  the  sea  which 


''  Nuevo^fcxico,  Discurso  y  Prop.  The  viceroy  Monterey  seems  to  liave  a  cor- 
rect idea  of  Coronado's  explorations ;  but  ho  speaks  of  Quivira  as  being  on  the 
Soutli  Sea,  according  to  current  maps,  and  near  Cape  Mendocino  and  Auian. 


THE  ISLAND  ZlSOGABA. 


n 


luium 


of 


0  wished 
or  more 
^pointed 
'oyiil  and 
diiess  for 
the  hope 
projects. 
Lilts;  and 

rom  New 
:}ross  the 
he  Santa 
d  no  idea 
o — really 
hundred 
and  tho 
down  he 
From  tho 
clown  the 
[\G   Santa 
een  days 
Irnanients 
luch  like 
visitors 
>t  inipos- 
f  Great 

the  sea 
rrom  the 
land  said 
[sar,  since 
3r  it  was 
jof  Cali- 
ta  which 


)haveacor- 
bcing  on  tho 
land  Anion. 


corresponds  to  the  North  Sea  and  coast  of  Florida," 
thus  clearly  indicating  not  only  the  existence  of  a 
strait,  l)ut  that  the  gulf  was  either  a  ])art  of,  or  at 
hast  led  to,  that  strait.  These  Indians  also  confirmed 
wliat  had  been  learned  before  of  Cojjalla  and  its  gold. 
Silver  and  coral  were  likewise  familiar  to  them,  and 
were  to  be  obtained  not  far  off. 

^lore  wonderful  still,  the  natives  told  of  an  island 
called  Zinogaba,  rich  in  pearls.  It  was  one  day's  voy- 
age out  in  the  sea,  and  reached  in  boats  rigged  with 
sails,  all  of  which  they  pictured  on  the  sand.  And 
the  island  was  ruled  by  Cihacacohola,  a  giantess,  who 
had  a  sister  of  innnense  size,  but  no  male  of  her  race 
Avith  whom  to  mate.  Another  mysterious  circum- 
stance was  that  all  the  inhabitants  were  bald.  Onate's 
o1)servations  at  the  head  of  the  gulf,  where  he  found 
a  splendid  harbor,  did  not  disi)rove  the  statement  of 
the  natives  that  the  gulf  extended  northward  behind 
a  sierra  to  where  the  sea  made  a  turn  toward  Florida. 

It  was  well  that  Don  Juan  heard  of  wonders  in 
this  region;  for  when  on  his  way  to  New  Mexico  a 
lew  years  before,  the  venerable  Padre  Diego  do  ^ler- 
oado  had  said  to  him  at  Tula:  "B}'  the  life  of  Friar 
]3ieg(j  there  are  great  riches  in  the  remote  parts  of 
New  ^Mexico;  but  by  the  life  of  Friar  Diego  the 
present  settlers  will  not  possess  them.  It  is  not  for 
them  that  God  holds  that  wealth  in  reserve;"  and  so 
it  proved.  Still  more  to  the  point,  the  venerable  and 
famous  Santa  Madre  de  ]\Iaria  de  Jesus,  abbess  (jf 
Santa  Clara  de  Agreda,  had  said,  "It  is  very  probable 
that  in  the  exploration  of  New  Mexico  there  will  be 
found  a  kingdom  called  Tidani,  four  hundred  leagues 
from  Mexico  westward,  or  north-west,  between  New 
^lexico  and  Quivira;  and  if  by  chance  there  be  an  error, 
cosmography  will  aid  the  taking  notice  of  other  king- 
d(jms,  of  the  Chillescas,  or  of  the  Guismanes,  or  the 
xVburcos,  which  touch  on  that  of  Tidam."^" 

'"  .SV(/(HecoM,  Relaciones,  30-8,  47-o5;  Kiel,  ApuntamknfoK,  81-6.    Canlona 
and  Cusunate  heard  from  captains  Man^ue'z  and  Vaca  that  tiiey  had  struck  the 


08 


APOCRYPITAL  VOYAOKS  TO  THE  XORTFIWEST. 


John  Smith  wliuu  ca[)turc(l  and  saved  hy  Pocahontas 
in  1G07  was  cxj)loiinuf  tlie  Chickuhominy  llivcr  tor  a 
passago  to  the  South  Sea." 

In  1  nOO  Lorenzo  Ferrer  !^ialdonado  in  Spain  made 
the  claim  that  twenty-one  years  before,  in  158H,  lie 
had  Bailed  tlirongh  the  strait  of  Anian  from  the 
Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  Why  ho  waited  so  long  has 
never  been  explained.  There  is  no  reason  to  donbt 
that  !Mald()nad(,  was  a  real  pers(^nago,  or  that  ho 
wrcjte  the  document  in  wliicli  the  claim  is  made. 
Seventeen  years  later  he  published  a  cosmogi'a])hical 
work,  in  whic.'h,  however,  he  neither  claimed  to  have 
discovi'red  the  strait  nor  gave  a  description  agreeing  at 
all  with  that  in  the  earlier  document.*^  A  reputable 
Spanish  writer,  (larcia  do  Silva  y  Figucroa,  who  took 
deep  interest  in  the  north-westeru  problem,  met  Mal- 
donado  in  ^ladrid  in  1G09.  He  was  said  to  have  been 
brought  up  in  Flanders  and  the  Hanseatic  cities, 
clainu'd  to  have  sailed  throu'jch  the  strait,  and  was 
trymuf  to  interest  certain  jnrovernment  ministers  m  his 
project.  Being  questioned,  he  said  the  entrance  of  the 
strait  was  in  latitude  78°,  the  outlet  in  latitude  75°, 
and  that  he  had  sailed  through  it  in  thirty  days  in 
November  and  December.  On  hearing  his  story, 
observinix  his  maimer,  and  examining  some  of  his 
pretended  sketches  of  Anian,  Silva  deemed  lum  an 

rtivcr  Tizou  in  ."G"  ."0';  tliat  the  famous  port  was  in  tl't°;  that  the  giant  queen 
wan  ■vvont  to  mix  powdcrud  pearl  in  her  drink;  and  that  south  of  tlic  Tizon 
vus  ii  larger  river,  the  Itio  ^ici  Coral.  Paclwco  and  t'anlniux,  <.'iil.  Doc,  ix. 
24,  .'!•_•-:!.  '  Aocordin;^'  to  IMM'-  /  ■fount,  KM-'),  TrihaMus  wrote  to  Ilakluyt 
in  1U05  that  (Jfiato  in  u'AYZ  disein'cred  the  great  Northern  lUver,  and  went 
from  it  to  the  'famous  lak.  n''  t'onihas' — ^seu  Wytllict's  and  Liiw's  maps — 
'where  ho  i)retendcd  lie  <;;vv  ..City  of  vast  Extent,  seven  Leagues  long,  and 
two  wide,  the  llonsies  separated  from  each  other,  and  iinely  built  and  orna- 
mented with  fine*  lardens.  Ho  said  the  numerous  Inliabitants  had  all  retired 
ut  his  Approach,  and  fortilied  themselves  in  the  Market-place  or  great  Si juaro. ' 
In  ]'ci/(ia.  Hist.  Ant.  -Mrj.,  i.  140,  the  giant  (piecu  is  called  Cii'iacacohota,  and 
the  island  Cinogualina,  which  may  l)e  tlie  correct  forms,  ay  Salnieron's  typo- 
graphy is  very  doubtful. 

'' GV(/yv/f  lianrrajVs  llkt.  IT.  S.,  i.  129.  The  map  in  Jcffiri/s'  Clnat  Proh., 
80,  said  to  be  tidscn  from  the  1st  edition  of  Ton/nfMada,  lliOS,  id  the  ^J;anc  as 
that  uli'eady  mentioned  under  <l;itc  of  UiOl  from  llvrrera. 

'"  Muldoiiud'j,  Inut'jeii  dd  Mundo,  Alcald,  10-0. 


LORENZO  FERRER  MALDOXADO. 


03 


EST. 


"*()cahontas 
liver  for  a 


■>pain  mtulc 

II  lo.SH,  ho 

from   tlio 

0  loiiu^  luis 
»n  to  doubt 
jr  that  ho 

1  is  mado. 
lographical 
ud  to  liavo 
aixroeiiiuf  at 
L  reputable 
I,  who  took 
i,  met  Mal- 
)  have  been 
latic  cities, 
t,  and  was 

tors  in  liis 

Imcc  of  the 

Ititude  7;")", 

|ty  days  in 

his  story, 

no  of  his 

d  him  an 


Bio  giant  qiiccn 

|i  of  tlio  Tizon 

Col.  Dec,  ix. 

ko  to  llakiuyt 

|\-or,  aiul  went 

Ijiw'.s  maps — 

tuc-i  loii',',  and 

Lilt  and  orna- 

lad  all  retired 

n-cat  Square.' 

bacoliola,  und 

Inerou's  typo- 

\(lreat  Proh., 
Id  the  Kiiiuo  as 


rmhuittcro,  utterly  unworthy  of  oredit."  r<M'  the  dis- 
covery of  the  strait  was  only  one  of  his  wonderful 
secrets  which  he  was  disposed  to  exchanj^e  for  money. 
He  had  mastered  many  of  the  ])roblcms  of  alchemy; 
and  lie  had  discovered  the  art  of  makiiit^  a  mai^netic 
needle  not  subject  to  variation.  For  the  disclosure 
of  this  last  invention  in  one  of  his  petitions  to  the 
kinu;'  he  asked,  amon^'  other  rewards,  to  be  fr^jed  I'rom 
a  criminal  })rosceution  in  Granada;  for  it  api)ears  that 
he  had  been  convicted  of  an  attempt  to  sell  his  skill 
as  a  foriL,^er  of  old  documents  to  a  man  involved  in 
wei''lity  lawsuits.-"  After  a  few  vears  his  true  char- 
acter  as  an  unprincipled  and  visionary  adventurer  be- 
came known,  and  he  left  Madrid,  to  be  heard  of  in 
person  no  more. 

One  of  his  memorials,  however,  came  to  light  in 
1775,  and,  in  possession  of  the  duque  del  Infantado, 
was  cojMed  by  Muiloz  in  1781.'^  It  was  not  a  narra- 
tive of  the  pretended  voyage,  but  on  the  advantages 
of  a  new  expedition,  in  which  the  said  voyage  was 
incidentally  described.  Its  contents  were  first  printed 
by  ]\ialo  do  Luque,in  1788  ;'^^and  Maldonado's  veracity 
was  defended  by  M.  Buaclio,  the  French  geographer, 
in  a  paper  read  before  the  Academy  of  Sciences  in 

^'■'Sllva  y  Figueroa,  Comentarhs;  as  quoted  by  XavaiTctc. 

■''Xdcurrcte,  Via'jfs  Apdc,  71-101.  This  is  l>y  far  the  most  important 
nutliority  ou  this  topic ;  and,  indeed,  on  the  general  sul>ject  of  v.hicli  it  treats. 
The  full  title  is:  Exanutn  htstorko-critlco  dc  lof  I'lco/m  >/  JJC'^ciihriiiui'iiloi  Ajidc- 
rhhti  till  ('allium  Lorenzo  Ferrer  Maldonado,  de  Jiiaa  ileFiica,  y  del  Almirante 
liurtnlomc  da  Fonte.  Mcmoria  comeiizwla  jior  D.  Murlia  Fcniandz  d<'  Xa- 
rrtrnle,  y  an-eijlwla  y  concluida  por  1).  L'tinkujuto  Frriiaiidtz  d'-.  Kdrurritc. 
All')  de  IS.'/S,  in  I'ol.  Doc.  Iiicd.  Hist.  xv.  7-o03.  This  work  contains  much 
luatcrial  on  actual  as  well  as  apocryphal  voyagc=<,  including  treatises  on 
-Mala.spina's  and  other  expeditions,  not  found  elsewhere  in  prhit.  It  is  an 
ela1)()Uition  of  the  elder  Navarrctc's  introduction  to  the  voyage  of  tho  S 11/ il 
y  Ml  .cieaiia.  Notwithstanding  its  great  importance  I  do  not  liud  that  any 
late  ^M•iter  on  these  topics  has  cited  this  work. 

■'^Muldonado,  IMacion  del  dcsenbrbniento  del  Edreehode  Aniaiu  que  luce  yo, 
el  cupHan  Loreitcin  Ferrer  Mcddonctdo,  elauolJSS,  en  laciiulistd  la  urdi  a  de  kt 
iiHrc'jfir'toii  y  la  di<i)UsicloH  del  s'Uio  y  el  modo  dc J'orUdeci rk ,  y  anl  lui.siiio  las 
vtUhlades  denia  vuve'iaeion,  y  los  dano.f,  que  de  no  liacirla,  se  .sii/ncn,  m  Pachiro 
..■111  Ciirdeiicui,  Col.  Doc,  v.  420-47.  The  document  is  not  dated,  hut  in  it  the 
.".utiior  speaks  of  'el  ano  pasado  dc  100S,'and  of  'esto  ano  do  IGOy.'  This 
document  was  seen  by  Nicolao  Antonio,  B'lh.  Hisp.  Xova  (cd.  17SS),  ii.  3, 
bclorc  1(;7'J,  and  from  this  source  is  cited  by  Piuelo  in  173S.  Epitome,  ii.  COS, 

^^  h  ht,  eslahkciiniejitoa  tdlra  mariuos,  iv.  24. 


94 


APOCRYPHAL  VOYAGES  TO  THE  NORTHWEST. 


1790 
1800 


Tlio  document  was  adversely  criticised  before 
by  !Malaspina,  the  navigator,  and  Ciriaco  Ce- 
vallos;^^  also  by  Navarrcte  in  1802,^*  and  Humboldt 
and  others.  In  1811  Carlo  Amoretti,  the  librarian  of 
the  Ambrosian  Library  of  Milan,  found  in  its  collec- 
tion another  original,  or  a  contemporaneous  cop\',  of 
Maldonado's  memorial,  which  he  published  with  the 
original  maps,  and  with  an  elaborate  argument  to  prove 
that  the  voyage  was  authentic.^'  Notwithstanding 
the  ingenuity  of  Amoretti's  special  pleading,  his  views 
have  not  been  generally  accepted,  and  the  voyage  is 
still  regarded  as  apocryphal.^" 

"^^  Mnlasivnn,  D'lsertannv  s  J/iv,  hiJeij'itimidcul  de  laiiavcgaclon  luchx  cnlJSS 
jmr  Fi  rr<  r  M'tlihitnilo,  etc.,  in  Col.  Dor.  Iiird.,  xv.  2'2S-oO.  Written  licforo 
18(K),  l)iit  Slot  printed  until  1849.  Tho  refutation  of  1).  Ciriaeo  Cuvallos  ia 
stated  in  an  editorial  note  to  have  been  printed  iu  Islade  Leon,  ITDS. 

'-'Sii/il  1/  Mex.,  I'inije,  Introd.,  xlix.-lii. 

'•'AiiiorcfH,  ]'ififj(jio  ill'/,  ^[are  Atlaittlco  al  Pacijlco,  etc.  Milan,  ISll.  I 
have  used  the  following  French  edition :  Amoretti,  Voiidije  dc.  ii  mcr  Atlaa- 
t/'/iie  a  ru'riniPririji'iiiK'  ]iur  !<•  vord-oin'st  dan^  la,  iiicr  (ilnr'tali;  par  le  ( 'u/iitiilne 
Laurent  J't  rn-r  Muldoiiudo  Van  indlxxxr'iii.  TradiiH  d.'mi  iimiiHurril  Fsjiccjiiol 
<t  mtifl  d'liii.  dlscoiir'i  qui  vii  tlnnnnlra  Vuutliontir'ttc  ct  la  vvrwitv.  I'laisauce, 
181'i.  Sni.  4t();  three  pi.,  containing  twelve  maps.  Tho  Voyaije  is  ou  pp. 
1-10,  and  tlie  J)i/icours  on  pp.  'Jl-84. 

""  Tho  authorities  I  have  cited,  particularly  Xavarrcto  and  Aniorjtti.  con- 
tain substantially  all  tliat  need  be  .said  on  the  subject.  To  Xavari'ete's  work 
arc  attaclu^d,  pp.  2.")l-(il,  as  Appendix  No.  .3,  sonic  extracts  from  tho  (larcta  dc 
Madrid,  Feliruary  18,  ISI'2,  and  the  Jiililiolcca  Jiritdnica,  Xos.  4111 ,  4,")7-8,  con- 
taining criticisms  on  Amoretti's  work,  especially  by  Baron  Lindeuau.  Tho 
latter  published  a  book  on  tho  subject.  Lindciiuii,  JJic  illaiihiL'itrdlijI.cit,  etc. 
Gotha,  1S1'_*.  Malte-lh'un,  Ainxdrs  drx  Voij.,  xix.  390-0,  in  reviewing  tho 
works  of  Amoretti  and  Lindenau,  approves  the  conclusions  of  tho  hitter  that 
Mahlonadu's  story  was  fiction,  lint  Lindenau  thinks  that  ^laldonado  visited 
Hudson  15ay,  imagining  the  rest,  and  Malte-Umn  thinks  it  possil>lc  that  lie  had 
vague  traditions  from  someljody  who  had  actually  penetrated  tho  frozen  ocean. 
In  III.,  xxi.  ;i9;^-4,  the  French  editor  notices  a  newspaper  reply  of  Amoretti  lo 
I.indenau  as  foUows :  '  Si  MaldiMiailo  a  mal  calcule  lea  latitudes  et  les  longitudes 
dc  maniere  a  fairc  passer  son  vaisseau  par-dessus  Ic  continent,  c'est,  scion  .M. 
Amoretti,  uno  petite  crreur  pardoniiable  A  un  niariii  du  seizicine  sieclc.  Si  co 
jiiarin  a  evidemnicnt  copio  dc  cartes  anterieurcs  i'v  son  voyage,  avcc  t(Jutes  les 
fautcs,  c"est  unc  prenve  do  la  realite  do  son  voyage.  Si,  par  uialheur,  sa  de- 
scription pliysi(pie  dcs  lieux  qu'il  pretend  avoir  vus  est  contraire  .'i  tout  ce 
qu'en  disent  h;s  navigateurs  incderiies,  o'est  parce  (pi'apparciiunent  ua  tn  iiditi  - 
incut  (Ic  tcrrc  en  a  elaunjc  I'l'tal ! — Tout  ccla  est,  conimc  on  voit,  totalenient 
etranger  a  la  gcogi'aphie  critique  do  ims  jours;  line  semblable  maniero 
d'argumenter  n'admet  et  n'exige  aucuno  reponse.'  In  Xoiivclten  An.  ilm  I'-ij., 
xi.  S-'28,  Lapie  defends  ^Jahlonadc/s  voyage,  making  wild  work  with  uortiiern 
geography,  as  will  be  apparent  from  his  map,  which  F  shall  have  occasion  to 
reproduce.  The  Qiiarltr/;/  Jii'vicir,  xvi.  Ml-.IS,  of  1817  sho%V3  the  Amoretti 
document — really  the  only  one  existing  ou  the  subject,  or  a  copy  of  the  only 
one — to  be  an  absurdly  inaccui'ato  forgery ;  but  at  the  same  time  has  no  doiil)t 
that  ^Maldonado's  narrative,  as  seen  by  Antonio,  etc.,  wan  a  genuine  account 
of  au  actual  voyage  to  tho  Pacific  cia  Capo  Horn  and  up  to  Cook  Inlet,  which 


3T. 


MALDOXADO'S  STORY. 


05 


with  the 
t  to  provo 
hstandinj^ 
,  hi.s  views 
voyage  is 


I  hfchx  en  IJSS 
Vritteu  huforo 
CO  Ccvallos  id 
17'JS. 

lilan,  ]S11.    I 

■  la  vicr  Alldii- 
rtr  h:  Cdjiifidiiii 
Hsrrit.  I'l^i'ifjiinl 
fi:  I'laisaiK'c, 
/aye  is  on  pp. 

Aniorctti.  ouu- 
vavretu's  woik 
tliu  (Uicda  ill". 
|;jl,4r)7-)S,  cou- 
udenau.     'ilio 
iird'iijkcit ,  L'tc. 
Ircviewiiig  the 
he  latter  that 
lloiuulo  visitcil 
lie  that  he  ha>l 
frozen  oeean. 
if  Anioretti  to 
[U'slongitiiikri 
t'est,  selon  ^\. 
HiOcle.    Si  eu 
CO  toutes  le.^ 
ilhcur,  ya  tie- 
re  h  tout  CO 
it  un  in  nihil  - 
It,  totak'ineut 
bio   niaiiiei'i! 
n.  dm  I"' ;/•> 
ith  northern 
occasion  t  j 
ho  Amoretti 
:.f  the  only 
lias  no  iloiibt 
iiinc  account 
inlet,  which 


^laldonado's  story  was  briefly  as  follows :  In  Feb- 
ruary, ir)88,  having  come  from  Spain  or  Portugal, 
guided  by  the  notes  of  a  Portuguese  pilot  named  Joilo 
lilartinez,  who  it  seems  had  made  the  voyage  before, 
he  entered  the  strait  of  Labrador  in  latitude  (50  . 
His  course  after  this  entrance  was  80  leagues  x.  w. 
up  to  latitude  G4°;  thence  n.  120  leagues  to  latitude 
72°;  N.  w.  90  leagues  to  nearly  latitude  75°,  where 
the  strait  ends,  being  from  20  to  40  leagues  wide, 
Avith  numerous  ports,  and  its  banks  inhabited  to  7.'V. 
Emeruinix  into  the  Polar  Sea  at  the  beijinnino'  of 
!March,  he  found  the  weather  cold  and  stormy.  Wate-r 
froze  on  the  ship  and  rigging;  but  ice  was  not  en- 
countered in  any  more  troublesome  form.  The  route 
was  now  w.  [-  s.  w.  for  350  leagues  to  71°,  where  on 
the  return  high  land  was  found,  and  supposed  to  be  a 
))art  of  Xew  Spain;  thence  he  sailed  av.  s.  w.  410 
leagues  more,  to  the  strait  of  Anian,  in  (50°^  He  re- 
mained in  this  region  during  the  months  of  April, 
\i.dy,  and  part  of  June,  during  which  time  he  passed 
through  the  strait — fifteen  leagues  long,  with  six  turns, 
less  than  one  eighth  of  a  league  wide  at  the  north 
entrance  and  over  one  fourth  of  a  league  at  the  south; 
coosted  America  for  more  than  100  lea<;ucs  s.  w,  to 
55  ;  tlience  sailed  w.  for  four  days,  or  120  leagues,  to 
a  high  mountainous  coast;  and  returned  north-westerly 
to  and  tlirou<jfh  the  strait.  While  in  a  u'rand  port  at 
the  southern  entrance  a  vessel  of  elu'lit  hundred  tons 
approaclied  laden  with  clilna  goods.  Tlie  men  wei'o 
pi'obably  Muscovites,  or  Hanseatics,  and  made  tlieni- 

vas  mistaken  for  the  strait  of  Anian!  The  A''.  Am.  n^ni'ii',  xlviii.  122,  of 
ls;lD  adopts  the  (JiKirfi  rl/i's  view,  so  far  as  the  authenticity  <>f  Mahlouado's 
\ipj'a2feisei)ncernetl.  Malte-lhuM,  J'ircix  d'd'j.,  vi.  ■'{02  .'>,  repeats  his  views  .;s 
already  cited,  (ireenhow,  Hist.  Or.  miil.  Cal.,  7!)-.SH,  pionounces  the  story  a 
iiction,  hut  deems  it  not  iinprohahlc,  as  in  the  <^hiar>i  r/;/,  that  snuie  nnkuov.ii 
voyage  made  up  the  I'aeilic  coast  to  (,'ook  Inlet  may  hav(!  sei-vcd  as  a  found.i- 
tion.  In  lliinii  ij's  hixrur.  Smith  ■•^lu,  v.  l(i7-7.'{,  is  a  ti'an^latinr.  of  tin;  ini- 
n"-*  uit  parts  of  the  narrative,  with  remarks  thereon  and  references  to  various 
II  orities.  The  document  is  rej,'arded  as  a  fori,'ery  hy  sonii!  Flennniii;,', 
wiio  attributed  the  voyage  to  .MjJdonado.  liiirroirx  ('hrnii.  I/ist.  Voi/.,  IslS, 
1S4S,  contain!  an  Kn^lish  translation  of  Maldon.'ulo's  n  iation  with  tlio  maps. 
Iwiss,  JJi.st.  Or.,  G-t-U,  gives  a  nuniiic  from  various  authoriiics. 


96 


APOCRYPHAL  VOYAGES  TO  THE  NORTHWEST. 


selves  understood  in  Latin,  but  were  suspicious  and  not 
inclined  to  be  communicative.  They  came  from  a 
j^reat  city  called  Robr,  Roba,  or  some  such  name,  be- 
longing to  the  king  of  Tartaiy.    Maldonado  returned 


Maldonado's  Stilvit  ok  Asian,  1009. 

by  the  same  route  in  June  and  July,  and  not  only  was 
not  impeded  by  ice,  but  found  it — the  suii  never  setting 
at  all — hotter  than  in  the  hottest  parts  of  Spain. 


MARKED  DISCRErAXC'IES. 


97 


Tlie  country  round  tlic  strait  of  Anian  is  doscrilied 
in  niuc-li  detail.  I  annex  the  only  one  of  the  iive 
sketches  wliich  has  any  interest.  It  may  be  conipare<l 
V,  ith  the  map  of  Urbano  ^lonti,  already  j^iven.  It 
^vill  be  noticed  how  carefully  the  sites  for  needed 
i'ortiiications  ai-e  pointed  out.  I  am  obliged  to  give 
to  tliis  and  the  other  fictitious  voyages  more  space 
than  they  merit;  but  my  limits  by  no  means  jx-rmit 
me  to  <'ive  even  a  rc--<i(iit6  of  ^Nlaldonade's  Iouli'  de- 
sciiptions;  still  less  of  the  arguments  that  have 
been  foundetl  thereon.  These  arguments  consist  on 
the  one  side  of  resemblances,  and  on  the  other  of 
(hscrcpancies  [)ointed  out  between  the  navigator's  de- 
sriiptions  and  the  facts  reported  by  later  A'isitors  ti> 
]iering  Strait  down  to  the  time  the  argument  was 
made.  At  ]ircsent  the  resemblances  may  be  said  to 
consist  solely  in  tlie  I'act  tliat  the  Polar  Sea  actually 
aifoi'ds  an  interoceanic;  ]nissagi;  Ijy  wa}'  of  ]>eriug 
Sti'ait.  The  most  startling  (liscrej)ancies  are  tliat 
^Maldonado's  strait,  as  described  and  pictured,  bears 
not  the  slightest  lik'eness  in  length,  width,  and  general 
features  to  the  reality;  that  it  is  located  some  three 
hundred  miles  too  far  south;  that  Alaska's  mild  tem- 
]Hrature,  with  its  corresponding  fruits  and  animals,  ha  ; 
ill  later  tunes  disappeared;  that  ^[aldonado's  distances 
make  the  longitude  of  the  strait  some  f!0^  too  far 
«-ist — ^ju.st  as  did  the  maps  of  his  time;  that  through- 
oiit.  the  vovage  his  distances  and  latitu<l(_'S  do  not 
;).'.. Hi;  and  finally  that  o]tpressi\i'  heat  and  absence  of 
'u  \'  havo  not  in  later  times  been  noted  as  a  leading 
t ';ara"teristiv  of  tiie  waters  above  "0  .  1  give  hero 
tJiu  map  of  'SI.  \v  Chevalie'r  Tiaine,  1821,  which  will 
also  bi«  rt^fei'red  to  later  to  illustrate  another  voyage, 
tn  sliow  his  theory  of  ^[ahlouado's  routc>.  The  real 
sti'ait  of  Anian,  or  ]>ering,  leads  into  the  frozen  o('(>an 
nortli  of  Jviteguen,  which  is  a  western  prolongation 
of  (liveidand;  while  ^[aldonado's  strait  was  not  Anian 
at  all,  but  a  passage  li>adlng  fi'om  Xi»rton  Sound  into 
a  polar  sea  south  of  Iviteguen  and  connected  in  the 

lllsT.  N.  \V.  Co.vsr,  \  oL.  I.    7 


98 


ArocrvrnAL  voyages  to  the  xortiiwest. 


Ill 


east  witli  tlic   straits  of  Davis  and  Hudson!     TIio 
route  in  the  west  is  shown  hy  a  dotted  line. 

The  reader  lias  no  need  of  arguments  in  this  mat- 
ter. Starting  with  a  strong  |)resunij)tion,  arising  from 
the  nature  of  the  pretended  discovery  and  from  the 


Lapie's  M\p,  1821. 


spirit  of  the  times,  that  Maldonado's  claim  is  false, 
he  will  be  led  from  presumi^tion  to  conviction  when 
the  time  that  elaj)sed  between  the  voyage  and  the 
narrative  is  noted,  and  ])articularly  when  lie  learns 
the  man's  reputation  as  liar  and  forger.    On  reading 


A  MOST  BUXGLIXG  FALSEHOOD.  ,3 

tlio  narrafivG   he  will    nnf  h,.  ri    i     . 
"l'i.'io.i,  if  1,0  con    Lry*  ,,;;:■'■.  '°,^''""S»  '"« 
over  .sun,,y  sea,s  with  tl  c  X"fl '""""•"  '"'l' 
i"  tl.c  same  waters.    An,ir,,llv  ,';:'>«'>to>« 

of  ti.e   „,a,,s   that  l^w     b  e  1  ^21,7"'  '  ■'''  lY""" 
p.iSes,  wliich— or  ethers  of'   '-i'"  "''"'-■"'   '"   these 

i--o  .iefe,K,:rthe'' :it]L  ;t  f :;  '-i;^'.;"f '  -- 

llicro  ,s  not  the  slightest  neen.!;*     I  "'^■"•'"• 

-.0  have  ,iene,  tiKat^hrl;r::;x,t;t:;'Ts " 

J/ay,  or  made  a     ova<To  in  ihn  p     .,.  '^''^'''V^^^^^'^^*" 
and  not  ]>laiisiblo  cimnauK    \       ■     ^''^  "»ao-ination, 

o.  that  4io«t ::;];;«;;  ^*'X™^—wi.j 


< 


CHAPTER   IV. 

THE  NORTHERN  MYSTERY— CONCLUSION. 
IGIO-ISOO. 

SrAKisn  Jr.vTA — GAnciA  de  Silva — A  New  Piiare — Califounia  oxce 
MoiiE  AX  Island — Cahdona — Dctcii  ALvp — Brigcs'  Tkeatise — Sal- 
Mi:i:oN— Deuiauo's  Voya(!E — De  Laet — Wi.snei'i;(!s,  on  Men  of  the 
Sea — NicoLi/r — Botello  and  Casanate  on  Nokthkun  (!i;iiouAriiY— 
D'AviTV— AcLE— Melcceu— Ax  Exact  Desceii'tion— Ooiliiy— Maii- 
qeette,  Hennepin,  and  La  Salee — rKciiE — Teoiavo — PAitEDEs— Dam- 
piEE— LtYT — La  IIontan — Kinoand  Mani;e — Islandou  Peninsila? — 
JLu's  OF  IL'.l'KE,  Heylyn,  and  ILvrris — Baiitiioloj'EW  de  Fonte's 
FicTiTiors  Lettei!  —  De  l'Isle  and  Bcaciie — EiEi-iO'inAiMiY  of  a 
Hoax  —  Rocees — Veeaude — Niel — Ugauie's  Voyage — Caeuolnlv  a 

PENINSri,A  AGAIN  —  SlIELVOCKE  —  COXE  —  DoEBS  —  SeDELMAIU — VeTAN- 

ciET — ICllis— New  Moeth  foe  the  Coloiudo — Venegas — Jeffeeys— 
Engee — CAii\EE — End  of  tue  Mystery. 

During  these  early  j'ears  of  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury so  much  alarm  was  felt  in  Spain  lest  South  Sea 
supremacy  should  bo  lost  through  the  discovery  of  a 
strait  lliat  a  junta  was  formed  by  the  ministers  of 
the  court  of  IV'lipe  III.  with  a  view  to  prevent  further 
search  for  tlie  [)assago  by  the  north-west,  or  north- 
(>ast,  and  to  send  an  embassy  to  England  to  urge  the 
matter.  It  would  be  interesting  to  study  the  discus- 
sions of  this  junta;  but  tlio  records  are  not  extant, 
nor  do  we  Icnow  how  the  embassy  was  received.  It 
appears,  however,  that  Garcia  de  Silva,  and  probably 
others,  opposed  all  restrictive  measures,  urging  that 
exploration  should  be  encouraged,  and  expressing  a 
behef  that  the  finding  of  a  strait  in  the  far  nortli 
would  in  no  way  injure  Spain,  since  it  would  not  open 
a  (pucker  or  safer  route  to  the  Pacific,  on  account  of 

(100) 


SP^VXISn  IXACTIOX. 


101 


tlio  clifficnltics  and  danger  attending  tlie  navigation 
of  the  polar  seas.  It  is  evident  that  the  prevalence 
of  this  opinion  among  those  highest  in  authority  and 
those  best  qualilied  to  judge  in  the  matter  was  one 
of  the  chief  causes  for  the  official  inaction  of  the 
next  century  and  a  half.  There  was  no  end  of  vague 
projects  urged  upon  the  government  by  private  ad- 
venturers, oftener  in  America  than  in  Spain;  but 
actual  results  were  confined  for  the  most  ])art  to  the 
pearl  coast  of  the  Californian  gulf  In  the  highest 
Spanish  official  circles  the  Northern  Mystery  had 
well  nigh  lost  its  charm. ^ 


Since,  however,  the  work  of  actual  exploration  was 
confined  to  the  gulf,  a  large  portion  of  the  ]\Iystery 
was  transferred  to  that  region,  and  had  its  home  there 
for  many  years,  so  far  as  Spanish  views  were  con- 
cerned. Since  1 540  for  nearly  a  century  the  Californian 
peninsula  and  gulf  had  been  described  and  mapped  in 
very  nearly  their  true  positions  and  proportions;  but 
all  this  was  now  to  be  changed.  Lok  in  15S2,  for 
no  reason  that  can  be  known,  had  almost  sc[)arated 
the  peninsula  from  the  main  at  a  point  in  about  lati- 
tude 45 \  where  he  turned  the  coast  abruptly  eastward. 
Then  Padre  Ascension,  in  connection  with  the  voy- 
age of  Vizcaino  in  1G03,  had  also  given  currency  to 
llie  eastward  trend,  and  seems,  in  conversation  and 
written  memorials,  to  have  fii\()red  the  idea  that 
Aguilai-'s  river  was  not  only  the  entrance  to  the  Aniau 
Strait,  Ijut  min'ht  also  be  connected  witli  the  'ndf'' 
Next  Onate,  in  lG04,from  observations  and  i'roni  In- 
dian re})orts  at  the  mouth  of  the  Cohjrado,  concluded 

^Xnmrrctr,  V'ia)jcs  Apdc,  20-4-.") ;  /'/.,  in  Snt'l  //  .}f(x.,  Vi'vjo,  Ixviii.  ix.; 
Si!f(i,  Ci)iiii'ii/riri"-9,  KiliS,  wliioh  seems  not  to  I.avc  lieeii  luiuted  until  IT^J,  in 
//'■v'.  (1,1  (,'raii  Tdinnrhin.  Mmjiii,  ll'ist.  ('niu.  (I(s  /m/cs,  l(ill,  contain.-;  thu 
^Vytiliet-l'tok'I1ly  niiipa  thatliavo  already  been  noticed  and  rt-'produwd  fivnn 
t!ic  originals  of  15'J7.  Matin's  work  is  in  tlio  Meroantilo  Lilirary  of  Saii 
Franeiseo,  where  is  also  a  l(i2S  edition  of  Liii^^r/iokii,  loymjc,  with  ii  niai)  of 
the  northern  eountries,  sliowin.i;  no  new  features. 

-At  any  rate  lu^  ele;irly  anntiuneed  this  view  of  tlu!  suhjettin  UJJO,  .l.srr,/- 
nioii,  ]}(lwiQii,  r)4;{-4,  mying  the  occupa,tion  of  California  as  a  step  toward  the 
eiju(|ucst  of  Auiau,  Qui\  ira,  etc. 


J-JO 


TIIK  XORTHERX  MYSTERY— CONCLUSION. 


ii'SS  «f*ii 
llf        ■  ■■" 


that  tlio  ji^iilf  waters  extemled  iiortlnvard  and  east- 
ward to  the  Atlantic,  thus  confirming?  Ascension's 
theory.  And  finally,  in  or  about  1(117,  Nicolas  de 
Cardona,  who  had  talked  with  some  of  Onate's  oiHcers, 
and  who  in  1G15  had  himselt'  naviujated  the  oult' — he- 
lievinj^  himself  to  have  reached  34",  iK)tinL(  deep  open 
water  stretchin<?  far  before  him,  and  understanding? 
from  Onate's  men  that  the  mouth  of  the  Tizon  was 
in  35° — boldly  declared  his  belief  that  California  was 
an  island,  and  spoke  of  the  main  as  the  Contra  Costa 
de  Florida.^  Cardona  even  fancied  the  t^ulf  to  be  the 
strait  of  Anian  itself,  the  northern  outlet  Ijeinj;-  per- 
haps a  m'Tc  branch;  and  he  had  i>eis<)nally  heaixl 
from  tliu  natives  confirmation  of  the  old  tales  about 
Quivira  and  the  great  lake  towns.  These  rumors  vrere 
convenient  incentives  for  vovaixes  which  mii^ht  alfoi'd 
opportunities  for  pearl-fishing. 

The  idea  of  California  as  an  island  once  conceived, 
it  soon  became  deep-rooted  and  popular.  The  next 
thinsjf  in  order  was  for  some  adventurous  Fuca  or 
Maldonado  to  sail  round  it;  and  this  seems  to  have 
been  done  in  1020.  I  have  not  been  able-  to  trace  this 
story,  however,  to  a  definite  origin.  The  real  soui'ce 
of  the  new  geographical  idea  as  I'elated  in  my  text 
has  not  been  known  to  modern  wiiters.*    From  this 


'  Canl'Dia,  Uc'achn  (Ji'J (loacuhr'tmtrnto  dd  Ucino  ilc  hi  ('aJ'fonihi ;  mid  similiir 
views  in  a  (locuinout  Avrittcn  soiiio  yciirs  Liter.  CcrdinKi,  Mciiinrhil  .inJjrc  kii.< 
de-icnlirimit'n'o.i  (11  la  ('(I'ij'orn'ni ;  botli  in  Pncha'n  itml  ( ''iii/iinis,  C(l.  J)o\, 
ix.  ;}0-.">7.  These  arc  memorials  urging  the  importanee  of  ivnewed  eil'orts. 
Tlio  author  )ie;i;iiiM:  'California  is  ;v  far  extemled  kin;;ilom  of  wliieh  the  end 
is  only  known  hy  ijeo'p'aphical  eonjeetures  and  demonstrative  notices,  whieli 
make  it  an  island  titretehing  from  N.w.  to  s.  i:.,  forming  a  mediteri'anean  sea 
adjacent  to. .  .the  inct'ignita  eontraeosta  de  la  Florida.'  In  44  ,  aeeording  to 
Vizcaino  and  ^\acension,  the  coast  makes  a  turn  to  the  ea.st,  'y  ha.stahoy  no 
Be  sabc  A  donde  v;i  d  parar.'  Ancient  and  modern  writers  have  closed  the  sen 
in  28',  but  this  seems  an  error.  '  Luego  la  California  es  isla  nuiygrande; 
y  que  oste  ueno  <')  brazo  de  mar  es  el  estrecho  ipie  Uaman  de  Anian.'  'The 
Imiians  both  of  (.-'alifoniia  and  of  the  Florida  main  gave  me  many  reports 
of  a  very  g"eat  lake  with  many  towns,  with  a  king  w  ho  wears  a  ci'owu;  and 
from  the  l.dce  nnich  gold  is  taken — and  there  are  many  cities  with  towr'rs, 
one  of  tiiem  called  Quivira;  bearded  men;  horses,' etc.  'California  is  one  of 
the  richest  laiuls  in  the  world,  with  silver,  gold,  pearls,'  etc. 

^According  to  Oiji/hi/'.-t  Aiiicr.,  .'{8!l-!t0,  l/(  i/li/ii's  ( 'OfniKKirfi/Jiif,  OdS.and  some 
other  works,  some  adventurers  on  the  coast  in  Ki'JO  accident;dly  fell  ui)on 
u  strait,  through  which  they  were  carrieil  by  the  force  of  the  current  into  tho 


CALIFORNIA  AN  ISLAND. 


103 


time  many,  but  not  all,  mapped  and  dosciibod  Cali- 
Ibiiiia  as  an  island,  extending  to  Cape  ])lanco,  in  lat- 
itude 44  .  l>ut  from  the  same  j)eiiod  ma[»-makers 
lieo-an  to  nejxlect  the  extreme  north,  to  forget  for  the 
most  i)art  the  details  introduced  so  freely  hy  Wytfliet, 
Low,  and  others,  and  to  leave  all  north  of  the  givat 
island  a  blank.  I  re[)roduce  a  ma]>  published  by  Pur- 
chas  in  1G25,  Avhich  is  essentially  the  same  as  a  Dutcli 
nuip  of  1024.°  It  will  be  noticed  that  tlicre  are  many 
radical  chanij^es  besides  that  of  chanLjing  the  i)iMiinsiilii 
into  an  island;  and  chiefly  that  the  New  ^Mexican 
names  from  Coronado  no  longer  appear  on  the  Cali- 
fornian  coast,  but  only  such  as  are  found  in  the  narra- 
tives of  actual  vovaixers.  The  name  New  ^lexico 
appeal's  for  the  first  time,  and  on  a  Rio  del  Xorte, 
tli.)Ugh  the  river  still  flows  from  the  great  lake  and 
iiito  western  waters.  Traces  are  seen  of  Drake's  voy- 
age, though  Xew  Albion  does  not  yet  ap})ear;  and  of 
Oiiate's  river  discoveiies.  Astablan  should  be  ^Yztat- 
lan;  but  liey  Coromedo,  La(|ueo  de  Oro,  and  liio 

gulf  of  Ciilifornia,  tlius  breaking  np  tlio  pcninsulnr  thcoi-y.  Accordin^^  to  aa 
iii.sfriptii)U  on  a  map  of  1()J.>  ia  Piinlias,  noticed  lati-r,  ("alifomia  avjih  ]rovi;d 
an  island  liy  a  Spanish  chart  taken  l)y  tlio  l)iitch.  This  i  i  credited  ti)  J<ui>-o- 
iiiii.-t,  Miiiiilf  Jf<iri'inii\  by  ])e  lisle,  in  \'<>i/n;i''s  riii  AO/i/,  Itaiuil,  iii.  127-  •'{, 
wiio  also  relates  that  Ilia  .sou  rvas  told  by  Fioger  that  he  had  Keen  a  pilot  who 
as.aired  liini  he  had  Hailed  louiid  California,  theenhow,  7//-'-'.  Or.  ((//</  (V;/., 
Ill,  .says  it  was  on  the  strength  of  a  statement  inado  by  the  captain  of  a  Manila 
.shij)  in  Kii'O  that  Aguilar's  river  was  thought  to  be  an  eutraueo  to  the  gulf. 
Also  y'lv.V-f'  (ir.  (Jiic'fion,  G.'J. 

'^PKnliax,  Ilii I'i/<irhi)r.^,  iii.  S.VJ-.*?;  Wc-<t-Iji</!.<rhr Siikrihol,  C).  The  Dnteii 
map  is  on  Meroator's  projection,  difTers  somewhat  iu  longitudes,  and  iias 
v,\','i!ely  outlined  ill  the  north  l)et\voiii  .")(»'  and  (JO'  a  .strait  leading  north  iuio 
vacuity.  Purclias' map  i.-i  attached  to  vl  'J'lra'l  c  <•/  t!if.  X(ir'/i-in-<t  jxi-i.fiijr, 
by -Master  IJriggs,  who  mentions  among  the  'cNcellent  ])reiogativo.i' of  \'ii- 
giiii.iiis  position  'in  respect  of  the  South  Sea,  which  lyetli  on  the  A\'est  and 
Nnith-west  side  of  I'ir'jiiiia,  on  the  other  side  of  the  Mountaines  beyond  our 
Tails,  and  openeth  a  free  and  faire  ]iassag(!  to.  .  .( 'liina.'  I'or  by  following 
up  the  rivers  x.  W.  from  Henrico  City  doubtless  the  mouiitaiiis  may  bo 
reached  which  seiul  rivers  into  Ihulson  Jt.iy.  Ami  Ihit ton's  bay  is  nearly  as 
far\v(stas  the  Cape  of  California.  Apjiarently  lliivg^"  't'aiie  jiassagc'  from 
A  ipniiia  was  l)y  wayof  Hudson  J5ay!  He  mentions  the  map  copied  fum  ono 
bioiight  out  of  Holland,  perhaps  the  .S'y/.'c;///' /,  and  he  thinks  tlie  old  luniois 
of  gieat  continental  stretches,  of  Quivira,  etc.,  'are  cunning'y  set  dowiie  by 
H"iiic  \pon  set  purpose  to  put  vs  out  of  the  riglit  way.'  He  sjiys  that  Mercator 
Mas  'ahuscd  bya^Iai)  sent  vnto  him,  of  four  Kiiriji'i  meeting  about  the  North 
Pole:  which  now  arc  found  to  bee  all  turned  into  a.  mayne  icieSea;'  ami 
tliat  ( lali  lias  destroyed  the  old  illusiou  that  Cape  Mendocino  was  14C0  leagues 
from  the  Cape  of  California. 


104 


TlfK  NOUTITERX  MYSTHRY  -COXCLUSIOX. 


Ano-ndil  .'ire  nn('X[)l;iiii('(l  naiiics.  Xotliin;^  is  sliown 
ill  tliu  I'ar  north -v.vst ;  tlumu^li  in  the  Dutcli  orii^innl  a 
sti-ait  in  vivj^ncly  ontlincd.  It  is  noticcahk-  that  J*ni'- 
c'has  has  another  map — that  of  llondius,  introduced 


"C-       'L^     ^  "'to/  / 


'^^^ 


C>0 


h 


■•'- -W^ 


Dutch  Map,  l(i24-5. 


in  place  of  Herrora's — wliicli  makes  California  a  penin- 
sula, and  is  in  fact  substantially  the  same  as  those  of 
Ortelius  and  Mercatoi-,  except  that  the  New  Mexican 


.1 
;;4 


SAT.MEROX'S  STORY. 


108 


t;)V.ii«  Clciiic,  Tin'iicx,  and  Quivira  no  ]()nij;'or  ap])ear 
oil  the  coast,  or  aiiywlK-rc  else.  (Quivira  the  province 
is  however  T'etaiiied.  The  strait  runs  nortli  from  Capo 
]"'oituna,  in  latitude  55°." 

Ill  KIiT)  J*adre  Ziirato  Salnieron  sj>okc  concern  in  <^ 
the  Xorthern  Mvstery  in  connection  with  his  historv 
ui'  Xe\v  ^fexico.  lie  tells  liow  two  Spanish  tishinij^- 
Ncsscls  at  Newloundland  were  carried  hy  a  j^ale  into 
the  strait,  oiu;  hein!^^  driven  into  a  river  I'ar  southward 
to  a  ^reat  Mailed  city,  where  the  crow's  adventures 
are  niven  in  soino  detail.  Durinj^  the  return  most 
of  them  ])erislied  from  cold,  but  the  ves.sel  reached 
I'loi'ida,  and  one  of  the  men  came  to  Mexico  in  time 
to  t<'ll  his  storv  l)efore  dviirj^.''  Salnieron  has  no 
(jouht  that  this  was  the  city  Coronado  saw,  that 
Au'iiilar  would  have  seen  had  he  entered  the  river, 
and  "the  same  that  Aiiian  saw,  and  discovered,  and 
Imported  to  his  ^lajest}'"!  The  proper  way  to  ex})loro 
( Jnivira  was  either  by  land  from  New  ^Mexico  or  bv 
water  from  Florida.  The  padre's  idc^a  was  that  the 
St  ]jawreiicc  extended  to  a  point  very  near  Xc^v,' 
]\rexico;  but  he  was  sure  there  existed  no  strait  be- 
tween the  latter  and  l^'lorida.  Th(3  St  Lawrence  is 
also  called  Strait  of  the  Three  ]3rothcrs,  and  was 
tlKUiii^ht  to  extend  from  ocean  to  ocean.  He  made 
inaiiy  iiKjuiries  among  the  natives  about  the  lake  of 
Cojialla,  whence  came  the  ancient  Aztecs,  and  he  had 
no  doubt  of  its  existence.  It  might  be  reached  from 
Xew  ]Mexico  by  Avay  of  the  Ivio  Chama  and  the  X^avajo 
countrv,  thence  fijllowimjf  a  m-axt  river  throu'di  a  levcd 
and  fertile  country;  or  by  way  of  Moqui,  up  the  liio 
Buena  Esperanza.** 


'' Punhci.i,  //;.9  Pi'i/r!me>i,  iv.  S.")7.  The  gencr.Tl  map  on  the  fi-ontispiooo  of 
vol.  i.  iilho  iiijikos  Califoniiii  a  peniimiilji. 

'  l'a<lri;  A'chinlo,  Jh.tirip.  llixl.,  ;5,")i2,  in  ITH)  hail  .a  narrative  of  vliat  wan 
porliajts  tiio  same  voyaije.  He  makes  Miyiiel  Delgadi)  coiuniander  of  tli(^  two 
vos.sil.f  ami  the  date  l(i01.  The  ves.sel  went  w.  ami  tlica  s.  from  Xewfouml- 
laiiil  for  liOO  leagues  before  reaihing  tiie  river.  All  ariiveil  sick  at  Hal)ana, 
iiinl  most  of  them  dieil.  Velanle  thinks  tliis  was  prul)alily  not  iVliian,  but 
another  sti'ait. 

^iSalMtrun,  Itclacioiie,^,  21-4,  38-t),  47-1). 


loe 


THE  NORTTrFJtX  MYSTERY -CONCLUSION. 


Til  JoniiiK-'.s  dr.  Liiot/'s  luiij)  of  \('>'.]:\  all  above;  Capo 
]\r(Mi<lofiiio,  i;i  4;5  ,  is  Kd't  lilaiik.  Calitoniiii  is  a  iHiiiiii- 
sr.la,  with  tlio  ,^'ull'  cxtciKliiiiL^'  to  ■]^)\  with  a.  lar/^'c  i.^laiid 
at  iis  head,  but  tlu'ri'  is  no  attempt  to  doliiicato  the 
rivt'i's.  Nova  .Mbioii  is  iu  40°,  at  Capo  Fortuiias, 
Nvliilo  at  Capo  Sail  Martin,  in  .'J7°,  is  Soyo,  a  nanio  of 
unt!.\plaino(l  origin.  Tlioso,  with  CaliHn'nia  and  Xovo 
^[(''cico,  arc  the  only  inland  names.  In  liis  text  Laot 
explains  that  Calll'ornia  is  the  va;^uely  known  reij^ioii 
sti'etc-liinii;'  north-west  to  the  possible  strait  of  ^Vnian, 
but  whelhor  it  was  island  or  peninsula  ho  was  not 
quite  certain.  (}uivira  is  described  i^ntwi  Gomara  and 
HeiTora;  and  Laet  notes  from  Tril)aldus  that  Oiiato 
rea<-l)ed  Lake  (  onibas,  with  its  <^rand  building's." 

]\Iean\vhilo  in  Canada  tho  French  were  hearing 
many  rumors  of  tho  western  nation  of  Vv'inni[>egs,  or 
Od  en  of  tho  Sea,'  with  whom  wore  wont  to  trade  not 
only  tlie  Canadian  Indians  but  also  certain  hairless 
and  beardless  people  who  came  in  largo  canoes  upon 
tho  '_<.;roat  water.'  There  was  much  reason  to  sui^ 
])oso  these  latter,  really  tho  Sioux,  to  bo  Chinese 
Ja})anese.  And  in  ir):>4-5  Jean  Nicolet  was  sent  o^ 
Chamjjkiin  to  visit  tho  people  of  Ouinipog,  and  ])er- 
haps  to  reach  tlio  great  water.  Ho  had  no  ditliculty 
in  jionetratlng  to  the  homo  of  the  tribe  be3'ond  Lake 
Micliigan,  on  Croon  Bay  and  Fox  Rivor;  and  he  went 
oven  I'arlher,  to  a  })oint  whore,  hearing  of  the  'great 
water,'  tlio  AV'isconsin  ilowing  into  the  Mississippi,  ho 
believed  himself  to  bo  within  three  days  of  the  sea.*" 

li'  tho  gulf  was  part  of  tho  famous  passage  to 
tho  Atlantic,  it  was  obviously  important  that  Spain 
should  know  it;  and  indeed  some  action  was  taken  on 
tho  matter  in  ]\rexico,  in  conscquenco  of  which  a 
somewhat  elaborate  I'oport  was  made  in  IGoG  by 
Alonso  Jjotello  y  Serrano  and  Pedro  Porter  y  Casa- 
nute,  tho  substance  being  repeated  by  tho  latter  in 


»  f.act,  Xoru.'^  Orl>!.<,  2!)1,  .W2-«. 

>"Sco  Until  rjhhr.-<  J  fist.  J)l.-<r„i:  of  tho  NorthtivH,  Cincinnati,  1S81,  p.  37 
et  sc(i.,  iiml  07  ct  su(j.,  with  rel'crcucca  to  original  Jesuit  rclatious. 


DAVITY,  LK  MON'DR. 


107 


13 


n  lator  (locniiicnt.'^  Tlio  jjiirport  cf  (his  rc^port  was, 
tliiit  i'i's|>('ctiii'.;'  iiortht'i'ii  |L''t!tn;r;ij)liy  iiollii:);^^  was  fx- 
taiitaiid  acct'ssililc  l»iit  va!»;iU'  and  (-(Mitradictorv  state- 
incuts,  convcvini,^  no  actual  inrornuition;  tliat  it  was 
oi'  till!  oroatcst  iniportaiK-e  tor  tliu  interests  of  both 
(iod  and  tlu;  kin^'  that  the  truth  should  ho  learned 
hy  ex])lorati()ii,  (ispecially  in  the  niulter  of  u  not  im- 
|>i()hai»K'  interoeeani(3  eoininunieatlou  hy  the  i^uH'. 
Yet  no  inunediate  steps  were  tal;en  in  eoiLsetjUenco 
of  this  invest iLjation. 

One  of  tlie  maps  in  Pierre  D'Avitv's  o-rand  worl;  of 
innT  Avas  decidedly  hehind  its  time;  for  it  not  only 
made  Califoi'nia  ix  peninsula,  hut  placed  (^uivira  on 
the  coast,  and  ri'taint'd  the  olil  western  trend  of  the 

"/?o/(V/.)  1/  Sirrriiio  mill  Pmtir  //  Camnrilr,  Dnrlitrnri'n  i/iic  hic'i' rmi  cii  17 
(h'  ■"/.,  liiia — i!i'.  fty-i  nuif' iiicii'-'K.i  ijiif  n!^  fit'i/iri'ini  ilc  <l(fciihi\f  t-  ,:ii>  xi'  count- 
iih'ii  por  la  ('ill' I'd ni 'a  «'  I'lar  <hl  S'lr  run  rt  <lrl  X.  I.i  <\il.  ])ni\  lunl.,  xv. 
'Jl  "i-'-'T,  with  uli-it  (if  1>()()I;;<  iiiul  (locuiiieiitM  cdujuII.mI,  Bouiodf  wliicli  laUoriiro 
r.i  lon^j't'i'  txt.iiit.  ('ii-iniia' ■,  Mrmor'nd  (il  Alminni'c  tt'  /'<•;/,  rv  ■uuuikIuiI'Io 
'i:ii(i  1)111  rii  LuiK'dic'ioii  li  Id  (Ad/Juruht,  in  Paclicco  laid  Cd.ilcinis,  f.'ol.  ])w.,  ix. 

'^  III  past  ropnrt.s,  ','n-aiiil(i  inccrticlinii1)ro,  poe.a  fl'<':^  coutradicrimics  dc 
nnos  :'i  oti'os  sin  fiimliir.o  lo.s  uims,  ui  iijustar.ju  a  I'l.  i  circuiiitiuici.is.'  'Wo 
liiid  (ipiiiiiins  t  >  lie  vari:)iis,  iiiiil  (U  linitiom  diverse  r('s;;c'i,'t.iii'5  t!ii-i  discnvory. 
SoMii!  iiiid;('(  'alif'iniia  a;i  i.-laiid,()tlu'r;4  iiiainlaiiil ;  f  ;)in.i  jiiit  !■.  titrait  <  f  Aniaii, 
otliira  di)  iKit. ;  u\w  iii;ii1;:j  <>iit  a,  ]ia.ssai;u  to  Sjiaiii  l>y  way  <•?  1  loi  ida,  putlin;^  a 
Kt;\::t  ill  ( 'aliloiiiia  i;i4;l  ;  aiiotlur  indicates  Jacal,  v.  itli  iL.^  h;tiait  and  ll;o  new 
invtlioni  i'l'i.  assuring;  the  iiavi'^'atiou  t.)  Spain.  Otlii  "s  d  :iid)t  thi-i,  !;ayiiij;lliat 
tluso  iitraits  k'ud  tr,)  to  SI)  iii;,'!ia,  latitudo  tliat  t!ij  ]);i;is.i;.;c!  i )  inip:)s.sil)le,  l)y 
reason  of  cold.  Seine  say  iiii.s  ciiki  intda  (the  gulf';)  ninn  N.  \v.,  otiieis  x., 
olliei's  N.]'.. ,!intl  s'JMio  that  it  cnd.s  in  three  liver.s  llowin'^  down  from  lofty 
(iievras.  ^hlny  ])Ut  ( 'ape  Mendocino  in  40',  or  42';  and  one;  modern  siientilic 
author  puts  one  Caiie  Meii(h>eino  in  41)'  iind  anotlier  in  ."/:*  ;  (jlliers,  knowiny 
nu)hin','of  latitudes,  d(.,ei'ilio  vast  reaches  of  territory  from  ea^t  to  west  not 
visited.  .  .^Ve  Iind  no  iinit'orm  com'se,  no  certain  di. stance,  no  true  latitude, 
soundin^,'  to  undeceive,  nor  perspective  to  enli;;hten.'  1  ho  liudin;'  of  tho 
pa-:  iejo  Avill  facilitate  military  and  connnereinl  eonnuunication  with  Spain; 
and  in  tlie  opinion  of  diU'erent  personn  it  will  aii'oi  d  ii,  mean  i  of  succoring  New 
Mtxico,  reveal  the  dwelling-p'lac  s  of  white  ami  clotlad  men,  liuid  to  the  dis- 
covery of  L/i.  i/rnii.  (Jiilr/r'l,  the  towns  of  the  ci'ow  ued  kin %%  i  iland  of  the 
giantess,  lake  of  f,'old,  rivera  Tizon  and  t'orrd.  IW  it  t!:e  f.io  may  lie  liarassed 
01  lioth  s:as  and  forced  to  abandon  daeal,  and  prevciitid  from  attacking  Cali- 
fovuia  a!id  drawing  aid  from  Morida.  '  If  tlu:re  i.i  a  t-.trait,  who  can  doulit  that 
the  foe  know.!  it'?  The  Coiide  del\'allo  says  a  ])iitcli  vessel  entiled  the  strait 
of  Anian,  and  that  the  enemy  is  advancing  fr<im  .T::cal  ilay  \>y  <lay.'  A  priest 
saw  seven  ships  in  the  gulf;  Iturhi  and  ('ardonii  had  tlieir  vessels ea|itared; 
Drake  reached  Mendocino;  ('avendish  took  the  Snii/'i  Aiiiki;  it  it  raid  that 
ve.s.se'.s  leave  the  Atlantic  coast  ballasted  with  silver  ore  ;  it  wasswoin  indiia- 
didnjara  that  the  J''i'cneh  were  in  search  of  the  strait,  and  had  a  pl.uiof  it ;  one 
man  thought  their  leailer  was  a  Dutch  pilot.  Cas;inate  in  hi.)  i.ieiiiorial  repeats 
most  of  tile  same  matters,  lie  also  notes  that  Captain  .Martin  do  N'iday  going 
north  from  .Siuuloa  found  ii  wiillod  city  with  good  strceta,  largo  buildings,  etc. 


lOS 


THE  XORTHEEX  MYSTERY-COXCLUSIOX. 


seaboard  to  Cape  !Mciulocino,  \vitli  most  of  tlic  old 
names.  A  novel  arraDgeiiiCnt  of  the  lakes  in  Xew 
]Mexieo  will  be  noticed.  I  append  a  i-ediieed  copy, 
omittin!]^  most  of  tlic  names.  In  his  text  D'Avity 
names  IJerg  as  the  northernmost  province  of  America^ 
and  declares  that  the  coasts  of  Quivii-a  are  "bien  pen 
connus,"  being  somewhat  out  of  the  lino  of  ordinary 
navigation." 


\C. Mendocino 


Mllli.tnii  li. 


NO  A' A   AI.«1  ON 


■Y\ 


----A 


D'Avity's  ^Map,  1(137. 

About  the  middle  of  the  centniy,  according  to 
Padre  Tello,  a  Flemisli  man  named  Ado  sold  at 
Compostrla,  Jnlisco,  a  piece  of  cloth  wliicli  he  said 
he  ha<l  bought  forty  days  before  in  London.  But 
this  <lisc()V;'rer  of  Anian  sliot  a  Spaniard  and  lied, 
carrving  his  secret  with  hnn.  It  was  in  IHCO  that 
the  Portuguese  MelgU(>r  is  vaguely  re[)ortetl  to  have 
saik'd  in  ni  Japan  to  liisbon  through  the  strait  t)f 
Anian  and  the  frozen  st'a." 

G<Jvernoi'    Diego   do   Peilalosa  made   a  trip  from 

'•''/)'.'1?vV//.  Li'  Mr>iuJi\  Piiris.  lO.'lT,  {;oiicr.'il  map  of  the,  worM.  In  /•/., 
Discriiitioii  Urmriih'  tic  r.liiir,  liiii. ,  ;\liiult  is  j)t.  ii.  of  tlio  invc'iliiig,  tlio 
innnof  Aiiiiricit  is  iiiucli  iiiiiniivcMl ;  the  coast  ti'ciid  is  x.  \v.;  Qiiivira,  find 
Ni'W  .Mliiouai'o  omittuil;  tlioold  lake  with  its  seven  cities  is  restored;  iiiid  t'lo 
lake  froni  wliieli  t!i<!  St  Lawrence  flows  is  inoveil  some  'JIKM)  miles  eastwar<l. 
A  f:ie.it  i-land  of  I'axai-os  li<'S  olt  the  coast,  in  alxiut  .'tt  ;  'J'otontcac,  Cihoia, 
and  ( 'aliforniii  are  the  pi'ovinces  named;  and  the  coast  nanii'S  are  as  in  many 
curlier  maps. 

^^ Mutu  I'adilla,  Jlist.  X.  linliriit,  "4;  Anion  fl>,   Vuj.  Muldoiidiln,  3!),  75. 


rnfsALOSA'S  ILXPEDITION". 


100 


lie  old 

i  Xiiw 

copy, 

'Avity 

on  pen 
•dinury 


[ling  to 
sold  at 
10  said 
But 
id  ilcd, 
iO  that 
Lo  have 
Irait   of 

)  from 
In  /./., 

iliiiV',  tlid 

liiviia  iiml 

iiiiil  Ihu 

It'Mstwnril. 

Is  ill  luuuy 

lo,  30,  75. 


Xcw  ^iloxieo  in  1002,  of  which  Padre  Freytas  wrote 
the  diary,  and  in  wliich  he  ilaiined  to  have  reached 
tlic  original  (}nivirn,  far  to  the  nortli-east  of  Santa 
Fe.    A  memorial  seeking  license  for  norllnrn  con- 
(|uest  was  sent  to  the  king  with  the  narrative,  which 
was  therefore  filled  with  every  imaginary  wonder  of 
the  Northei-n  ]Mystery  that  might  i'avor  his  enter- 
prise,   ^lost  of  his  statements  were  ftdse,  c\cn  if  tlio 
whole  account  was  not  pure  fiction.    The  Avlioje  region 
was  a  veritahle  paradise,  ahounding  in  all  desirable 
pi'oducts;  and  the  city  of  Quivira  was  of  great  extent. 
Several  thousand  houses  of  from  two  to  four  stories 
were  counted  in  the  two  leagues  of  streets  traversed: 
and  a  l»arty  sent  to  ex[>lore  could  not  reach  the  end 
of   the   town.     The   natives   told   also  of  j)roNinces 
heyond,  of  Tliegiiayo,  the  province  of  the  Ahijados, 
and  others,  so  ricli  that  ordinary  dishes  were  made 
of  silver  and  gold— -to  obtain  which  wealth  the  J'^n- 
glish,  Frencii,  and  Dutch  were  straining  every  nerve. 
it  bch(»oved   Spain  to  act  })roinptly.     All  the  men 
from  Fui'0[)e,  Asia,  Africn,  and  America  who  liad 
visited  tliis  Innd  were  waiting  impatiently  ior  Don 
Diego  to  he  made  duke,  mar(piis,  and  count,  with  com- 
mand over  the  new  dominion.     It  was  on  the  sea,  not 
nioi'e  th;ni  two  Imndrcd  and  fifiy  leagues  iVom  Santa 
Fe  on  the  west,  north,  and  cast;  and  shi])s  might  visit 
it  freely.      Zaldihai's  visit   to   the  west   in    1(118    is 
mentioned  in  coniirmation,  tliougli  he  did  not  dare  to 
penetrate  to  the  mai'Vels  reported  to  him,  hy  reason 
of  te'.rihle  giants  to  be  juissed;  at  which  cowardice 
l*adr(^   Lazai'o  protested,  as  did  nature,  finding   ex- 
pression in  an  eartluaiake.^^ 

' ' /■>(  »''r.i,  J?(!tir'nn  (til  ilr'<t'iihrln)ii"^n  il'l  pnl.i  »/  riiiihi<l  <Itj  Qiririm.  H''hn 
p<ir  J),  hiiij'}  J}'oii/sio  ifi'  J'l  iiiiliisii,  ill  S/iiti'M  JJr/iiif.  nj'  I'i\'iiliinii.  '  l']ki  il 
I'  ;<)iiii  Kiitir  t.»li>  In  <|iii!  liast.i  ny  «'-'lii  iinnnii.slado  y  )>ipli!iiilo  ihluixo  dil 
iHiiiiliir  (If  Ann  rii-a  <•>(  Honilna  I'li  iiiiiijiai'acii.ii  ilo  lo  <|ni;  i  <iiiU(  no  ista  iiiiiva 
|i,irtc  ticl  iiiuii(li)  iiiicvo  iiiiu'iiai'acla  rilo  I'Diiijuistar  jmr  Ins  T'laiiccscH  <|iie  loii- 
liuau  (■  111  i'll;i,  y  ,\v  los  Vii^lcM'M  y  Olalllll•.sl•,^  (|;;o  1aiiti>  la  tloscaii,  jiiaii|ili:  in) 
111  niiisi^'iiiran  lis  viio.s  iii  lim  otnis,  |icii(nii'  i;_'i.ai'au  <  1  Aiti^  do  ••niii|\iirii.ii-.'  [ 
luiAo  iiiciiii  t't  s  ly  (if  I'l'TialusaH  cxiirilitidU  mid  I'.in'cr  ilscwIiiTo.  Xntliiii,^ 
Imt  a  full  r(;ir(idin.iii)ii  wouM  dn  jiistii'o  to  tho  alj.iurdilics  of  tlio  uairaiivo. 


no 


THE  NOnXIIERX  MYSTERY— COXCLUSIOX. 


An  'exact  dcrscriptioii'  of  Amcrira  M'as  published 
in  1G55.  The  autlior  admits  that  the  qiu^stion  of  a 
separation  or  non-f;eparation  I'roui  Asia  is  too  deep  for 
him.  The  prevalent  opinion  seems  to  be  that  Aniei'ica 
is  an  island,  separated  from  Anian,  a  province  of  Tar- 
tary,  by  tlie  strait  of  that  name.  Noting  the  old 
reports  about  its  havini^  been  navii^ated,  the  writer 
says:  "But  of  what  credit  these  testimonies  sliall  be 
thoui^ht,  for  ou'jfht  I  know,  the  Header  nnist  iudn'c. 
I  onely  report  them  as  I  iinde  them... I  l(!ar  the 
Proverb  may  somevv'hat  prevail  upon  tbe  English  in 


<o 


^ 


;P.;Sl.F.D7aV, 


I 


'nde 


IJ 


/ 


mi^-^'">"r,   r:\     -./    o^ 


Ogiliiy'm  Map,  1(17 1. 

this  point,  Quod  vohunus  facile  credimus."  Strait  or 
no  strait,  liowever,  California  'in  its  largest  sense'  in- 
cludes idl  till)  north-west  I'egion,  jind  is  divided  into 
four  j)rovinces:  Quivirn,  in  tlu'  extreme  north — to 
tlu!  sti'Mit,  if  there  be  one,  or  else  to  Tartary — with 
Acuco,  '^riguex,  and  ('icuic,  as  its  chief  towns;  f'ibola, 
lying  bc'twoen  (^>ui\ira  and  Xueva  (lalicia;  (California 


pi-oi 


)ei',  that  is,  the  southern  part  of  the  island  below 


MARQUETTE  AND  LA  SALLE. 


Ill 


lisliccl 
u  of  a 
!cp  for 
inerica 
.f  Tar- 
lic  c)ld 
writer 
luill  be 
jiul.ive. 
!ar  the 
•  li'^h  ill 


•Philips/ 
y^'~  f/'tifituti 


I 


,'N>-, 


s.«'" 


Tnllr 


[trait  or 

lusc'  in- 

le'd  into 

Irth— to 

r— with 

C'ibola, 

lllforiua 

ll  below 


nR°;  and  Now  Albion,  that  part  of  the  island  above 
08'  uj)  to  Capo  Blanco.  The  pcoplo  of  Cathay  and 
China  "doo  trade  with  tlio  Maritime  parts  and  l*co[)lo 
of  Quivii'a."  The  groat  la];e  of  Totonteac  is  tho  ni(x<t 
noteworthy  foatnro.""'  1  co[)y  tlio  northern  porliv)n  of 
Onilhy's  map  of  1G71,  which  is  in  most  res})ects  iden- 
tical with  that  of  IGl'5  from  Purchas.  The  propiT 
location  of  Quivira  in  the  nortli-east,  and  tlie  small 
extent  of  land  between  Hudson  Bay  and  the  Paeiiio 
are  j)oints  that  attract  attention.'^ 

Pei'o  ^larqiiette,  passinf^  down  the  Mi:;sissippi  ia 
107-1,  noted  the  mouth  of  the  ]\Iissouri,  and  wrote, 
"thiough  this  I  hope  to  reach  tlie  gr.lf  of  Calilornia, 
and  thence  the  Juist  Indies;"  I'orthe  Inchans  t'polce  of 
a  meadow  li%o  or  six  <lays  up  the  i-iver,  whence  a 
stream  ran  Avestward.  "If  God  gives  me  liealih  1  do 
not  desjair  of  one  da\'  malcing  tlio  discovery."  And 
La  Salle  adopted  the  idea  tliat  the  South  .Sc;a  mig'ht 
be  reached  by  ascending  one  of  tlie  great  rivers; 
thourdi  the  size  of  those  rivers  must  have  shown  tho 
probable  distance  to  the  Paciiic  to  l)e  much  greater 
than  liad  been  supposed. ***  It  was  a  ie-w  yea)"  later 
that  Thomas  Peche  sailed  from  the  PJnli[)pinesnoi'lh- 
warvl,  iwA  one  hundred  and  tweiitv  lea''iie.^  Int(j  tho 
stniit  of  Anian,  but  was  forced  to  return  down  th<i 
American  coast.  Presumably  there  was  not  the 
slightest  foundation  for  the  story.'''* 

AlxHit  l(i8(),  the  attention  of  Spain  having  boon 
called  anew  to  reports  of  northern  wealth,  and  tho 

""'.h»r/'.r'7,  an  Kxitrt  Ihncrl/tflon,  Loudon,  iri.")."i,  ]iii.  SO-O'J,  'JOl-.TK'!.  .Trnsz, 
or  I'lai'U,  Aiii'rii'i,  (jnti  t,<t  (if(>;irii]i/tiir  Jt'/iri(ii>ir  /'((/•-■  (Jr'iitti,  (v(  1.  y.'\.  nf  Iiin 
Atl:!S  .M;i  jori.  Aim.  t-  l.;i!:'.iiii,  lOli'J,  givc-^  t')  <  'alifmiiiii  liu;  t-.'.iiio  Inniid  (  \teut. 

'■0;/7''//|  ,•(  Ai/iirlcri,  Lomloii,  KiTI.  ;  ■  lur.-.l  iiiaji,  text,  "JI'S  it  ic  [.,  ■\v!i(,"-('  is 
tlio  UfiUiJ  ill  nin^'ciiiuiit  of  tho  jii-oviiu'cs  c .t  (Juivirii.  ( 'iliolii,  ( 'ulil'onii:i,  iiml  New 
All)iiiu;  Imt  llio  aiillior  seems  to  lie  in  iniu'li  donUt  aliimt  tlnir  rela'.ivo  ito.si- 
tions.  III  tlio  soiilhcru  jiortions  of  tlio  iiiaii,  not  oojiiod,  tlio  ro;  ion  ca  .t  ot  tho 
l!io  (111  Xoi'to  is  ciillod  \.  Moxioo;  and  'I'iu'uas,  Sooorro,  and  oiln  r  naiii'saro 
t'ivoii  aloiii;  tho  rivor;  whilo  farthtv  cast  is  X.  (Iranada,  Miih  tho  tnwii.i  of 
Ziiiiy,  Moi|ui,  otc.  Soo  also  Monluini.t,  \iiiiiir  ll'riril'/,  '-'Ol  ot  s;of).;  A/.,  /'/(• 
liiLiii:ti'  \' i.i-il'rff,  '2'\\  otHoi|.;  all  tlinn-  workn  lioinj;  in  siiliHtaiao  ilio  .'anio. 

'".S'/ia/'/.'.i'  l,'/(>  of  Miin/iii'ilc;  X.  Aiiivr.  llrriiir,  .lainiary  l.'i;'.),  fi).  Ill 
l()S')-_'  IVi'c  llonnopin  wont  \\\\  tho  Mis-sissipi,!  to  tho  falls  of  St  Anthony, 
wliilo  La  h'iillo  l.iniiiolf  Mont  down  that  livor  to  tlio  j;ulf. 

''•".jt/x'us  y  Loccra,  Tiica^ro  Aavaf,  cited  iu  Jejj'tnji'  Gnut  I'rulj.,  18-lU. 


112 


THE  NORTHERN  MYSTERY— CONCLUSION. 


lciii<^  having  issued  a  cedilla  on  the  subject  in  1G78, 
Padro  Alon«o  de  Paredes,  ^vllo  had  been  a  missionary 
ill  Now  Mexico,  wrote  a  report  on  the  subject  not  cal- 
cuUitcd  to  excite  enthusiasm,  (^uivii-a  lie  placed 
somewhere  in  Texas,  thougli  it  might  extend  far  north- 
ward. There  was  no  evidence  of  gokl  or  great  cities 
there.  Of  Teguayo,  or  Teliuayo,  a  i'amous  name  now 
that  had  perha})s  been  current  for  a  half  century, 
nothing  was  known  Ixyond  Indian  reports  that  it  was 
a  j)opulous  kingdom  containing  a  great  lake.-"  In 
IGSG  also  the  English  corsair  8 wan  was  on  the  coast. 
His  chronicler,  ])ampier,  could  not  satisfy  himself 
Mhethcr  California  was  an  island  or  a  peninsula;  nor 
did  lie  think  the  Spaniards  desired  to  have  the  lake 
of  California  expk)red,  lest  foreigners  should  reach 
New  jMexico,  as  Spaniards  had  escaped  from  New 
Mexico  by  that  way  at  the  late  insurrection.-' 

IJaron  la  llontaii  made  his  famous  imaginary 
journey  to  the  far  west  in  1G88.  He  ascended  JA>ng 
iu\'er,  a  tributary  of  the  ]\[ississippi,  for  some  eighty 
days,  p>assing  natives  more  civilized  than  any  at  tlie 
east.  He  did  not  reach  the  head  of  the  river,  which 
was  said  to  lead  to  a  great  salt  lake,  with  populous 

^"/'t(r(''/t'<,  Ui'dcs  ij  Cnr'io-'n/i  Xot'idas  del  ^ we  ro- J/VuvVo,  C'diola  y  oU'us 
vctrlojii't  coil li till II /(■■•'.  Ld  (iiifiijiia  trcdlr'toiK'e  Cfjinf/i,  c'c,  'JIl-'J-i.  lie  BJiys 
tluit  I'lulrc  Jjt'iiaviik'd  in  liii  memorial  (-f  l(i;!Jh;iil  riiolicu  <:f  the  reportud  pjkl 
lUKli-il^cr  of  To^uiiyi)  ami  (Jiiivii;i,  aud  cx-dovciiior  I'mudiwa  liinl  i.jiiilo  a, 
]ii'(i[)i)sitioii  to  di:iC()Vi-i'  iilul  conqiKr  tlioso  proviucL'.;,  c-illiu;,'  To^ni.'i.vo  '/'('td'jo. 
i'aroilcd  fcaya  that  Tcj^uayo  i.-i  ISO  Icayiics  \.  of  Iho  Ytita  oounlry,  v,  hirh  i^i  G:) 
Ita;;iun  X.  of  Santa  l\'.  'J  ho  tstniit  (jf  j\niaii  ii  in  T(*',  tho  pilf  of  the  same 
iiaini!  liciii;;  N.  r,.  in  tiie  region  of  J.alirador.  (,>uivira  ia  s.  K.  ^  E.,  toward  tho 
Lay  of  Ksjilritn  Santo.     See  nho  J'n  i//ii>i,  JU/ncioii. 

■^  /)'iii/ji'i  r\-i  X(  ir  Voijifjc,  i.  'JtM,  "Ji-.  Oiio  n,ap  sccmn  disposed  to  iiialio 
falifoinia  a  iieninsida,  a«  indeed  he  saya  tho  latest  Spanish  eliaita  repicK  nt 
it.  liis general  niaji,  i.  fnintisjiieee,  niake.f  Calitoinia  an  island,  end  ii  I'oi  tho 
most  part  like  the  ( );nl)iy  map,  save  that  thi^  north  end  of  the  island  han  three 
iironus,  separated  liy  small  liays.  Tho  scniree  of  the  St  Lawrence  is  li  ft  open 
m  a  way  to  suggest  a  sea  or  jiassagc  to  the  sea.  Lut  a  novelty  i.i  a  va^jio 
eoast  siretehiny  between  111'  and.")()'IVom  ni'ar  tlieeud  of  California  \ve--t\Vin-d, 
named  Compagnies  I.;ind,  and  .sepni'ated  from  Asia  jnst  above  Jaj-aii  by  a 
B^rait  of  I'rie.s.  Tlii.s  was  published  in  KI'.i'.l.  In  Linil,  J 11/ rod m/ in  ad  d'co- 
iini/i/iiiuii,  (t[)2,  T'M,  are  two  mapsof  KJD'J,  whieh  fn.in  their  reseml)lanee  to  the 
oiiiers  need  not  bo  eopied ;  l)ut  there  are  some  ju'eidiar  features.  On  the  N. 
1  :id  of  the  island  .Mie  two  l)ays  and  points  with  the  nanu  s  'l\  laiirjo  ;;i:d  /.'.  ilc 
J.  •!!<  ''• ;  while  <in  the  main  ojiposite,  in  AS",  is  a  Ion;'  siju.ire  projeelii  a  ealled 
Aijubtladv  Cuto,  with  a  ;;roui>  of  islands  in  tlie  strait  lieiwo'en.  {:<••'  Aii's 
luap  uf  1707,  which  is  bimilur  ill  these  respects.)     In  the  iiitenor  ror.nd  the 


KDTO  AXD  S.VLVATIERRA. 


iia 


n  1G78, 
;sionary 
not  cal- 

placcd 
rnortli- 
at  cities 
line  now 
ceiituvv, 
it  it  was 
ivr'  III 
iie  coast. 

liiiiiself 
Ilia;  nor 
llio  lake 
ild  reach 
oni  New 

21 

ina!^,inary 
k-eri.ong 
iio  eiylity 
ly  at  the 
,  Vvliieh 


1">1 


luloiis 


:,-.    I'lo  saya 

hail  i.sadc  ;i 

liiayo  T>:ttvj<>. 

■,  v.hii-h  '\A  CJ 

of  I'.io  wiiuo 

I,  tcwaril  tlio 

Iscd  to  malio 
I'ta  rciivcuufc 
(ml  i-i  iVii  llio 
|iul  l'a;Ulr:VO 
is  li  ft  o|n  u 
ly  in  a  va^uo 
a,  \vc-t\\iir.l, 
.lapaii  l>y  ii 
\ii\o  (ill  (■<'"■ 
jlaiit'i'totli'! 
l)u  tliL-  N. 
I/O  aiul  /.'.  ''" 
^.clii  a  calK'cl 
(S,.'  Aa's 
Ir  ripuiul  the 


cities  and  large  vessels.     His  story  was  pure  fiction  in 
all  that  related  to  Long  River  and  the  far  west.^" 

In  the  last  decade  of  the  century  Padre  Kino 
began  his  labors  in  Piinen'a  Alta,  Though  his  chief 
object  was  the  salvation  of  souls,  both  he  and  Captain 
Mange  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  Northern  ]\[ystery, 
lu  their  tri[)  to  the  Gila  and  Colorado  in  1G99  they 
heard  of  a  woman — perhaps  the  famous  ^Nfaria  de 
Jesus  de  Agrcda,  wlu)  was  said  to  have  travelled 
miiaculously  in  these  parts — who  long  ago  had 
pi'cached  to  them,  and  when  shot  had  several  times 
risen  from  the  dead;  they  heard  of  white  men  who 
sometimes  came  to  trade;  but  received  no  confirma- 
tion of  Ohate's  island  of  the  giantess.  Kino  was 
inclined  to  disbelieve  the  tlieory  that  California  was 
an  island,  and  in  1700  from  a  hill  near  the  head 
of  the  gulf  he  made  some  observations  which 
strengthened  his  opinion,  tliough  they  by  no  means 
settled  the  question,  as  has  been  erroneously  claimed. 
In  ^March  1701.  padres  Kino  and  Salvatierra  stood 
with  flange  on  the  mainland  shore  of  the  upper  gulf, 
in  ^31°  or  o2',  as  they  thought,  and  held  an  anwjahle 
dispata  on  the  geographical  problem.  To  the  padres 
it  seemed  that  the  shores  united  some  thirty-six 
kvigues  farther  north,  in  accordance  with  their  mis- 
sionary desires;  but  Mange  deemed  appearances  at 
such  a  distance  deceitful,  and  from  the  currents  chose 
to  believe  still  in  an  entrccho.  Later  in  the  year  Kino 
crossed  the  Colorado,  and  was  still  convinced  that  all 
was  tlcrrafwme,  tliough  he  did  not  go  far  enough  to 
])rove  it. 

trnat  lake  are  the  now  map  names  Aiwclics,  Xila,  Taos,  etc.  The  other  map 
(Units  till!  foatnn's  ritod  al)out  the  end  of  the  island,  liiit  introdiioes  otiiers 
e;|iially  iinvcl.  ( 'alifoi-iiiji  is  not  oidy  separated  from  tlii!  main  liy  a  strait,  hut 
hy  aiiiithcr  strait  on  tlie  west  from  t!ie  'J'(  rrc  tli.'  Irs.'O ;  ami  north  of  ( 'alifornia, 
in  ■">((',  wlu'thcr  on  dry  laud  or  in  opi.'n  sea  is  )iot  apparent,  ait:  ( 'imihn^  and 
''ihiihi!  There  is  an  ojiening  from  I'ort  N'elsou  of  IIu<lson  l>ay  intoau  Icy  Sea. 
ill  llii'b'.^Col.  (triijiiKil  I'oi/fiiiriuf  KiU!)  is  a  mapof  the  usual  type,  wliieh  has 
thi;  Mixr/mxijU  J'.  (Mississippi  Kiver)  very  acenrately  located,  hnt  exai.%'er- 
ntrd  in  len;„'th.  Hetweeu  this  river  and  the  strait  of  Aniaii,  just  above  .">0',  i^ 
the  n;inic;  .}fi  mlo'iim, 

'■'  Lfi.  Ili)}it(uu  Xoinrniix  Vm/ni'c.'i,  ITOi!.    T  have  not  seen  thi'  work,  and  iu 
current  /•(.«"/.(((  there  is  not  the  ;.lii;!itest  resenihhmcc  one  to  another, 
llisr.  N.  W.  CoAHr,  VuL.  I.    a 


Ill 


THE  NORTHERN  MYSTERY-CONCLUSION. 


E'  ! 


In  his  map  of  this  period  he  made  Cahfornia  a 
peninsula  on  the  strength  of  his  convictions.  This 
map,  a  very  accurate  one  of  all  these  regions,  too 
accurate  for  the  present  subject,  may  be  seen  in  an- 
other part  of  this  work.  It  was  not  published  at  the 
time,  and  was  seen  by  but  few  cosmographers.^^ 


Hakkis'  Map,  1705. 

■Ufaiifje,  IliM.  Pimeria.  2fM),  .*}01-'2;  .T24,  .131-3,  .3.37;  Apo.ofdficos  Afhiic^, 
28'2-r),  '290-.'),  308-0;  Snlmlkrrn,  in  CuUfoniia,  KMuh.  y  Pro;/.,  1*27-0,  i.V2-3; 
I  'ciir;im,  Xotlclax  (  V(/. ,  ii.  "tit-ii,  04- 1 OG ;  A  Injir,  1 1  inf.  Vom/i.  tie  ,/f  .s».s,  iii.  117-18, 
12-l-(i,  134-r>;  Lorkmaii'x  Trai:  Jexitifn,  i.  SoO,  395;  Map  in  Lettrea  Edij'.,  v. 
29.     Sec  ulso  my  UUt.  Northern  Mex.  Utalcs,  i. 


BARTHOLOMEW  DE  FOXTE. 


US 


rornia  a 
5.  This 
ons,  too 
n  in  an- 
d  at  the 

,  23 


^J 


^^■ 


__r 


«.  of 


B7-!),  i'>-'-:5; 
Liii.l  IT-IS, 
\ca  Edlf.,  V. 


"% 


11 


The  map  pubhshod  with  ITarlrs  CoUoct'ion  of  Voy- 
Ofjca  ill  IGO'J  was  reproduced  l)y  Heylyii  in  1701  and 
by  Harris  in  1705.^*  These  have  nameless  streams 
flowing  into  the  gulf  of  Mexico,  which  may  be  the 
Rio  Bravo  del  Norte,  with  its  mouth  now  trans- 
ferred to  the  proper  side  of  the  continent.  Heylyn's 
text  is  similar  to  that  of  the  'exact  description'  of 
1(!55  already  noted.  He  is  sure  that  California  is 
an  island,  and  explains  how  some  have  been  led  into 
the  error  of  regarding  it  as  a  peninsula  in  the  past; 
and  he  also  adds  that  Quivira  is  by  some  placed  far  in 
the  interior,  by  the  '  back  of  A^irginia.'  Harris  has 
another  map,  which  I  reproduce  in  part.  It  shows  La 
Hontan's  fictitious  discoveries ;  northern  California  as 
in  several  earlier  maps  mentioned  but  not  copied;  and 
Santa  Fe,  on  the  Brave  River,  or  Rio  Bravo  del  Norte, 
llowinu:  into  the  right 
gulf,  but  still  out  of 
the  famous  lake.  The 
accoinpan^-ing  frag- 
ment from  Pieter 
vander  Aa  of  1707 
explains  itself  so  far 
as  any  explanation  is 
l)racticablo.  ^-^'^  ^i-"">  i'07.- 

Padre  Kino  in  170G  looked  for  the  last  time  on 
the  gulf  waters  and  mouth  of  the  Colorado,  again 
CMiivincing  himself,  but  failing  to  convince  his  com- 
])auic)iis,  among  whom  was  Padre  Niel,  that  the  gulf 
there  ended.^' 

In  a  London  periodical,  Monthhj  ^fisccUani/,  or 
}[('inoir>i  for  tlic  Curious,  in  Ajn'il  an<l  .June  1708, 
a|>])cared  what  purported  to  Ik.'  a  letter  of  Achniral 
l^aitholomew  de  Fonte,  describing  a  voyage  made  by 

'■^/frj/li/n'ii  r'o>.')?io.7rf(/)/j//.frontispicfe and  jip.lHMJ-S,  ]  1  nrri<,X<iriiiniil i iim ,\. ; 
nlsoiii  Fiiiiiii  H'n  yoywjp,  1707.  Tlicso  maps  slmw  also  a  Kti'ait  i>f  I'lics  on  the 
Asiatic!  slmri's,  separating  tlu;  main  from  an  oastfrn  land,  which,  h(j\vt;vt.i',dot.'a 
jiiit  ixtcnd  eastward  to  Anierioa,  as  in  Danipier's  map. 

'■'Ajiiinfolieus  Aj'iiia'-<,  3'2.'{-(i;  Xiil,  Ainiiituniifiiliis.  7S.  The  latter  i)uta  the 
visit  ill  1705,  and  says  that  us  there  waa  no  proof,  'iiuedo  la  eosa  en  opinion. ' 


IP 


IIG 


THE  NORTHERN  MYSTERY— CONCLUSION. 


Lim  in  1G40.  It  was  partl,y  in  the  first  and  partly 
in  tlio  third  pcrscvi;  no  rotbronoo  was  niado  by  the 
editors  to  any  original  from  which  it  might  have 
been  translated;  but  they  mentioned  an  accompany- 
ing chart,  not  i)ublished  and  never  heard  (jf  again.  It 
was  doubtless  a  deliberate  hoax,  prepared  at  the  time 
by  some  one  who  had  a  superficial  acquaintance  with 
Spanish -American  affairs;  but,  for  the  discussions  to 
which  it  gave  rise,  the  story  must  be  noticed  here, 
and  is  in  substance  as  follows; 

Fonte  sailed  from  the  '  Calo'  of  Lima  April  3, 1040, 
with  four  vessels,  under  orders  from  Spain  and  the 
viceroys,  issued  because  of  information  that  Boston 
navigators  had  been  seeking  the  northern  passage. 
Diego  Penalosa  was  vice-admiral  of  the  ficet;  and 
tlie  other  two  commanders  were  Pedro  do  Bonardye, 
t)r  Baniarda,  and  Felipe  de  Ronquillo.  They  touched 
at  various  [)()ints,  and  took  a  master  and  six  mariners 
at  Comj)()stela.  On  this  master's  o[)inion  that  Cali- 
fornia was  an  island,  Penalosa,  son  of  the  sister  of 
Don  Luis  de  Haro,  resolved  to  learn  tlie  truth,  and 
his  vessel  left  the  fieet  on  the  10th  of  May.  Fonto 
with  three  ships  went  on  and  b}'  June  14th  reached 
the  river  Reyes,  in  latitude  53°.  He  sailed  about  two 
hundred  and  sixty  leagues  in  crooked  channels  among 
the  islands  of  the  Archipelagus  de  St  Lazarus;  and 
on  June  2'2d  sent  Captain  Barnarda  up  a  fair  ri^•er. 
Barnarda  sailed  n.,  n.  n.  e.,  and  n.  w.,  to  a  great  lake 
full  of  islands,  named  Lake  Valasco.  Here  he  left  his 
ship  between  the  island  Bai-narda  and  the  })eninsula 
Conihasset,  and  in  three  Indian  boats  sailed  140 
leagues  w.  and  430  leagues  k.  n.  e,,  to  latitude  77  . 
Meanwhile  Fonte  sailed  up  the  river  Ileyes  north- 
eastward to  a  town  of  Conosset,  on  tlie  south  side  of 
Lake  Belle,  where  some  Jesuit  missionaries  with  hiiu 
had  been  foi-  two  years.  In  the  same  region  there  was 
a  river  do  Haro.  At  Conosset  the  admiral  ret!ei\ed 
a  letter  from  Barnarda,  dated  June  '27th,  having 
entered  Lake  Belle  June  22d  with  his  two  ships.    July 


FRUITS  OF  PEfsALOSA'S  STOItY. 


Ilf 


1st  lie  sailed,  perhaps  in  Ixmts,  down  tlio  river  Par- 
nientiers,  passinj,'  eight  falls, until,  July  Gth,  he  reached 
lake  Fonte,  which  was  GO  by  100  leagues,  and  well 
supplied  with  islands.  Then  he  sailed,  July  14-17, 
eastward  through  a  lake  called  Estrecho  de  llon(|uillo 
to  an  Indian  town,  where  he  heard  of  a  large  shi}), 
which  on  sailing  to  it  he  found  to  be  a  Boston  ship, 
Cajjtain  Shapley,  owned  by  Scinior  Gil^bons,  major- 
general  of  !Maltechusets.  Instead  of  capturing  this 
craft  as  a  prize  Fonte  generously  made  presents  to 
otHcers  and  men,  and  bought  Shaj)ley's  tine  charts  and 
journals.  Then  he  returned,  August  (5-1 G, to  Conosset, 
where  on  the  20th  he  received  another  letter  of  Au- 
gust 1 1th  from  Barnarda.  That  officer  had  gone  so  far 
as  to  })rove  that  there  was  no  passage  by  Davis  Strait, 
lie  had  reached  79'',  and  one  of  his  men  had  been  led 
by  the  natives  to  the  head  of  Davis  Strait,  which 
terminated  in  a  fresh-water  lake  in  80°,  beyond  which 
A\ere  high  mountains  and  ice.  By  a  third  letter 
liarnarda  announced  his  arrival  at  ]Minhanset  and  the 
])ort  of  Arena,  on  the  river  Rej'es,  August  29th;  and 
thither  Fonte  with  great  stores  of  salt  provisions  and 
one  hundred  hogsheads  of  maize  returned  from  Lake 
]]elle  Septeml)er  2-5.  From  this  point  the  tieet  sailed 
homeward,  having  proved  that  there  was  no  north- 
west passage. 

Absurd  as  all  this  appears  related  en  resume,  it  is 
still  more  so  in  the  details,  many  of  which  are  unin- 
telligible. The  story  was  founded  i)robaI)ly,  if  it  had 
any  foundation,  on  something  in  one  of  I-^enalosa'.s 
ahsurd  memorials.  No  such  vovaijfc  was  over  made, 
even  if  such  a  man  as  Fonte  ever  lived ;'^'^  no  such 

''''  Antonio  I'lloa  in  a  letter  to  Xavarri'to  in  \~\)'2.  X(tr<irr<t<\  V'i<"ji  -i  Apdr., 
-<!4-7.  SMVs  tluit  in  \TM\  liu  met,  between  I';inani;l  iuid  ( iii!iyii(|nil,  ;in  nld  jiilot, 
.luiin  M;iniiel  ^forel,  who  bhowed  him,  among  other  old  diai'ios,  one  of  a  voy- 
Jiuo  nvido  liy  A(hiiiral  l>iirtolonit5  de  la  ]''uente,  who  was  ilespiitilied  liy  tlio 
\ii('r()y  (,f  IVvn  iu  eon.se(jueuce  of  a  report  that  a  Spanisli  sessel  liad  fomi<l 
noith  of  Ciiiuiniia  a  great  bay  strctchiu},'  eastward,  and  ii;id  met  in  it  !i  for- 
ei;,'n  ship.  Kiiento  foiuul  no  sucli  bay  and  returned.  I'lloa  took  a  copy  of 
tho  (liiiry  and  lost  it.  lie  afterward  told  the  .story  in  1-ondon,  a.  l  also  ecjr- 
respoiuled  with  M.  de  I'lsle.  Some  of  Penalosii's  exploits  are  mentioned  on 
p.  lU'J  of  this  chapter. 


118 


THE  NORTHERN  MYSTERY-CONCLUSION. 


complicated  not-work  of  channels  cuts  up  the  northern 
parts  of  America.  Yet  the  authenticity  of  the  vo}-- 
age  was  seriously  defended  until  the  region  in  «|ues- 
tion  became  so  fully  ex})lored  as  to  make  further 
defence  absurd.  The  argument  was,  in  substance, 
that  through  an  unknown  country  channels  may  ex- 
tend in  any  dij'oction;  inherent  contradictions  in  the 
narrative,  so  far  as  the  unknown  parts  are  concerned, 
may  bo  accounted  for  on  the  theory  of  the  translator's 
blunders;  and  like  blunders  of  translator  and  navi- 
gator must  account  for  discrepancies  between  Fonte's 
discoveries  and  those  of  later  ex[)lorers;  that  is,  the 
interior  was  safe,  and  Fonte's  entrance  on  the  C(jast 
was  moved  from  time  to  time  so  as  not  to  come  in 
conflict  with  advancing  exploration.  The  arguments 
are  not  worth  repetition,  even  if  I  had  space  for  them. 
The  map  of  De  I'lsle  and  Buache,  pronounced  by 
Burney  "  as  adventurous  a  j)iece  of  geography  as 
was  ever  published,"  will  be  given  in  substance  later. 
I  append  here  a  brief  bibliographic  notice  of  such 
writings  on  the  subject  as  are  before  me.'^^ 

''"The  original  is  in  Moiithli/  MiMnllanji,  or  Mfmoirx/or  the  Curious,  London, 
170S.  Artlnir  Dohlts,  Accoiint  of  the  ('oiiiitri<''i  mlJohiiiKj  lit  I/iiilsoii'.^  Jiiii/, 
1-3-30,  reprinted  the  letter  in  1744,  and  found  in  it  an  '  Air  of  Truth'  which 
left  no  doubt  of  a  N.  w.  passage,  tliough  prolwibly  not  well  translated,  cojiied, 
or  printed.  The  faet  of  tliero  being  a  Shapley  fiiniily  in  ISostou  'conlirnia 
its  being  an  authentick  Journal.'  De  I'lsle's  iiienioira  and  tlie  map  niudo  by 
Lini  and  Buauho  were  presented  to  the  French  Aeadeniy  in  IT.'iOand  17">-, 
being  i>rinted  in  the  latter  year.  J)v  I'lclc,  Exiilicatioii  </<•  hiVarti',  Paris,  17o-, 
liuuchv,  CoiiihlentfloiiH  ijcoyrKphii/uiK,  I'aris,  17.">3.  Tliey  included  Kussiaii 
and  Jajvinesu  discoveries.  A  rival  geographer,  M.  Vangondy,  (>h.ifrrufionn 
cr'itlquoK  siir  hs  iioimttca  ifcronrirtm  (if.  I'AiliHtml  !)<•  lit  J-'uenti',  I'aris,  17">3, 
took  upon  himself  to  refute  De  I'lsle's  arguments  at  the  time.  These  memoirs, 
translated  into  Spanish  and  supplemented  by  long  editorial  connnei:*.s  in 
which  Padre  IJuriel  expensed  tlie  lictitious  character  of  tlic  narrative,  wei-o 
printed,  17.")7,  in  Vciieijas,  Xotirinti  ile  Citl.,  in.  296-4.30.  In  17(iS  the  autlior 
oi  Jcfffi-jfit'  (Irecit  Proliuhiliti/  of  a  Northirc»t  Pn-tmitit'  <levoted  nine  pages  to 
Fonte's  letter  and  1  "20  pages  to  '(tbservations' in  defence  of  its  authenticity. 
The  work  also  contains  a  map  of  Fonte's  discoveries.  Forster,  J/inf.  I'o//., 
London,  I'iHt,  pp.  4."),'i-,'>,  deemed  neither  the  letter  nor  the  «lefenco  just 
referred  to  worthy  of  serious  refutation.  Clavigero,  Storid  dclla  Vrtl.,  i.  Iti3, 
also  declared  it  a  hoax  in  17'.IS.  ]>ut  Fleurieu  in  I71I7,  j1/w<7(rt;((/,  Voi/mii', 
iutrod.,  xxi.-xlii.,  could  not  realize  the  force  of  Forster's  argument,  and  was 
himself  disposed  to  believe  iu  Fonte's  voyage,  or  at  least  that  he  actually 
reached  t)ie  archipelago  and  entrance  of  a  great  river.  This  author  ami  many 
others  are  unduly  iutlueuced  by  the  absurd  idea  that  Spain  made  secret 
explorations  and  kept  the  results  a  profound  mystery.     Navarrcte  in  1802, 


SPANISH  VIEWS. 


110 


A  Spanish  dcscri[)tioii  of  America  in  1710  ilescribes 
tlio  strait  as  discovcrod  by  Hudson  and  Frobishor; 
Quivira  as  called  Now  Albion,  in  latitude  40^,  by 
l3rake;  and  Anian  as  reacliin<^  the  Arctic  circle,  and 
even  to  Berg,  the  most  northern  kingdom  of  all;  but 
udniits  that  these  coasts  are  not  well  known.^**  Ca])tain 
Woodes  Rogers,  after  his  cruise  in  1709-10,  inclined 
to  the  belief  that  California  was  joined  to  the  main, 
notwithstanding  the  reports  of  its  circumnavigation, 
for  he  saw  Spaniards  who  had  sailed  up  the  gulf  to 
42  where  they  found  shoal  water.  "But  the  Sjxm- 
itifds  having  more  Territories  in  this  Part  of  the 
Woild  than  they  know  how  to  manage,  they  are  not 
curious  of  further  Discoveries."  The  map  in  Kogers' 
work,  however,  is  one  of  the  usual  type,  making  Cali- 
fornia an  island.^'  The  French  geographer  De  I'lslc 
discussed  the  question  in  1715,  reaching  the  conclusion 
that  there  were  no  means  of  deciding  between  island 
and  peninsula,  and  announcing  that  thereft)re  he  had 
ill  his  own  maps  left  the  coast  line  broken  at  Mendo- 
cino and  the  Vermilion  Sea.** 


Siifil  y  Mex.f  Vlage,  Ixxvi.-vii.,  declared  the  voyage  apociyphal,  and  in  hia 
yiai/in  Ajxic,  134-01,  gave  his  views  at  greater  length  ;  yet  lie  made  public  the 
letti'i'  of  Ulloa  already  noticed,  the  only  documeut  that  has  ever  appeared 
ti)  even  suggest  a  remote  possibility  that  Fonte's  story  was  founded  on  fact. 
Iiurnuy,  (Jliron.  JJixt.  Vvi/.,  184-9.'),  1813,  does  not  luidertake  to  defend  the 
narrative,  which  he  prints  in  full,  but  is  inclined  to  look  at  it  with  some 
indulgence  and  to  consider  the  arguments  in  its  favor  worthy  of  some  credit. 
Lahaipe,  Ahriijc  des  Voijaijes,  xvi.  30-44,  also  was  disposed  to  credit  the  stoiy 
as  nut  altogether  a  fiction  in  1816.  The  Chevalier  Lapic  in  1821,  Nomrlles 
All.  ill's  I'oij.,  xi.  28-56,  in  turn  became  the  champion  of  Fonte's  cause.  He 
makes  the  route  of  Fonte  extend  by  channels,  rivers — including  a  part  of  the 
-Mackenzie — and  lakes,  from  the  I'acilic  coast,  in  about  58^  to  Chestertield 
Inlet  of  Hudson  liay.  Bavnarda  entered  in  tlie  same  latitude  l)y  the  Linn 
channel,  or  Rio  Haro,  wen  north  into  Lake  Valasco,  part  of  tlie  Polar  Sea, 
then  eastward  in  that  sea  nearly  to  lialKn  liay  and  back,  and  linally  up  into 
the  ley  Ocean  and  eastward  nearly  to  HOT.     The  north-western  porti(jns  of 

IJiinuirda's  route,  according  to  tliis  author,  arc  shown  by on  his  map. 

And  linally  in  1839  the Xorth Amerienn  I'irii'ic,  Ixviii.  12!)-.'J2,  was  permitted 
liy  its  conscience  to  gratify  its  Americanism  to  the  extent  of  hinting  that 
there  was  at  least  room  for  argument  in  Fonte's  favor. 

'^*'Ai)ii'rlcn,  Detcr'qicion,  MS.,  73,  128-!),  with  reference  to  a  treatise  called 
}\oiii  11(1  ranntni  trauiitim  unjtru  Amrrlrnm  in  ('hlnam  JJiictiiri. 

'^'•'  A'o>/f  r,s'  Crniihiij  Voij.  lioinnl  the  World,  312-13.  The  map  has  alsotheCom- 
pany's  land  separated  by  a  strait  from  Asia,  but  not  extending  far  eastward. 

■'"  I^i'th'e  de  M.  De  riKie  toitchaiit  la  Cnli/oniie,  in  Voyaijes  an  Xord,  RvriuU, 
iii.  268-71.    This  writer  seems  to  have  had  no  clear  idea  of  the  earliest  ex- 


IJO 


TlIK  NORTIIKRN  MYSTKRY-CONTLUSIOX. 


]^i(lre  Luis  Velarde,  a  i-ectorinissionai'v  of  iKirtlicni 
Soiiora,  wrote  his  views  of  northern  i^eo^rapliy  about 
1710,  and  very  accurately  so  far  as  the  known  rei^ions 
wore  concerned.  Of  tho  (Colorado  he  savs:  "We 
know  not  in  what  latitude  it  rises;  some  say  in  the 
sierra  of  tho  Gran  Teijfuayo;  others  in  the  (Iran 
Quivira — kinj^donis  which  many  j^eoLrra))hers  locate  in 
this  northern  America  Incognita,  and  about  which 
many  confused  rumors  are  current  in  NtiW  jNIexico; 
and  others  near  the  seven  caves  or  cities  from  which 
canu!  the  jMexican  nation."  To  the  ([uestion  of  island 
or  peninsula  Velarde  gave  much  attentitMi,  j (lacing 
himself  scjuarely  on  the  record  with  Padre  Campos, 
his  associate,  as  a  partisan  of  the  island  theory,  in 
spite  of  Kino's  belief  to  the  contrary.  The  two  had 
hitely  returned  from  the  guif  coast,  where  they  had 
.satisfied  themselves  that  Kino's  observations  could  not 
liave  been  conclusive;  both  had  repeatedly  questioned 
tho  Pimas  and  Yumas,  who  insisted  that  there  was  a 
strait,  and  reported  the  washing-ashore  on  the  gidf 
coast  of  many  articles  that  must  liavc  come  l)y  tlio 
strait.  Padre  Velarde  was  wel^  acquainted  with  cur- 
rent theories  on  the  Northern  Mystery;  had  before  him 
nairatives  of  real  and  pretended  expeditions;  and  had 
seen  some  okl  Dutch  maps;  but  ho  was  not  certain 
whether  the  strait  joined  the  Pacific  above  40',  or 
turned  eastward  to  Newfoundland  or  Florida;  nor  did 
he  vouch  for  all  Pima  tales,  as  that  of  a  country  when^ 
men  had  only  one  foot  and  women  two,  though  even 
this  v.ere  not  in  philosophy  impossible.  "Lo  cierto 
OS  (jue  hay  mucho  incognito  per  esta  America  Sep- 
tentrional."''* 

plorations,  ami  of  tho  prevalent  belief  from  ir)40  to  1010  that  California  was 
a  iioiiinsula.  lie  says  the  earliest  maps  mailo  it  an  islaiMl ;  but  no  siieh  maps 
arc  extant,  lie  says  tlie  Spaniards  of  late  tliink  it  an  island,  but  tliat  oilier^ 
di)  not  aeeept  tliat  theory,  whicii  is  not  true.  Indeid,  though  no  fault  ciin  l)o 
found  with  Ilia  eonelusions,  tliey  were  bunglingly  founded  on  a  very  few  of 
the  authorities  then  existing. 

'•'^I'l/nrdi,  jMscrijicioii.  JJi.^f.,  .347,  .1.")0-7,  .3S8-0,  with  a  map  originally, 
which  is  not  extitnt.  The  autiior  refuses  to  eredit  Drake  witli  liaving  saileil 
j'ound  California,  llnding  a  lake  of  gold,  a  walled  eity,  and  a  crowned  king! 
but  thinks  another  English  pilot  may  hu\'o  ascended  the  strait  to  'M'.    lie 


SIOXIFICANT  I\Cir)KNT.'=». 


m 


A  scries  of  l)rief  dt'tadu'd  itoiuH  is  nil  tliat  our 
t(>[ii<'  pi'tsents  for  several  deciuK's,  items  the  enforced 
j^i'oiipiiiii^  of  which  would  servo  no  j^oo<l  purposi-,  and 
which  I  j)roceed  to  catalogue  in  chronolouicjd  order. 
Knight  and  l^arlow,  sent  to  find  the  strait  in  1710, 
were  lost  on  Hudson  Bay;  but  in  En«jjland  it  was  for 
years  thouj^ht  ]irol)al)lo  tlxv  had  heen  sui'cessful  and 
gone  tlirough  to  the  vSoutli  Sea/''^  Charlevoix  is  cited 
as  having  met  in  China  in  1720  a  Huron  woman 
whom  he  had  known  in  Canada.  She  had  boon  car- 
licd  tliitlier  by  land  from  tribe  to  tribc.^  In  1721 
a  Caliloinian  [)adro,  Ugarto,  in  a  Californian -built 
vi'ssc'l,  the  Trinnfo  de  hi  Cruz,  but  with  an  English 
|iil(»t,  sailed  to  the  head  of  the  gulf,  and  again  ])roved, 
as  Alarcon  and  Ulloa  had  done  nearly  two  centuiies 
before,  to  his  own  satisfaction  and  that  of  his  associates 
that  Kino  had  l)cen  right  in  declaring  California  a 
]>eiiinsula,  notwithstanding  the  contrary  oi)inion  of 
Mange,  Xiel,  Campos,  Velarde,  and  the  rest.^*  Not 
all  the  world  at  t)nco  accepted  this  solution  of  the 
enigma;  but  a  peninsula  appeared  on  the  best  maps 
IVom  this  time;  and  even  the  great  De  I'lslo  so  made 
ui>  his  mind.''' 

Cai)tnin  Shelvockc,  who  in  1721-2  found  no  end  of 
iiold   dust  in  California,  had    no  means  of  deciding 

iintts  tin;  lilmulcr  on  mnny  maps  of  niuking  tho  Rio  del  Xorte  empty  into 
the  ,L;iilf  i)f  Cjilifornia.  In  1715  tlic  Mannu's  do  San  ^liguel  ilo  Agiiayo  souj.^lit 
liitii.sL'  to  txplori;  <  Ji'un Qiiivira,  wliicii  wa.s  a,  imiiitli's  journey  from  some  ])!uco 
ill  'i'cxas,  lyinj,'on  tlie  slope  of  a  liill  that  was  liatiii'il  liy  a  lake.  This  had  heen 
Iriiiiu'd  Ironi  one  .Jose  Urnitia,  who  had  lived  in  Texas.  Dor.  Ifist/J'cxni,  AIS., 
l,).V;t.  In  ITISor  thereahout  I'adre  .luun  Anuuidi)  Xiel  wrote  his  A juinta- 
///(■' //^ov,]ip.7S,  SO-1,  87,  HI, on  the  earlier  work  of  I'adi-e  Salnieron, wliieli  he 
npriiiliiees.  t)n  the  Mystery,  however,  ho  is  cpiite  as  much  in  the  ilark  as 
his  predecessor,  whom  lie  Itlames  unjustly  for  not  having  cleared  u])  some  of 
its  darkest  points.  Niel  identities  the  mouth  of  the  Kio  C'armelo  with  JJrako 
I'liiy,  iiiid  iiliiecs  it  opposite  the  mouth  of  tlie  ( 'olorado  Kiver,  in  41!  lie 
ri,L;:ird.s  ( 'aiil'oi'nia  as  an  island,  having  made  p;'rsonal  ol)servatioiis  on  tlie 
sulijcit  with  I'adre  Kino  in  170r)-(5.  IJcgardin'/  tlu^  (^hiivirans  and  .\ijaos 
as  ilwiliiiig  in  the  region  north  of  Texas,  he  locates  tin'  l:uiious  kingdom 
of  Tiudiui  still  farther  north,  in  50',  and  the  lake  of  Copula  m  the  sumo 
latitudi'  west  of  Tindan. 

•'- lliarnc'ti  Joitri'cy,  xxviii. 

^'(V//-nr\-  7V.((v/.s  1!)2-.1. 

^'  .H>e  Annals  of  Ikja  Califoniia,  in  an  earlier  volume  of  this  scries. 

"■'  1'wiss,  Oreijoii  (Jucat.,  04,  cites  a  map  of  De  ITsle  of  17--  with  the 
peninsula. 


122  THE  NORTHERN  MYSTERY— CONCLUSION. 

between  island  and  peninsula,  cither  from  his  own 
observations  or  those  of  others,  En^rlishnien  having 
no  "time  nor  power  to  go  about  the  diseovery  of  it," 
and  the  Spaniards  having  grown  "  indolent  and  incu- 
rious." His  ma]),  however,  is  one  of  the  old  type, 
similar  to  that  of  Dampier  and  Rogers,  showing  an 
island.  Shelvocke  also  believed  "that  America  and 
Asia  are  joined  l)y  a  tract  of  land  to  the  northward."*' 
1+  was  in  1722  that  Daniel  Coxe  let  loose  his  powerful 
imagination  on  north-western  geography,  licferring 
to  several  otherwise  unkn(Avn  expeditions  from  New 
England  to  New  Mexico  and  up  the  Missouri,  lie  de- 
scribes the  northern  branches  of  that  river  as  "  inter- 
woven with  other  branches  which  have  a  contrary 
course,  proceeding  to  the  west,  and  empty  themselves 
into  a  vast  lake,  wliose  waters  by  aiiother  great  river 
disembogue  into  the  South  Sea.  The  Indians  affirm 
they  see  great  ships  sailing  in  that  lake,  twenty  times 
bijiirer  than  their  canoes."  The  Missouri  "hath  a 
course  of  500  miles,  navigable  to  its  heads  or  springs, 
and  which  proceeds  from  a  ridge  of  hills  somewhat 
nortii  of  New  Mexico,  passable  by  horse,  foot,  or  wagon 
in  less  than  half  a  day,"  to  the  rivers  running  into 
the  sj^reat  lake.  Besides  there  was  Hontan's  Jjon<jf 
River,  or  the  Meschaouay,  which  comes  from  the  same 
hills.  Moreover,  Coxe  had  a  journal  written  In'  a 
man  "admirably  well  skilled  in  geography,"  and  who 
had  been  so  lucky  as  to  kncnv  one  Captain  Coxton, 
a  privateer.  Coxton  while  waiting  to  plunder  tlie 
Manila  galleon  had  used  liis  spare  time  for  cx[)loration, 
and  had  in  44  found  a  great  river  leading  to  a  gre;'t 
lake,  ^A  ith  a  very  convenient  island,  where  he  remaiu('<l 
several  months.  The  nation  he  called  Thoya,  but 
the  Spaniards  called  it  Thoyago  or  Tejago,  dcjubtless 
Teguayo.  The  peoi;le  welcomed  t)ie  i)rivateer  as  a 
foe  of  the  Spaniards,  whom  they  had  often  re})uls(!(l 
in  battle.  I  hrve  no  space  for  Coxton's  wonderi'ul 
geography  of  the  Asiatic   coasts   and   islands;    but 

'"^  Shelvoi-kv's  Voyage,  399-400.    Loiulon,  172G. 


ROYAL  MENDACITY. 


123 


^viiii^  an 


merely  note  that  "there  are  upon  the  coast  between 
Ainorica  and  Japan  divers  very  large  and  safe  har- 
bors." Coxe  himself,  it  seems,  claimed  to  have  found, 
by  going  up  the  great  river  Odiequiton,  or  Alabama, 
"a  great  sea  of  fresh  water,  several  thousand  miles 
in  circumference/'  whence  ran  the  river  by  which  the 


]>oi!iis'  Mai\  17U. 

l^iiglisli  subsefjuently  reached  the  lake.  Coxe  lias 
i>(»t  been  faii-ly  tieated.  Mis  lank  as  a  liar  should 
lie  near  that  of  Fuca,  ^laldonado,  and  the  unknown 
author  of  Fonte's  letter.'*^ 

"C'oxvj*  Dtntrijition  of  the  IhnjlUh  province  of  Carolana,  Loudon,  172*2; 


124 


THE  NORTHERN  MYSTERY— CONCLUSION. 


]\I()ta  Paclilla  in  1742  s[»eaks  of  California  as  sup- 
posed to  be  an  island''*'  In  1744  Artlmr  Dobbs  pub- 
lished his  views  on  a  north-west  passage  in  a  work 
whose  title,  as  aj)pended  in  a  note,  sufficiently  explains 
its  purport.^*  JJobbs  was  less  visionary  than  some 
earlier  advocates  of  his  cause,  l)ut  was  disposed  to 
credit  the  tale  of  Fonte's  discoveries.     "All  nature 


•>  *■ 


rcALIFORNl^y 


KrssiAV  f'liAKT,  1741. 

iilso  i-o]irinte(l  in  FirnrliK  Ilisf.  (\,!.  Lmiinmiiii,  ii.  '2.10-3,  2.")3-fl.  St:c  iil*) 
/W,/,.'  Ari-oinit  1 1(»,  l.".:{,  ICIi;  !iii.l  .Vo/v7t  Anur.  Jtirinr,  l.wiii.  l(U-4.  It 
i.sto  lio  iiDtcil,  liiiwcver.  that  i''ri.'i!ili'.s  i'(>|iy  (Idcs  not  ai,'r(VM\  ith  tliat  <ni<iticl 
liy  tlu!  Ji'ri  i<  ir,  fiini'c  tlio  former  sii',>i  nothing  at  all  nf  (  dm 's  own  discoxciii's. 
In  \f)lili>f,  (iiOij.  I'liir.,  I'aiis,  17-">,  \ .  ■'i!'"-'.  (uiitoniiii  is  (lisi'iilpcil  as  dimlit- 
li'ss  an  island ;  at  wliiili  dpinidn  ."t  that  date  surprise  is  cxpitsscd  in  J^'xk- 
iiKiii's  7'iiir.  ./r'\///Vv,  i.  ;!JS  !(.  Ciiiiplii'll,  Sjnifi.  .\iii.,  S'.\,  notos  a  Duttli  liiap 
of  IT-"!'  in  wliicli  ( 'aliftitiiiu  is  n  )ii'c,-.cnti'd  as  a  peninsula. 

■•.!/.-/.(  J',tilil  (I,  ll'fHi.  X.  <;aii,-hi,  177,  :!'•!. 

^'■' hiihlis.  All  Arroiiiif  of'  III  ■  CniiD/i'ii'i  i((/Jtiiiiiiiii  III  Hinhnii'M  rinij.  .  .irith  on. 
(llistfiirl  (./'  Ciijif.  Miililli  >iri's  .loiiridl/,  dint  Olisi  irilfidii.'l  11/11111  li'<  tti  lul  I'ioi' .  .  ..1 
/»'/.  r  /rum  li'irllnHinn.iii  <!<•  l''i'ii/c.  .  .  A  n  nli.ilittif  ti/ull  l/ir  J)i<'  mu  r'n'ii .  .  .  Till' 
vIidIc  'nil'  i:i!i<l  III  .thmr  llif  'jniil  frolm'  '  l;l  (ft'  <i  A  "/•//(.»•<■.<</  I'lisMnje,  mi  Iuh'J 
(/.  "ii'iil,  "tc.  London,  1714.  'I'lif  same  aiUiioi's  /.''  murks  iqiun  M'lddUtoii's  JJf 
/nice,  London,  174-1,  is  of  like  purport,  witli  a  map. 


SUBLIME  FAITR. 


185 


pries  aloud  there  is  a  passage,  and  we  are  sure  there 
is  one  from  Hudson's  Bay  to  Japan,"  he  writes;  hut 
founds  his  zealous  faith  not  so  much  on  the  old  cos- 
mographical  theories  as  on  '  n  reports  of  northern 
Indians,  the  discoveries  of  ^"'rench,  Enolisli,  and 
SiKinish  travellers,  and  the  tides  in  and  about  liudson 
l>ay.  I  give  a  reduction  of  Dohbs'  ma]),  which  ^\■as 
largely  founded  on  leports  of  a  Canadian  Indian 
aanied  Joseph  La  France,  though  it  also  contains 
Baron  La  Houtan's  protended  discoveries.*"  The 
author  firmly  )>elievcd  that  !!Middlcton  and  others 
had  by  ignorance  or  negligence  missed  the  strait;  or, 
more  likely,  having  found  it,  ha<l  been  induced  to 
conceal  their  discovery  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany. 

The  provincial  in  his  memorial  of  1745  to  the  king 
of  Spain  suggested  new  explorations  to  settle  the 
(question  of  island  or  peninsula."  Father  Sedelmair 
in  1740  also  wrote  of  the  matter  as  being  still  in 
doubt  among  the  missionaiies,  but  the  mystery  could 
be  solved  witli  others — thosi'  of  Quivira  and  Tepe- 
guaya,  and  of  the  white  men  who  came  south  to 
trade — by  founding  missions  on  the  Cila  and  Colo- 
rado.*^ But  in  1740  Father  Consag  made  his  trip  up 
tlie  gulf  waters  in  boats,  and  once  more  settled  the 
vexed  question,  and  declared  California  a  peninsula, 
vhcreujjon  Sedehnair,  rejoicing  in  this  discovery,  ex- 
ilaimed:  "May  God  grant  that  it  be,  as  it  j)robably 


*"l)i)l)lw,  44-.",  was  tol'l  bj  Franco  of  an  old  Indian  in  tlio  ro^ion  of 
Xi'lsdii  ]tivi;r,  who  iil'tccn  yeara  ii;,'c)  iiu<l  jjuno  to  tiic  west-  coust  to  li;.'lit  lii.i 
cnciiiirs,  the  'IVtc  riats.  Franco's  travels  vcrc  in  17oU-l-.  Dolihs,  KKI, 
iiu'iitiiiiis  (I  land  eastward  of  Ja])^!,  in  4."»',  ».li(i\vn  on  scvenil  diai'ts,  ami 
coasted  liy  (iaitia.  in  a  voyage  from  America  to  China.  This  re|Mirted  dis- 
cipvcry,  as  wo  whall  kcc,  was  the  cause  uf  ;.;rcat  tnmldc  to  tii''  Russian  cx- 
jil'iicrs  in  1711,  who  were  gui<Ied  liy  D"  ^I^l^•'.s  chart.  'I'liis  siimo  iliart, 
whiiii  i  hine  i'ii]>ied  from  the  ori;rinal  i  ihv  Itussiiui  anhivis,  shuws  tho 
<oa>t  ahovc!  C'alitoinia  as  in  the  adjoined  sketch.  ])iil>l)S  also  cites  the  I'rencli 
writer  .Icninic:  ''I'he  wivaL'es  say,  that  after  travelling  .some  Months  to  tho 
W.  s.  w.  |im  !i  Ntrait  froin  JIud.so';  I5iiy|  tiiey  imiuo  to  tho  Sea,  upon  vliich 
tlieysinv  great  \'eascls,  with  men  who  had  ISeurda  aud  Ld\}s,  who  gather  (juld 
oa  111"  Shore  (p.  1!)). 

"  \''ii< :i(is.  Xnf.  Cni.,  ii.  :m. 

'•I'X'hIiiitiii;  litliuiuii,  6.W-8. 


12G 


THE  NORTHERN  MYSTERY— CONCLUSION. 


l!    ' 


I 


will,  for  the  conversion  of  the  whole  continent  as 
far  as  Japan,  Yerclo,  or  Tartary!"**  and  Villa  Senor  y 
Sanchez,  giving  in  174S  tlie  first  printed  account  of 
Consag's  trij),  and  declaring  the  southern  part  of  the 
mystery  a^  an  end,  turned  liis  attention  fartlier  north, 
and  by  a  process  of  reasoning  satisfactory  to  liiniself 
showed  that  the  American  foast  just  above  44^  turned 
westward  to  the  strait  of  Uriz,  by  which  it  was  sepa- 
rated from  the  Asiatic  land  of  Hezo,  and  through 
which  the  Dutcli  had  sailed  on  various  occasions. 
What  had  been  mistaken  for  the  strait  of  Aniaii  in 
past  years  was  really  tlie  mouth  of  the  great  river  of 
San  Antonio  flowing  from  the  north  and  into  the  sea 
just  above  Cape  ]\Iendocino,  where  tlie  coast  turns 
westward.  This  was  certainly  a  novel  theory,  or 
rather  a  very  old  one  revived." 

In  1748  Henry  Ellis  publislicd  his  narrative  of  the 
vovaLre  of  tlie  JJohhs  (jdllcn  and  Ca/itni'iu'a  to  Hud- 
son  Bay;  and  he  joined  to  it  an  histoi'ical  account  of 
previous  attempts  to  find  the  north-west  })assage,  and 
a  statement  of  the  agreements  on  which  the  existence 
of  such  a  })assage  was  founded.  Tlie  work  was  more 
com])lete  than  any  earlier  <>neon  the  subject;  and  tlie 
author,  though  somewhat  too  indulgent  to  tlie  trav- 
ellers whose  tales  favored  his  theories,  di<l  not  com- 
mit himself  very  fullv  to  belief  in  the  old  fictions. 
Yet  he  was  much 


>1' 


i>y 


y 


.'SO   in  London  who   had   met  a  Dutcliman  wh 


having  bt-en  diiven  to  the  coast  of  California  had 
found  that  country  to  be  either  an  island  or  peninsulji, 
aceorchng  as  the  tide  was  high  or  low.  AEoivover, 
the  coast  above  California  trended  north-east,  a  verv 


stronir  arirument  in  fa  vol'  of  a  iiassa''i 


know  of  the  liussiau  discoverie 


:i':ii 


IS  (Ik 


I  not 


45 


In  1741)  another 


■"■SciU'lniair's  Irttcrnf  Marcli'iO,  1747,  in  A)c.  /f!<f.  M<  r. ,  serif  iii.  i)t.iv,s4l  - 

*']'il/a  Si  I'mr  1/  S(iii(Ih'~.  Thiitlrii  Aim  r'unno,  ii.  '27-1I4. 


*■'  1011i.^,   Wiiinijr  Id  II iiilnDii'rt  flili/,  li 


ilao  t 


rail: 


I7.')(»   (• 


J.oikIdii,  I74S.    >rii|)iiii<l  jilatcH: 

ill  ri'piiiitM  ill   lator  years.     'I'lii.'  xwww  antlmr  ]>niili-i|i0"l 

iiii-^iili  rtJiiiii-'t  (III   till    <!riiil   .lilniiitiiiiif   irftiih   umilil  iiri-:i-  nl'  tin' 


Uatl 


(ins  ai 

il, 


yiii-ih-in si  y'((((,.\(</t'.    Sec  also  \'liiiij<.i-'<,  XoI.  t'al.,  iii.  'J37-i>r,  iur  a  ixnumv  of 


Kll 


la  Mori 


t    i 


RUSSIAN  DISCOVERIES. 


187 


worlv  on  the  same  tojiic  was  puMisliofl,  the  ari^umont 
beiiiu^  f'onncU^d  mainly  on  observations  of  the  tidal 
cuiTcnts/" 


Before  1750  the  Russians  had  made  from  the  north- 
west important  American  discoveries,  whicli  mate- 
liallv  circumscribed  the  Xorthern  ^lystery  in  tliat 
direction.  Thev  liad  (Uscovered  the  real  strait,  and 
had  proved  the  existence  of  a  larj^e  body  of  land  east 
of  northern  Asia,  which  had  been  visited  at  several 
different  j)oints.  ]3ut  l>etween  these  j)oints,  and  south 
of  the  southernmost,  there  was  still  room  for  many 
iiiteroceanic  j)assages.  Accordinirly  in  17J0-.'{  Del'Islo 
and  Ihiaciie  took  up  the  pretended  discoveries  of 
Fonte,  [jresentini^  such  facts  and  rumors  as  could  bo 
matle  to  sustain  their  theory  as  alreadv  noted,  and 
coiicoctinu^  a  map,  wliich  I  append,  and  the  alisurdi- 
tic.->  of  which  are  sufficiently  ap[)arent  without  expla- 
nation." 

Still  had  California  a  foothold  for  cosmofrraphical 
inystcjy;  for  in  1751  Captain  Salvad(n*  in  a  rejtort  to 
tlie  kinu^  statetl  that  the  Colorado  River  l)efore  reach- 
inn'  tlie  ifixW  sent  off  a  branch  to  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
which  branch  was  in  realitv  the  Rio  de  Filipinos  or 
Rio  Carmelo.  Padre  Xiel  had  made  the  Coloiado 
empty  into  the  strait  o|)posit(;  the  Carmelo,  so  that, 
iit»w  there  was  no  strait,  Salvado)''s  theorv  was  not 
A\itliout  its  plausibility.  Tliis,  with  its  subse(pient 
drvclopniejit  of  1774,  when  Caj)taiii  Anza  wrote  Irom 
the  (Villi  of  a  i'e[)ort  of  tile  natives  that  a  branch  of 

"'  III  ii.'<niis  to  shi'ir,  I  hut  thi  !•('  !■<  a  ijrcnt  /'rulitd'Hiti/o/  n  Xdc'niithh  I''is)<(tiio  to 
III-  UCtli  rii  Aiiitrkun  Oreaii,  throinjli  Hiiilnoii'n  Sin  i;//iliiutiU  C'honlcrjitld  Jiiltt. 
i.1  null  111,  I74!K 

'•III  I'lsli.  J'r}illrritii>n  lie  In  Ctirti',  Paris,  17">-.    I  takt?  a  i'cii)y  frtim  tliat 


inililislicil  ill  17(il  liv  .Iclli'iys  in  Miitln-'s  I'n//.  .Is/.i  In  .1 


it 


n  also  iit 


M<ii-ili((ii</,  !'('//.,  ]il.  iii.      It  will  In;  iiiitiocil  that  <'alifi(riiiii  is  eoni'itly  laiil 


ilnwii,  mill  that  thi'   linssiaii  ilismviTV  <>t'  ( 


Inn 


k(.f, 


III    Willi 


h  tl 


u-  aiitlioi-  s 

llllr  «'\|«'ili 


hi'itluT  jiartiiipiitiMl,  is  «lici\oi,  hut  lu't  that  of  iH'riiij.',  in  tho  si 
tiipii.  Ciiats,  </<(;</.  /Iiii/mi,i  lli'i,  .'IT,  I7">1,  wivn:  'Tlifsi!  MisiMita  liiiliaim  tell 
us  siiiuu  vi.sidiiary  stoivyrtof  Kliijisaiul  iiu'ii  '  a. dilii'iciit  iiiakt;niiil  fdiiiplcctiDii 
fivinii'iitiiit;  tlu'iv  sliiircM  |  Wiiii|n'L;gi)ii  l.ak<'|,  for  tlifv  aro  i»)sitivo  this  lake  is 
<i|"ii  td  Westward;  and  do  attoiipt  to  iK'siril»o  their  gilded  l>e»!ks,  and  sjiils, 
undi.tluT  iimtturs,  both  tcdiotw  und  thcsoiiie,  without  wc  Imd  better  giouuJs.* 


I 

II' 


il:    I 


It 


;! 


128 


THE  NORTHERN  MYSTERY— CONCLUSION. 


De  i/Isle's  Map,  1752. 


EARLY  SAILING  DIRECTIONS. 


129 


the  C(^l(irado  ran  westward  and  northward,  niakinjj^  tlie 
sn"''<i^esti()n  tliat  that  branch  iniirht  terminate  in  San 
Francisco  33ay,  seems  to  have  been  tht;  last  [)hase  of 
the  theory  that  Caht'ornia  was  an  ishmd;  thou,L,di 
those  were  not  Avantini^  in  even  hiter  times  wlio  i'roni 
])ure  nct^digence  repeated  the  old  representations  in 
ihcir  text  and  ma[)s." 

In  1757  the  i^reat  work  of  A'enegas  on  California 
was  i)ublished  by  Padre  Burricl,  a  most  intelllijfent 
liter,  who  devoted   one  of   the   three   volumes   to 


(■(. 


)f  exphjration  and  on  tl 


le  geoLT- 


a[)i)entlioes  on  voyages  oi  exphjration  and  on 
ra})liy  of  the  far  north.  In  one  siMise  Hurriel  was  the 
iirst  writer — if  we  except  Cabi'era  ]jueno,  who  hail 
published  accurate  sailing  directions  of  the  coast  from 
Cape  ^[ondocino  southward'''' — to  take  common-sense 
views  on  the  subject,  to  reject  the  apocryj)hal  voyages 
as  wholly  unworthy  of  credit,  to  restrict  northern 
LieoL;ra])liv  to  actual  discoveries,  and  to  corivctlv 
ma}),  in  ])iint,  the  peninsula  and  the  regions  of  the 
Colorado  and  Gila  as  far  as  known.'*  He  gives,  how- 
ever, a  general  maj),  showing  the  northern  geographic 
myths,  as  in  J)e  I'l.-le  for  the  most  part,  but  sur- 
I'ounds  those  [)arts  with  a  dotted  line,  and  closes  his 
work  as  Ibllows:  "Well  then,  some  one  says,  what 
seas,  coasts,  rivers,  lakes,  provinces,  nations,  peoj)les, 
nrc  there  in  North  America  beyond  California,  Cape 
Ulanco,  llio  dc  Aguilar,  llio  Colorado,  Mof^ui,  and 

*" Salvador,  in  Doc.  Hist.  Mr.r.,  sorio  iii.  jit.  iv.  fiOl-H.  ITc  xirj,'os  i\\\n 
iiinv  routo  UH  tlio  best  for  tlio  ooitujmtioii  of  ( 'alifoniiii.  .1  nh.  <  'til.,  MS.,  /'/hc. 
>'./''(/(.,  iii.  I!t0-1  ;  Arririi-i/i(,Cri'iiii-'i,4')'2  '.i.  Ini  'luircliiir.i<'i)l.  I'o//.,  viii. 
(ii).'<,  is  11  map  <if  IT'j'i  liy  1[.  Mull,  iiiukiiiL;  Calit'inniii  an  inlaml.  Ifoims,  Our 
hiiiiirliiltj,'  (j/  ('ill.  ami  thf  Auii/iiir^t  Cuiist  one  IiiiikIihI  yitus  itiiiv,  Albany, 
\s'i.\,  J).  4,  siys:  'Many  iiiajts  in  the  Xi'W  Wivk  Statt;  J.IKrai y,  of  as  lati;  tiatu 
as  17H,  rt'iircsoiit  it  as  an  island,  as  tliiisiM)f  Ovfitim,  Tiliiiiinn,  \h:  W-v,  and 
otlii'is,  and  tlicy  I'xtund  (.'alifoniia  iip  t.>  latitude  •}•"»,  inilmlin,'  \i\v  Allimn. 
(iiiistiniani's  atlas  of  17"'")  jnakcs  Califoiiiiaan  i.-land  rcaildiii;  to  latitudi^  '17  '. 
Mii,'(l  in  r7i)4  tries  to  pro\o  tliat  it  is  not  true  that  ('alilmnia,  uv\  inu  to  tho 
w  inds  and  tides,  is  .sometimes  ii  ]ieuiasnhi  and  at  oth<i'  tiMu-s  an  island.'  'I'he 
New  Yolk  Snn  in  1^7<>  Bpi'ko  of  a  geoirraphy  puhli.'-hed  in  London  in  181',) 
ill  whi.'li  California  i.s  desorli)ed  and  mapped  as  an  i^!:ili  !. 

*'^  Ciihi-irn  Jliiciio,  SiiiT'jnyiini  ]'.-i/i,i  riftlivn.     Manila,  17.*14. 

'•'"I'l  III  ijim,  N-  /'■  iiiii  ill'  Id  <  'ill.,  ^iiidrid,  17.'>7;  vol.  iii.  is  devoted  to  >,'<'"!,'■ 
vaphy  and  a  ictnt.iiion  of  eailii  r  llitions;  m.ipat  i  ml.    i;e;,'erl"s  Xnr/iriihliii, 
177-,  also  did  i.iaih  to  ijrcnl.ile  aeeiirute  ideas  of  Culifuriiia  geii^'nipliy, 
lUni.  X.  W.  Lo.iar,  VuL.  I.    U 


130 


THE  XORTHERN  MYSTERY-CONCLUSION. 


New  ^Mexico  towards  the  north  for  50  deu^rces?  Ex- 
ce})t  what  has  hccii  learned  on  our  Atlantic  side,  and 
the  little  made  known  hy  llu.ssian  voya;LJ^es  in  the 
South  Sea,  I  readily  re[)ly  in  a  word,  which  causes 
mo  no  shame  nor  ought  to  any  good  man,  Ignoro, 
Nescio,  Yo  no  lo  se." 


Japanese  Map,  ITtil. 


With  ^Tullcr's  narrative  of  the  Russian  discoveries 
TJKHnas  Jefferys,  ge(\<j:ra[)hcr  to  his  British  majesty, 
j)ul)lished  in  iroi,  besides  Do  I'lsle's  map  which  l 
have  aheatly  given,  two  general  maps,  in  which  a  con- 


CAia'LllS  S I'lXT'LATIOXS. 


131 


Ji;ni;i;v.s"  Mai-    ITCS. 


132 


TIIK  NORTIIKKN  MYSTKRY— CONCLUSION. 


r)f' 


^!l 


tinuous  coa^t  is  .shown  up  to  tlio  fur  north,  with  iiuh- 
ciitious  of  AguiUir's  entrance,  Fuca's  enti-aiu'e,  and 
the  "  pretciuled  entrance'  of  Fonto.  One  of  the  niaj) , 
show.s  a  lliver  of  the  West  ilowinuf  from  Lake  Win. - 
|)igon  into  the  Pacific  at  Aguilar's  entrance,  in  4.>', 
while  a  possihle  river  runs  I'artlier  south  to  Pro  de 
Anno  nuevo;  but  in  the  otlier  the  <;reat  river  is 
called  8t  Charles,  or  Assiniboels,  terniinatini^  at  tlu; 
mountains  of  Priu'lit  Stones:  while  the  southern  river 
is  called  lliver  of  the  West,  beinii*  doubtfullv  con- 
nccted  throu^di  Pike's  lake  and  INIanton's  river  with 
the  Missouri.  The  lower  course  of  these  streams 
into  the  Pacific  is  not  shown  except  as  on  tlio  other 
ma}).  The  main  coast  above  50  is  "supposed  to  be 
the  Fou-Sanj.^  of  the  Chinese."  A  fourth  maj)  in  this 
work  is  one  that  purports  to  be  of  Japanese  origin, 
which  I  copy.'^^ 

In  17()8  the  same  Jeffervs  published  and  furnished 
ma})s  foi'  another  work,  wi'itten  perhaps  by  Theodore 
Swaine  ])rage,  and  devoted  to  the  defence  of  Fonte's 
voyage  by  an  enthusiastic  believer  in  the  north-west 
])assage.  I  rej)roduce  the  general  map,  which  mt 
only  shows  De  I'lsle's  ideas  of  Fonte's  discoveries  as 
modified  by  the  royal  geogni])her,  but  also  contains 
the  genei'al  features  <-)f  Jelferys'  earlier  maps,  as  already 
described.  The  western  portions  not  shown  on  \uy 
cojiy  are  the  llussian  discoveiies,  of  which  details  arc 
given  in  another  volume.  It  will  be  seen  that  in  1 7(]'^ 
it  was  easier  to  find  the  interoccanic  pa.ssage  than  to 
miss  it;  but  earthquakes  or  something  have  since 
changed  the  face  of  nature  in  that  resjion."^ 

It  was  in  17()G-8  that  J.  Carver,  the  American 
traveller,  made  his  visit  to  the  upper  Mississip})i  and 

'•^Miil/ir'n  Vo'ift'ji'H  from  Aim  to  Amfrlca. . .  Trnwlnti'd  from  the  l/i'jh  /)>''. h 
of  S.  MiilUr.  Ldiuloii.  ITC'I.  Loiiy  the  .stimdanl  .nutliority  on  tlio  Kusmuu 
iliscdvurii-:,.  'J'Ik'  nv.xy  is  'taken  from  a.lapuni'MO  map  of  the  world  brou;,'iit 
over  liy  KcnijiiVr  ami  lato  in  tiiu  Musii'uni  of  Sr  Han^  Sloano.' 

"-i/r.'/i  ;•//.■(■  Till'  (I'rciit  /'rnl,(i/ii/(/i/  (f  <t  X'lt'th  Winl  I'ass'nj/';  tleiliind  fri<'i 
OliKirnitliiiiKoii  IIk'  liU(  r  <f  Adiiiinil  /><■  f'unfi.  London,  I'tiS.  On  this  nia;>. 
as  on  .Foli'oiys'  earliir  ones,  are  marked  the  '  Mouutuiua  of  Bright  Stoms 
lueutioned  iu  the  nuiiiof  the  Indian  Ochagach.' 


FACT  SUCCREDIXa  FAXCY. 


133 


the  St  Picrro;  and  in  his  hook,  puhllshed  ton  years 
Intel',  lie  joined  to  liis  adventures  an  account  of  tar 
wcstei'n  <4'eo^ra|)hy,  purporlini^  to  he  I'ounded  on 
statements  of  the  Indians  to  the  author,  hut  which 
iiii'^ht  with  his  maj)  have  been  compiled  from  earlier 
traditions,  texts,  and  maps,  as  the  reader  will  per- 
ceive.    Nor  docs  the  map  agree  altogether  with  the 


Cauvek's  Map,  177S. 

narrative.  Carver's  groat  achievement,  however,  was 
the  invention  of  a  new  name  for  the  mythic  'liver  of 
the  Vtcst  '  Ho  called  it  the  Oregon.  The  name 
sounded  well,  was  adopted  b}'  the  jtoet  Biyant  in  his 
iiuiiiortal  Thanatopxis,  and  became  permanent.'^ 

•"'  <  'iinrr\t  TrrtrdH  tlirnw/h  the  Inti-rior  Parts  of  Xor/li-A  tiifrira  hi  the  i/pnrs 
!>;<:,  nor,  am/  j:gS.  Loiulon,  177S.  Scc  csnecially  i\.  7l)~7,  1 1 7--*2,' .U"-'. 
H(j  nainca  '  tho  liiver  Oreguu  [elsewhere  ealled  Orcj^iinJ,  or  the  River  of  the 


I 


184 


Tin;  xonTHKnx  mvsti:i:v  roxci.iNioy. 


We  liavc  now  tvuclwd  the  jK'iiod  wlicii  nctiiiil 
('XiiloralKtii  caint'  to  the  nid  (tf  coiijcctin'e;  and  here, 
since  it  is  not  my  |>reseiit  )>uii»ose  either  to  speaU  of 
Alaskan  discovi-ries  or  to  I'ollow  the  seaivh  I'lr  th(! 
iioi-th-west  pnssaife  in  Aretie  waters,  the  topic  of  tin' 
Nortlurn  .Nlystery  may  properly  he  (hop)**'  I.  'I'he 
only  connection  hetwei-n  the  mystery  and  the  voy- 
ages of  the  sncccedinn'  ])ei'iod,  to  l)e  noticed  in  t  he  next, 
chapter,  is  that  the  foiniei-  was  <j;ra(hially  hrokcn  n|)  hy 
the  latter;  that  the  navigators  wei'e  constantly  seek- 
in;^  for  the  (lid  mythic  chaniK'ls  and  failiiit!,'  to  iind 
them.''  Jndei'd,to  the  S|)aniai-<ls  this  search  was  the 
only  important  feature  of  their  exploi-ations.  Tliey  had 
no  di'sire  for  territoiial  jtossi-ssions  in  the  fai*  iiortli; 
lonjLT  a^-o  they  had  ^iven  u|)  the  hoj>e  of  lindin^'  ii(  h 
kingdoms  thei-e:  hut  if,  as  was  helieved  hy  many, 
there  was  a  stiait,  it  was  of  course  im|)ortant  f  .r 
S])ain  to  coiiti'ol  the  l'aci!ic  entrance;  iind  if  thei'.- 
was  no  strait,  thei-e  min'ht  he  a  <(reat  I'ivir  i^'ivin.;' 
access  hy  water  to  the  regions  of  Ne'v  Mexico.  Thi.-i 
was  till-  last  phase  iA'  the  mystery  in  Spanish  eyes; 
and  on  its  deaiiniL;'  u|>  they  ))romptly  retiix'd,  leavinijf 
the  north  to  iCnylish,  Americans,  and  Ixiissians.  11ie 
natnr<'  of  tlu-  coast,  with  its  complicati'd  net-work  ot' 
islands  and  channels,  r^-ndered  it  necessary  to  eXj)lor(; 
every  nook  and  corner  beKa'o  it  could   he  ahstJutilv 

West,  tli;it  f.ills  into  tlic  Pacilic  Oci'iin  at  tlic  straits  nf  Aiiiiiiiii'  H'i  one  of 
tli(^  fdur  '^n-At  rixcrs  whicli,  lisiin;  within  a  few  icavni's  nf  cucli  dIIht.  iIhw 
ivspc'ctivi'ly  into  llnibon  I'.ay,  Atlanliu  Oi.'can,  (iiilf  <if  Mexico,  and  I'acilio 
Oci.'an.  'J'lif  Indians  s|ii>U('  of  a  j^i'cat  laUr,  lar;,'<'r  than  Sii|)(  rior,  n.  \v.  of 
WiniR'iUTJv,  wliiili  ( ':ii'\rr  thinks  to  l)o  'the  .\'i'hi|)(  lajjoor  Kniken  wati'i's  tlint 
form  the  eoiinntinicMtion  lietween  lludsoii'.s  l>ay  and  the  northciii  parts  of 
tlie  I'acitic  Ocean.'  'I'iic  j,'rcat  I'ange  of  nioiintains  reached  47  oi'4S  ;  that  part 
«»f  tiie  ranj;e  west  of  the  St  I'iei'ie  was  called  the  Shiiiini,'  Mountains,  liein^' 
covered  with  laru'c  ei'ystals,  Jind  douhtless  rich  u:  f.;old  ami  silvii-;  while  some 
(»f  tlu!  nations  farther  west  '  have  ;,'old  s(.  plenty  anioiij,'  tluin  that  they  ni:;ke 
their  most  eonnnon  \itensils  of  it' — snpposed  to  lie  Mexican  trilies  thai 
escaped  nortliwaid  at  the  coniniest.  ' 'J'o  the  west  of  these  moinitains,  when 
explored  liy  fiiture  Colnmhuses  or  l!aleii.'lis,  may  he  found  otiier  lak<s,  livo's, 
und  countries,  full  fraught  with  all  the  necessaries  or  luxuries  of  lite;  and 
where  future  generations  may  Iind  an  asylum.'  See  Jil't.  (irnidii,  this  series. 
■■''J'he  last  actual  voyage  through  tlie  mythic  straiSwas  perhajis  that  of 
liiiron  Uhlefeld,  in  ITT^t,  who  made  it  on  a  l>anisli  govei-unient  vi'ssel.  the, 
2^orth<'rn  ('roini,  jiccurding  to  u  Danish  periodical  cited  l>y  Niivarrctc, 
I'iaijcn  Ajidc,  177. 


CERTAIN  SUMMARIKS. 


MciUMl 

1(1    llt'I'C, 

jic;ik    «it 

r,)!-  till! 

I'    of     till! 
I.         TIh" 

lif  voy- 
(lir  nv\\ 

I  11  U|>  I'V 

(ly  MH-k- 
;    1(1   timl 

WM-i  the 
riicy  hud 
If  imrtli; 
lini;-  ri(  U 
)V  many, 
rt.-.nt   I'.r 

ir  tli<-i'>' 
IT  .u'ivii!';' 

CO.     Tlli^ 

isli  I'yi'^; 
Kaviivj;' 

iiis.  Till' 
-work  <»t" 
)  (Xitlon) 

)Si;lutt'ly 

111"    l\!i     OIU"     llf 

(ilhcr,  llow 

anil    I'.icil'n" 

lior,  N.  \v.  of 

I  waters  lliMt 

•ni  jiai-ts  of 

;   that  li:iit 

Itailis,  1)1  ili;^ 

wllilc  snllir 

tiny  iii;;li'- 
Iti'il'i-'M  tli'"'^ 
ItaiiiM,  wlirii 

(llu'S,  V'W'VS, 

\,(  lifi';  :iii4 

this  sL'iii'^. 

lajis  that  iif 

VrsSJ'l.  till! 

I  Niivurrctc, 


Ja.wiku's  Map,  1782. 


13G 


THE  NORTIIERX  MYSTERY-CONCLUSION. 


certain  that  no  inland  passac^c  existed;  therefore 
there  was  room  for  donl)t  and  discussion  not  only 
until  I  son,  hut  throui^liout  tlie  next  <|uarter  century, 
duriui^  which  period  a[»[)eared  many  of  the  works  cited 
in  this  chaj)ter.  The  j^eiieral  summaries  of  Forster 
and  Fk'urieu  appeared  hefore  IHOO;  later  ones  wero 
those  of  Xavarrete  in  IHO'J  and  I84i),  of  Amoretti  in 
1 8  1 1 ,  of  Burney  in  1  S  1 :),  (»f  La[)ie  in  1  Sii  I,  of  tlie  Xorlli, 
Aiiti'i'lciin  J'rriein  in  IH'.V.),  and  of  (ireenhow  and  Twiss 
in  184(5.  ^Many  maps  miL;ht  yet  be  cited  to  illustrate 
1k)\v  slow  wero  geographers  to  take  full  advantage  of 
new  iliscovcries;  hut  no  new  theories  were  evolved, 
and  errors  were  either  the  resvdt  of  negligiMice  or 
were  of  lo(\d  signification  only.  I  present  Janvier's 
map,  jjuhhsju'd  in  ]*aris  in  1782.  It  is  somewhat  it- 
markahle,  as  anotlicr  writer  has  said  in  uihstance,"' 
that  in  California,  Xt^vada,  Arizona,  and  Ftah,  th  ; 
^■('ry  regions  iii  whicli  the  wonderi'ul  riches  of  Cihola, 


0\ 


uvu'a, 


'J 


eu'uavo,  an( 


Itl 


le    un 


at  lal 


vc  weri!  ancien 


tly 


located  hy  hhmdering  conjecture  and  groundless  false- 
liood,  should  have  been  actually  found  in  later  tiuiea 
the  <neatest  mineral  wealth  of  North  America. 


^•'Taylor's  First  Vuij,  to  CtU.  lif  CahrUlo,  jircfaco. 


icreforo 
ot  only 
■enturv, 
ks  c-itcd 
Forster 
es  were 
n-t'tti  ill 

1(1  Twiss 

liistrato 
[itaLje  of 
ovolvcd, 
f^vwcii  <»r 
laiivier's 

A'liut  I'f- 

(staiice,  ' 
tah,  tli3 
'  CUbola, 
iiifiently 
CSS  lalse- 
cr  timcH 


CHAPTER  y. 

DI.SCO\T,R\   Oy  TIIK  XORTin\T.ST  COAST. 

Dai:toi,omk  rrnuF/.rt— Did  not  Pass  Tiir  Fontv  skcont>  PAnAiXF.T,— Fra>;- 
ciH  Duam:— His  VovAfiK— Dutkuknt  Vkusioss— Tub  I'AMors  Vov- 
a<;r  —  TiiK  \V(iiu.D  K\coMi'As.si;i)  —  ri.KTCHK.u's  I'ai.sk.iioous  —  Tun 
Limit  (avnot  hk  I'ixkd — Draki;  I'ossiiitA' IIkaciikd  LATiTruK  rnurv- 
tiii;i:k— And  was  tmk  Discovkkkr  of  OuKiiox — Gau's  Vovaci;  mit 

KXTKNI'lNf!    TO   XoUTIlKitN  WaTKIIH— SKIlASTtAX  VlZfAIXO  AND   MaUTIV 

Aiirii.Ai PiiiNT  St  (iKfiitor,  i\  41'  4r>',  the  .Voutiikkn  Limit  -  Ri;- 

VIVAI,    or     ICXIM.OUATION     IMjF.K    (AUU)S    IIL  —  J^Xl'KMTION"     OF    JiAN 

I'liui:/.  TO  Ij.\TiTr:>K  Firrv-FivE — IxsTurcTioNs  and  Uksi-lts — Xamks 
Ari'i.iKii— I\Ti;iu'nii:sF.  wrni  Inoianm— I>is((ivkuy  of  Xootka— 'I'iik 
Whom:    CuAsr    IMscovf.kkd  — Sfcond    Kai'i.ouatioN'    r.NDKii    IJursn 

IIWF.TA  TO  Tin,  I'ollTVMNTII  PAKALLF-L— FlKST  LA.NmXc;  IN  OuECON  — 
SCVKN  Sl'AMAKUS  KlI.I.KI)  IIY  INDIANS— 1  lIsr'OVEUY  OF  TIIF.  CoLrMIHA — 
VoYAOK  OF  r.o|)i:(iA  Y  ClADUA,  AFTKK  I'AUTIXO  FllOM  lIlX'KTA,  TO  THU 
FlITY-lUtillTII    PaUALLKL. 

Wi;  now  roino  to  iliv  actual  exploration  of  tlio 
Pacitic  (.'oast  above  latitiule  forty-two.  The  iirst  epoch 
of  that  e\plorati<»n  extends  clironolojifioally  down  to 
1774,  and  iii('l',!dv,>>  four  ex|)editions  only:  those  of 
Ferrelo  in  l.Vi-'l,  cf  Drake;  in  I  r)7!>,  of  ( Jah  in  laSt, 
nnd  of  \'i/(,iino  and  A^uilar  in  lOU;?.  These  are  the 
only  voy;iLj;'es,  if  we  except  the  apocryphal  one  <it 
-iuMii  d»!  Fuca  in  l.VJG,  in  wliicli  Furo[>ean  navii^ators 
rriM'Iud,  or  claimed  to  reach,  with  any  de<>"re(!  of 
iilinisihilitv,  the  Oreufon  Territorv.  All  r,['  them  he- 
loii<>-  more  doselv  to  the  annals  dl  the  south  than  o|' 
the  iioith,  and  have  therefore  het-n  fully  descrii>ed  in 
earlier  Aohuues  of  this  series, 

jjartolonn;  Ferrelo,  the  successor  of  Juan  liodri- 
g'liez  Cuhrillo,  conunanding  two  small  vessels,  the  ^SalL 


i 


i: 


133 


DISCOVERY  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  COAST. 


S'flrcJo)'  and  }'icf(H'ii(,  (Icsijatt'liud  1)V  tlic  Spanish 
j^oNi'i-iimoiit  to  explore!  as  I'ar  northward  as  possiMo, 
\)L'\U'^  the  first  JCuropean  cral't  to  sail  on  Califoi-nian 
waters,  loft  Capo  IMnos,  in  latitude  31)^  as  he  l»e- 
licved,  Fehruaiy  2"),  l.Vlo.  For  three  days  lu;  lau 
noi'lh- westward,  one  ni^'ht's  sailinj^  meanwhile  heinij 
southward,  with  a  stron^^  south-w^'st  wind,  luitil  on 
the  !iSth  he  was  in  latitude  4;)'.  ])uriniL,^  one  niL;ht  he 
kei)t  on  north-westward,  hut  on  ^lai-ch  1st  was  struck 
by  a  jrale  and  <lriven  north-eastward  toward  the  land 
and  destruction,  lielore  the  vessels  stiaick,  however, 
theiH'  canu;  a  storm  with  i'ain,whi<-h  drove  them  hack 
and  sa\ed  them.  Tlu;  highest  latitude  as  estimated 
Ity  b'eriH'lo  was  44^  It  does  not  appear  tliat  any  land 
was  seen  above  a,  point  some  twi'iity  K-a^'Ues  IVom 
Capi^  IMnos;  hut  at  tlie  nortliern  limit  hii-ds  and  lloal- 
ini^  wood  indicati-d  tlie  nearness  of  land,  liidden  ))Vthe 


( »"■ 


and  farther  s(»uth.  between  latitutle  41   and  1: 


indications  of  a  lar_t;'e  i-iver  were  seen  or  imagined. 
On  the  return  (ape  Tinos  was  sighted  on  ^larch  ;)d. 
The  noi'thern  cruise  had  lasted  six  diiys.' 

'j'he  nari'alive  siipjtlyinL;"  no  desciipiion  of  land- 
m.'ii'ks  in  t!ie  noi'th,  l''en-elo's  norlhern  limit  must,  ho 
dclermini'd  by  his  latitude  and  by  his  sailiiiL;"  I'roni 
J*oint  J^inos.  '{'akinu"  his  highest  (»bsorvation  in  I'l  , 
deductinj;"  an  excess  of  I'roni  I  IIO'  to  2'  nole<l  in  ;;!! 
his  lalitudt's  on  the  (  alilbrnian  coast,  and  accepting;' 
his  own  estimate  of  pro'^'ress  alter  the  observation  of 
Febi-uary  -JSth.we  have  42  or  42  IIO'  as  the  hi:i-hest 
])(jint  reached.  The  n-sult  of  the  other  test  depends 
maiidy  on  the  identity  of  Pinos.      If  that  point  was 

•  Tlic  Koiirci'  of  Jill  i-i'.il  iiiforniatidii  iilMnit  this  voynpc  is  tlio  Cdhrilln,  ','.■. 
Iftrlnii,  or  oi'ij;iiial  diary,  )irol)al)ly  wiilU'U  liy  .liiaii  I'ae/,  anil  j>riiit<il  in 
J'iirliii\i  ami  Ciirili  iiii.t,  Cnl.  i>fr.,  xiv.  |(i.">  111,  aiul  in  //"riiln,  <'<tl,  /'n-'., 
ITIt-SII.  Oiliri  vmks  that  may  ln'  consaltfil  on  the  ciilijirt,  «ontainii}{ 
comnirntH  ami  wli^^'lit  variations,  aw:  J/irrira,  drc.  vii,  lilt,  v,  <'a|).  iii.  iv.; 
r<  )(';/((.-■,  .\'i,t.  fill.,  i.  \S\  ;i;  ],iiii,  Xiinis  Orliis.  ;{(M(-7;  Xnriirn  >',  in  .'^r'il  i/ 
^^l  .ii'inifi,l'iiiiii\  xsix.  xxxvi.;  Jil.,  I'lmji  x  Aiiiii'.,',V2  4;  Tiii/lnr'.t  I'iixl  Vitiimjo 
to  I  III'  (  'mitt  0/  ('ill .  .  Ill/  <  'ilhril/u  ;  Hni'lii  >/'■■<  Clhiiii.  lii^t.,  i.  '-'l'O-.'i  ;  uliil  7,'/Y(IM 
aiiil  III  ii^liiiic,  TraiLiliiliiiii  nml  A'n'i «,  in  /'.  S.  Umi.  Sun-.,  Wlm  fii\  vii.  arili., 
1>I>,  ■.!!».!  ;n  I.  TIkio  luv  pli'iity  uf  lurtiu-r  iTfiicnw!),  Init  tluy  Iwul  to  nt) inlili- 
tiuual  intorniatiou. 


I 


« 

. 

1 

i 

1 

i 

iii 

PHAKK.^  VOYAriR. 


130 


■^ 


jis  1il<rli  as  Point  Avisui  of  tlic  ])roi^('iit  mnps,  as  lias 
\k'c\\  clMiiuid  l\v  .'^!)1UL•,  then  |)L'rliM|)s  latitiidi-  l_'  is 
not  t.i(»  liiL,di  for  l'\'iT('lo's  jiosit loll  oil  Mar<-!i  Isl;  l»ut 
ir  I'iiios  was  the  point  still  so  calK'd  at  Montorcy,  as 
the  t'vidciico  most  (•oiiviiifiiiijfly  imlicatcs,  tlit  ii  it  is 
toKiaMy  ciTtaiii  that  no  liiiJi'lu'r  latitude  than  that  of 
(,'ajK'  .Nlnidocino  was  attaiii('(|.  'I'o  ju-esi'nt  the  ari^u- 
iiieiits  would  he  to  i-cpoat  ni'i'dlcsslv  my  account  of 
till'  voyaijc  to  (.'alifoniia.  to  wiiidi  I  iffcr  the  i-cadcr.- 
At  the  most  Fenvio,  without  seeing'  land.  jKissed  some 
tliirty  miles  heyoud  the  in'cseiit  Oi'e^^'ou  houndary; 
hut  it  is  almost  certain  that  he  diil  not  enter  ( )i-en-oii 
wati'is;  and  it  is  my  opinion,  aN  ••\pre,sed  in  a  fornier 
V(»lunie  of  this  .series,  that  hi-  diil.  not  pass  (  'ape  Meu- 
(lociiKt. 


y 


rancis 


Dral 


<e  s   claims 


to    1> 


CO 


nsid<-i'e(l  the  dis- 


coverer of  ( )re!4'on  ar<'  in  some  i'(-vs;)ects  hi-ttei"  'han 
those  of  the  Le\antine  pilot,  though  not  heyoiid  the 
ri'uch  of  douht.  'J'he  IjiLili^h  coi-sair,  having;' enteied 
tlie  Pacific  Ity  way  of  Mai;*  11a n  Strait,  and  ha\in;4" 
Well  lii'^ll  loaded  his  vessel,  the  (inldri,  Uni'l,  \\'\\\\ 
Spanish  plimder  on  the  coasts  of  South  and  ('ential 
America,  set  sail  fiom  ( Juatuico,  on  the  coa>t  <»f 
Oajaca,  in  I.')  lo',  ou  Aj>ril  K!,  Ia7'.).  Jlis  pui'|iose 
was  to  iind  if  |»ossiltK'  a  northern  passao'e  hy  which 
he  mi'fht  return  to  I'Ji^iand,  thus  avoiding-  not  only 
the  joiin'  a.al  st(.rniy  south«.'ru  route,  hut  aKo  possihle 
risky  eiicountt'rs  with  the  Spaniards  he  ha<l  roMied. 
His  course  lav  tar  tait  into  the  ocean  north-westward 
until   v{\\'\\'   in   timie.  when    he  ap|iroached    the    land 


soiiiewhi'ri'  l)eiween   \'l  aiid   is  ,  accor 


iliiiLC  ^ 


o  Ins  own 


ohservat  ions  or  estimates,  lie  even  anchored  in  a  li;id 
harlior;  hut  <»n  account  of  I'oujdi  weather,  and  particii- 
lailv   of   excessive    cold,    \erv   I^I'ossIn    exai^U'eiated    in 


tl 


le  nai'rativi',  decided   to  ahandon    the  search    for  a 


strait  and  to  retui'U  southwai'd,  which  he  did.  foUdw  in'j^ 
the  coast  down  to  \l^  .  oi'  thereaiiout,  to  a  ( 'alifoinian 


'Ste  I  list.  r,i/.,  vul.  i.  cl> 


la. 


thi«  (tcrica,  whiru  ubu  a  V>i\a  lint  of  ixfcr- 


140 


DTSfOVnRY  OF  THE  XORTITWKST  COAST. 


m 


port  rcspuctiiii,'  tliu  identity  of  wliich  I  liavo  Imrl  miicli 
to  say  elsewliuru. 

In  tlu!  first  jniiited  iU'count,  t]>at  jmldislicd  hy  llak- 
luvt  ill  laHI),  it  was  stati'd  that  tlu!  northcni  limit  of 


Or 


iki's  voya;jie  \v 


as  latitude  4'J  ,  reached  on  June  jth; 


and  thei'e  was  an  iiiseription  to  tliu  same  eilect  on 
Jlondius'  nia|),  made  hefoj-e  the  end  of  the  century, 
which  I  Ikino  already  reproduced.*  As  (>arly  as  I.V.IJ 
the  I-jiuflish  annalist  Stow,  as  <|uoted  hy  Twiss,  wrote: 
"lie  j)asse<l  foilli  northward,  till  he  canii!  to  the  lati- 
tude of  I'orty-seven,  thinkinn'  to  have  come  that  way 
home,  hut  l)eiinif  constrained  hy  foij^s  and  cold  win<ls 
to  forsake!  his  purpose,  came  haekward  to  the  line 
ward  the  tenth  of  Juik;  la?'.),  ami  stayed  in  the  lati- 
tude of  thirty-ei^ht,  to  i;-rave  and  trim  his  shi|),  until 
the  live  and  twenty  of  July."  A^ain,  in  I  a'Jf)  .lohn 
J)avis  till!  iiaviL,nitor  wrote:  "After  Sir  Fraiuis  Drake 
was  entered  into  the  South  Seas,  he  coasted  all  the 


Western    shores   o 


f  A 


luerica  until   he  came  in 


t(.  th 


s(>]itentrional  latitU(K;  of  i'orty-eio-ht  deiL^rees,  heim;-  on 


the  hack  side  of  Xewfoundland. 


L 


(iw  m  I  ;V.).S  Li'ave 


the  limit  as  ti*',  ))rol)al)ly  followinuf  1  takhiyt,  as  did 
(v'anulen  in  Mil.")."  In  an  anonymous  discourse  of  the 
century,  written  ))erhaj)s  hy  one  of  Drake's  asso- 
ciates, wi!  lead:  "IK'ic!  Drake  watert'd  his  shi|>  and 
«leparti'd,  sayliuLf  northwards  till  he  came  to  IS.  i^r.  of 
the  septeiitrioiiall  latitud,  still  lindiiiiif  a  very  lardy'e 
sea  treiidiniLf  toward  tlu'  north,  luit  heiiiiif  afraid  to 
spend  loiin"  tinu!  in  seekint^  lor  tlu!  straite,  hee  turned 
haelie  au^aiiu',  still  kepiiiy;  aloiin"  the  cost  as  nere  land 
as  hee  minht,  vntill  hee  came  to  44.  j^r.,"  that  is,  Drake 

^ lliilhiiif\  I'"//.,  Ticmdon.  l.")S!).  T  liavc?  not  si\'ii  tliiM  edition,  Imt  take  tlu! 
Htatriiuiit.  of  Tw  j.s.s,  ll'i-i.  Or.,  •_'(!  .">7. 

'Sec  tn:i|)  iHlun"  ;4ivcii,  Tlif  ilotti'il  liiii-  shows  |)rak('"s  route,  iiml  tin' 
iiisc'i'i|itioii,  not  fopinl,  is  opposite  llic  iioitlni'ii  tiriiiiiiiition  ot  that  line.  I 
take  the  iiiali  from  tiie  Makluyt  StK'iet_,  reprint  of  hniLi's  W'mlil  /■^mdiii/i'i^-i '', 
tiie  editor  ol  uiiieli  uoik  states  tiiat  ii  was  originally  iittiielieil  to  a  l>ntili 
narrative  of  tin'  voyai;e,  Curlf  liisr/iri/riiiii/ic.  ete.,  apparently  u  eomleliseil 
translation  of  a  doeiinient  similar  to  tlu"  li'url'l  Kucoiii/itii.-i  il. 

•'/ttiriK'  \\'iirli/'s  lljiilroij.  /Ji-iror..  as  eiteil  hy  (Jreenhow  ami  Twiss. 

'^  l.iiii\  Miir  mil  r  Suhuiiin  IJiu/i,  4M;  Cuimkii,  Aiiitulc.'<  iivrviu  Amj^i- 
currm,  eiteil  liy  Twiss. 


PRAKirS  I.YIXO  PREACIIKR. 


Itl 


much 


Hak- 

■ 

nit  of 

H 

.'  ath;' 

H 

H't    Oil 

H 

nturv. 

H 

^  \:)\yi 

H 

wrote: 

H 

ic  lati- 

H 

it  way 

H 

w'ukU 

H 

le   line 

H 

10  lati- 

H 

),  until 

H' 

f)  .lolui 

H 

Drake 

H 

all  the 

H 

»to  the 

H 

1-111-4  on 

H 

)S  |j,ave 

p| 

as  did 

:1 

of  the 

■i    asso- 

ii 

i)|)  and 

^1 

1.  v;!"-  of 
lardiA'i' 

ii 

raid  to 

1 1 

turned 

■  '^ 

IT  land 
Drake 

ii 

take  tilt! 

.  iiii.l   til-' 
It   liiu'.     I 

1,  Duttli 

lollllftlMlll 


ill   . I /(.'/''• 


Vuiv,  oil  tlie  C;dIfornia  eonst.'^  In  liis  edition  of  \i\{){) 
ll.ikluvt  made  a  eliaii'^r  in  tiie  latitutK'  and  wj'ote: 
"HfO  he^annc  to  thinke  of  his  lu'st  way  to  the 
Mahicos,  jiiid    lindiiiL;;   hiuisflle   where  hee   now   was 


he(  ;dim'd,  h 


I'C 


aw  that  of  neeessitic   hee   must   I 


»ce 


eiiforet'd  to  take  a  Sjianish  course,  naiiirly  to  sjiile 
sdiiifwliat  Xoi'therly  to  oct  a  winde,"  Woe  theri'foi-e 
set  sailc,  and  sayled  (JOO.  leai^ut's  iit  tlio  least  for  n 
<;(»o(l  windc,  and  thus  much  we  sailed  tVom  tlu;  1(5. 
<>\'  A])ril,  till  tlie  ."!.  of  .lunc.  The  5.  d;iy  of  ,!  iinc,  hcin^j 
in  i;!.  dei^ives  towards  tin'  |)oi('  Ai'ctickc.  wee  found 
the  ayre  so  coldi-,  that  our  mdi  hein^-  ^rii^uously 
|>inched  with  the  same,  complained  of  the  extreniitie 
thereof,  and  the  fuither  we  Went,  the  more  the  colde 
increased   u|ion  us.     Win  riU])on   we  thoui^'ht  it  hest 


tor  that  tmie  to  seej<e  the  land,  an< 


I  di<l 


so,  lindm<j:  it 


not  mountainous,  hut  li>w  pkiine  land,  till  wi-e  came 


w  1 1 1  u  n 


;{s  i\vj^ 


rees  towards  tlie  l:ne 


llakluyt's  account  was  folloN.'ed  l»y  l^invhas  and  hy 
most  other  early  writers,  except  De  Laet,  who  made 
latitude  to  the  northern  limit.'"  The  author  of  tlu! 
l)i,ii(iiis  \'(>i/iiijr  \^  not  known;  hut  it  is  not  imlikely 
that  llakluyt  himself  compileil  it  from  papers  and 
Ncihal  statements  of  Dral 


ie  s  cojiipaniol'.s. 


new  ac 


\e  s 


count  was  compiled  and  puhlished  in   K'.Ll.S  h\   Dral 
nephew  from  th<!  notes  of  l^'i-ancis  hMetchei',  who  .-u'- 


iltl 


ha|)h 


compaiued  tim  eorsjur  as  cliaplam  oi-  pnacnt'r,  aix 
othi'i'; 


d  ..f 


11 


I 


proct'cd  to  (|t'iote  all  o|   this  nai'rati\e  reiatmi,'  to 


lati 


".I  ilUiiiiirri'  III'  Sir  /■'/•'»/('■;<  Drthv  inriuii,  MS.   of  liiitisli   Museum,  in 

llakll'Vt  Sue.  c.l.'o!'  Ili'iib'*   W'orhl  A.';(»t./'/''/'''"<  .'-*'''  4- 

'  Hri-'  \\v  iKitii'i"  thf  fUMivli  tor  ii  iiiii7juiii  f^trait  in  iu'ii'Tfil  altou't'tlu'i'. 
''  rill  I'diiiom  Wti/'ni'   o/'  Sir  rniHi-'s  ihidi,   in   HiUI"/''  •:  I'li'/.,   iii.  440, 

7:w-7. 

'"  hill,  Xtii'ii.H  nrhifi,  ;<(»7.   (iii'cnliow  citi's  Ijirt  a«  fnllnwiii,'  l(:ikliiyt. 

"/>n(^r,    Thr    Wi'i'il    A.'/i'V. »(/,(/«.■« ./    hif   Sir    /'innri^   l>rilki\   lliiii'l    hi<    III  1 1 

r())/((;/('  /()  I  hill  hi  Xniiihri  ill  l)hii  I'linm  rli/  im/iriii/i  il :  I  'nn  I'll  1 1 II  inlln  ful  uiii  uj' 
llir  XiiliH  III'  Mil  itl  r  l'\-iiiirii  t'lihlti  r,  I'rmihir  in  /hit  iiiijiliii/iii'  nl,  nml  ilinir* 
ii'hi  ri  III  ^  lull  (lilt  rs  ill  III!  siiiiii.  I'to.  I.iiiiilon,  Hi"_'H;  hIniii'iIs.  (i|  Mi^i'Jiiinl  l(i.'t">. 
Tlu' kiti'Nt  mill  Ik'nI  iM  tliat  of  the  llakluyt  Sncicty  <<(  iH."iJ,  witii  ii|i|"ii.li.  im 
mill  iiitiiii|iiftii)ii  liy  W.  S.  N\'.  \'."ii\.  'I'lic  ii|t|MniliriM  iiuiiiJ"'  tlu'  /■'uiiiiim 
Viiilii'i'.  li'Miii  lliikliiyt.  mill  uKk  ki'M'iiiI  MS.  naiiiitiv'' ;  or  liUfiiiaiila  ou  tiio 
(•ulijcut— ill  filit  111!  llic  rviikiiii:  (.M.^liii^  uli  tlu:  vu^.i,,'!,'. 


112 


DISCOVEIIY  OK  THE  NORTIIWr.ST  COAST. 


,  i 


f    I 


'  f  ! 


the  noi'tlicni  ]);irf,  (>xcc'pt  a  portion  of  the  lonir  dis- 
(jui.  itioM  on  the  chniati!: 

"  l''roi!i  (r'liituhi)  wco  ilopartcvl  tlic  div  iollowiuLT, 
viz.,  Ajii'ill  l(),  scitinn'  our  coursr  dircotly  into  the  sea, 
whci'c'on  woo  saylud  fiOO  Iom'^-uos  in  lon^iludo,  t(»  u't't  a 


^vlnll^ 


ant 


1  hot 


WOOllC 


that 


aiK 


I  Jitiir  .•;.   I  100  Icauut-'S 


Ml  a 


Ih  till 


\\( 


cunK'  into  42  of  Xoi'tli  latitude,  whoro 
ill  the  ui_nht  toll  )\vinn'  wo  I'ound  such  ahei-ation  of 
hoatt',  into  oxtroanio  and  ni|)pin;4'  oold,  that  our  men 
i;i   jL^onorall   (hd   <;'ri(.'Uously  coinjjlaint!    thcr<';)l'.  .  .t hi- 


M'ly  roapcs  ot"  our  shi|>  wort;  stille,  and  tho  raino 
whicli  IMI  wa-^  an  vnnatui'.d  coM'^tjali-d  ;utd  tVoj^i  n  sult- 
s!an<v.  .  .  1 1  cauic  lo  that  cxtriMiiil  v  in  sayhn;^'  hut 
•J  doi;-.  iuithcr  to  tho  Xorthward  in  oui-  ('oin-so,  that. 
t'iou'4'li  sca-uu-n  lack  not  L;'ood  .stoniachcs.  yet  it,  scnncd 
a  (juostion  to  many  anion^st  vs,  wluilu  r  their  hands 
should  l(V'd  their  niouth<>s,  oi-  rather  keep  thenisehu's 
v.iihin  their  eoueits.  .  .()ur  nieate.  as  soono  as  it  wa-; 


I'oinoouod  I'roni  the  1iri\  would  presently  in  a  manner  he 
iVozen  \p.  .  .Tilt' land  in  that  |)art  of  Anuii(  a,  hoai-iir^' 


1';irthei'  out   into  the  West  then 


Wl'O 


hel 


ore  nna'jnied 


wo  wore  neeiei-  (Mi  it  then  woe  werci  aware;  and  y(  t 
tho  neorer  sliil  woo  e.iino  \  nto  it,  the  more  extnniilii' 
ol'  e<»ld  did  seaso  V|>on  vs.  The  .")  day  of  Inni',  wc 
were  foreitl  hy  contrary  wI'kK's  to  runut'  in  with  the 
shoare,  which  wee  then  tir:^l  descrie.l,  and  to  castaiichoi' 
in  a  had  hay,  the  host  roadii  wee  oouM  for  the  pii^rut 
mooto  with,  wher.'  wee  were  not,  w  iiht)ut  s(»ni'  dan^'ci' 
l»y  reason  of  thi'  niaii\  extreino  i^iists  and  llawcs  that 
l)eato  vpon  \'s,  which  if  ihoy  ooasod  and  were  r^iill  at 
any  time,  immediately  upon  their  intermission  there 
lojiowt'd  most  nil',  thicke,  and  ^:tinki•.'4■  lo<_;'!j>-(«s,  aii^^-iinst 
whii'h  the  si'a  prcuailcd  nothin'^',  till  i  le  ^vistsof  winde 
a^aino  i-emoucd  them,  which  hrounht  with  thi  ni  such 
extron'.io  and  violence  wIk'U  tliey  came,  that  there 
was  no  doalin.;'  or  ri'sistiuv;' aLfiiinst  th«  a.  In  this 
place  was  no  aitidiui;"  forvs;  and  to  j^'o  furl  In  i'  Xorth, 


tilt?  I'xtremitv  of  the  coald, 


woiild  not  jiermit  vs: 


an( 


I 


tho  window  dirootU'  bout  against  v  ■5,  liauiiiy  imi'-j  grtHn.' 


11 


YR  FALSEST  KNAVK  TITAT  LIVKTIT. 


148 


ijX  tils- 


.ic  sen. 

)    O'i't    it 

ioii  <il 
in-  iiU'U 
".  .  .tlM> 
,!  raiuc 
en  sii!)- 
ll'JJ  l>ut 
s(j,  that 

msrliU's 
s  it  W!»- 
\iuu  V  l>»' 
lH'arin'4' 
laj^iiunl, 
and  yit 
Irciiiili'' 

ith  till' 
.•iiichi»r 
pri'^nit 
«laii'j;rr 
»  s  that 
:>lill  at 
thiMi' 
|aLi:ih\4 
wiiuK' 
ini  such 
thcri' 
11  thi- 
IXorth, 
.;  ami 

I.xMIaU 


iU 


vs  viuler  sayu;  an'am(\  <■<) 


)iMiiiaii(l»il  vs  to  the  Sonth- 


\varil  whrthiT  wcc  wmild  oi-  no.  r'-roni  the  lieiLiht  of 
IS  dci.,  in  which  now  wcc  wci;'.  to  .".s  ,  wc  Connd  tho 
I  iiid,  l>y  <*'>iistinL,^  aloni^st  if,  to  hcc  hut  low  and  iva- 
sonal)l(!  j)lainc;    cuitv    hill   (whci'cof  \\\'   saw   many, 


d  th 


iiut  nono  vcric  hij'li),  tnouuli  it  wi-rc  in  Jmic,  and  iiit! 
.-^ninc  in  his  nccivst  appioch  vnio  thciii,  l)ciii!jc  ''oiicrcd 
Vvith  snow.  .  .  Wco  coniccture,  that  cither  there  is  no 
|)assa!jfe  at  all  throU!.;'h  these  Northcrnc  coasts  (which 
is  most  likely)  or  it'th<'re  he,  that  yet  it  is  vnnaiii;4ahlc. 
Aflde  hdvunto,  that  thon^di  wee  searched  the  coast 
(lili^'ntly,  (Mien  vnto  the  48  den".,  vet  found  wee  not 
<!ic  land  to  trend  so  luueh  as  one  point  in  any  j)laco 
1  (Wards  the  ]"^ast,  hut  rather  rimnin-^  on  continually 
Xoith-wesi,  as  if  it  went  directly  to  meet  w  ith  Asia.' 
I  have  thus  ])lace<l  hcfore  the  i-eadi'i-  all  that  is 
I. iiown  ahout  Drake's  northern  voya-^t'.  J  <lonotdecm 
i',  IK ct^ssary  to  name  the  many  writei-s  wh(»  have  re- 
peat d  and  some  of  whom  have  commented  1  on  all  or 
|i;t!t  of  the  evidence  eitetl.'-  In'tween  the  l:!  of  the 
J'\iui(ti(s  \'iii/<i</c  a'td  the  latitude  is  of  the  llu//./ 
J-!Hco)i)p(iss( (I  there  has  heeii  miidi  dillcreuce  of  opin- 
ion, especially  durini^  the  territorial  disputes  hetwi-en 
J']nL;i.md  and  the  United  States,  the  (piestion  of  oi-iei- 
n;il  discovery  of  the  Oregon  T(.iritoi\  hciii'n'  invnKid. 
J   mav  nl'er  the  reader  to  (ireenhowund  I'wiss  as 


c'laaipions  m  the  partisan   uh<-ussi(»n 


11 


Th 


iroeess 


•f  reasoniu'^",  or  rather  of  special  pleading,  more  in- 
genious (ijan  cftnvincinir,  is  t<»  attu-ktlu!  "general  < -red - 
ihility  of  one  narrative,  pointiii'L;-  out  and  exai^^'eratiii'^' 
its  di  I'ects  and  diM're[)au<'ie>,  and  to  conceal  and  ex- 
I'liiin  siniihp"  defi>cts  in  tin  ollur,  naming"  also  the 
c.niiient  writei"s  who  h.i\e  adoj>t*(l  its  statements. 
A^.  in  m(»>t  discussions,  a  larij;e  s[>a(  e  is  al-o  devoted 

'-'Sco  //(.</,  f\i'.,  i.  i'liaj>.  iii.,  lliis  8.  ics,  for  n  full  lii*  nf  iiiitliorition, 
"dr'Cii/f.ir'.^Dr.n,!  I  '  ,tl.^-\  :,;  /./.,  .1/.  hi../'/-,  •.Ml  4:  '//rwv  0,7  .;.,,  m,<,  ./;,)», 
-'!-"'7;  //..  h'U.  Or..  'Jd  !'>.  Tuiss  in  soiiii-  ri-s]MTt.<  li;i.-<  (Iniilcilly  tip'  lii'st 
•  ■f  tlic  ar;;unui>t,  fliiclly  lK>i-a.tisi' of  his  iii!vanta;,'is  in  tlu'  iiuuti'i- of  liililio;^- 
iii;i|iv,  iiihI  i()iisr(|m  111  ,iliilit\  to  ia|him-  Ins  ()|>i«in<iit's  liluinJiTs,  many  ol  his 
»<Li'P'..;^  tiiuuHilih  ihcittoix;  luiviit^  110  liau-uij;  uu  tin-' (|iit'sUuu  iil  ivjuo. 


Ii  p 

1^ 


i 


;  ■   I 


IM 


DISCOVERY  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  COAST. 


oil  l)()lh  sides  to  arufuments  bearliiLf  <>ii  tlu;  aocuruoy 
ol'  tlio  (lis])utant's  jiositioii  on  invlcvaut  or  uniinpor- 
t.int,  (|U('stions.  I  liavu  no  :-!])at'e  i'oi"  the  cxiuninatittn 
of  each  l>ctty  })oint;  but  neither  of  the  I'ival  i;:nra- 
tives  lias  been  [)rovecl  s[>urioiis  or  wholly  unrehable, 
or  indeed  free  from  serious  delects. 

From  the  marked  dill'erences  in  statements  of  writers 
V.  ho  wei'e  contemporary  with  .Drake,  an;l  whose  i^ood 
I'.iith  ill  this  matter  is  not  (juestioned,  tlu!  reader  will 
]Hiha]»s  conclude  with  nu;  that  J)rake's  eom[ianionsia 
theii"  notes  and  verbal  statements  did  not  ajji'iee  i'esj)eet- 
iiiU'  the  northern  limit  of  the  vova-^e;  that  observations 
in  the  north  had  been  few  and  conti-adictorv;  that 
ossibly  tlie  i-en'ular  diai'V,  if  any  had  Irtii  ke])t,  was 
)st,  and  memory  alone  de[)ended  on;  and  at  ;iiiy  rate 
that  the  truth  cannot  be  known  respectiii'^'  the  latitude 
ol"  the  iVeebootei's'  landrail.      l>ut  when  it  comes  to  a 


1 


weiLi'hinj;'   of   the    pi-obabililies  between   the  J''((iii<>iis 
}'(>i/(((j''  and  the  War/d  ./•utcnm/Kisscd,  that  is  between 


latit 


udes    4. J     aiK 


1   -ia  .  ih 


ill 


le   reader  Mill    note   severa 


AveiL,Hity  considerations  in  favor  of  the  Ibrniei-.  1'lie 
lowest  latitude  was  that  iirst  aiiiiouiici'd.  Iiidiaid 
llakluyt  was  a  compiler  of  threat  re|>utalion;  his 
<i|)l)ortunities  in  this  matte  r  wt-re  of  course  uioie  than 
ordinary;  and  the  fact  that  lie  chaiiLjed  the  latitude 
I'rom  42  to  4.'}  indicates  that  his  attention  was  called 
particularly  to    this   matter.      Tho  conijiiler  of    tlie 


]Vor/,l  h 


iicoh) 


)as.s('cl,  on  the  other  hand,  is  unknown 


us 


a  wiiU-r;  he  is  known  to  have  taken  some  libel  tit  ■; 
with  Fletcher's  notes,"  and  1k'  was  e\j)osed  t<»  tlie 
ti'injitatioii  at  least  of  acce])tiiH4"  the  liiLi;hest  latitude' 
named  by  his  authorities,  both  to  ma,i;nify  the  im- 
portance of  his  liero's  services  in  searchin/^"  ibr  the 
strait,  and  to  aei-ount  ibr  the  exci'ssive  cold  expeii- 
enei'd.  .Vnd  as  to  Fletclu-r's  Ncracity  and  acciiraiv, 
<'Ur  laith  is  not  strengthened  by  the  m-Miy  j;laiiii;.;' 


'*  This  is  tln>  Rt.atcniciit  of  M?-  Vmiix,  llu'  clitor  of  tho  IT.ikhiyt  Sdp. 
••ililioii,  rj,  a  jiortiuu  ui  I- lutclitTH  MS,  va  uii  caiin'r  ^nn  <il  tlu'  voyiigi!  liciUij 
f  .'via  lit. 


r.ALI,  VIZCAINO,  AND  AfiUILAR. 


145 


ounioy 
iiiipor- 
iualiou 

cliiil)k;, 

NvriU'i's 

Icr  will 
iiioiis  iu 

IVSjK'Ct- 

•vatioii!^ 
■y;  that 
'|)1,  Nvas 
my  rate 
la'litUiU' 
lies  t<>  a 

Jul  III' HIS 

bctwcfU 

H'Vrial 

V.      Tlx' 

Wlcliaf.l 

on;  lii-^ 
)vr  than 
latltnd.' 
(^  called 
of  tin- 
nowii  as 

llihclt'us 

to  the 
lalitUiK' 
the  ini- 
i'oi-  tho 
I'Xpcvi- 
c'Uiai'.v. 

|,!duyt  So<-. 

\  II'.'O  llt'lU-i 


ahsiirdities  of  tlic  iiari'ativc,  l>y  Ids  <l(lil)i'rat('  falsc- 
liiHids  iTs|icctiii«^  the  ()i('non  and  California  climati" — 
nof:diIv  fill'  snow-coviTcd  jiiljs  in  .lune—  and  tliu 
wH'altli  of  the  countrv  in   yoid  and  silver,  or  hv  the 

«  n  '  t.' 

iiict  that  1  )iake  hiniscll' once  teimed  him  "ye  false^^t 
Knaxc  that  liveth."  ^[oreover,  the  advance  of  six 
(Ic'ives  of  latitu(le  in  two  days  ai'-ainst  eontrarv  winds 
is  not  i-eassunni,s  to  say  iiothnij^  of  thi'  stat-nient 
that  the  coa-^t  above  latitude  'AH'  trends  always 
norihwest,  wilhuut  turning;  so  laiich  us  u  ^)oint  to 
the  eastward. 


I 


ai!i 


th(Vi'foi'(!   led   to  conclude  that,   Drahi'   was 


])rohal»ly,  thou^•h  not  cei'tainly,  the  lirst  discovci-er  of 
the  wester!!  coast  fcoju  Cajte  ^^en(locino  (o  the  reL?ion 
of  Cape  IJlaiico,  includinn'  fifty  oi-  sixty  niiKs  of  the 
( )i*e^on  coast,  hut  tliat  his  claim  to  discovery  ahove 
latitude  \:\  is  not  supported  hy  existini^  e\  ideiice. 
Tw(»  interesting"  ((Uestions  nui^ht  ha\e  arisen  in  con- 
nection with  this  voya^^'e,  hut  nc\-ei*  did,  sinci:  lOni^land 
t'>(ik  no  ste[)s  to  profit  hy  I  )rakc's  disco\  ci\'.  The 
lii'st  is.  what  territtirial  i-i^hts,  if  any,  (h»  tlie  dis- 
i()\Hries  of  a  jaivatc-er  or  outlaw  conft;r  U|)on  his 
nation^     And  tin-  sei-ond,  did  not  (*ahrill 


s   VoVa"'"e, 

cxteiidinn  to  latitude  4:5  or  \\  ,  according'  to  an  olli- 
cial  diary  written  in  i;-ood  laith,  ,nive  to  S[)ain  foi-  the 
next  two  centuries  and  more  the  same  territoi-ial  rights 
a>  if  he  had  really  ri-ached  the  latitude  named,  even 
thniiMJi  we  may  now  he  certain  that  he  <lid  not,  <>■(»  so 
larf 

The  third  voyai^'e  of  the  pei'iod,  that  of  I'ranci^co 
de  (Jali.  rtMjuires  hut  u  brief  notici'  here,  sinci'  the 
claim  that  it  extended  to  tlu'  Xoi-thwest  Coa  t  and  to 
latitude  a?  -lO'  appears  to  have  no  othui'  foinalation 
than  the  misrepresentation  oi-  hhmdei' of  a  i"an>lator. 


(iali 


came  across 


from  Asia  in  last  and  sighted  tla 


<'oast  in  latitude  .*]7'  '50'.  His  narrative  exists  only  in 
a  Dutch  translation  hy  Linschoten  of  I  .V.KI,  ofti'ii  re- 
printed and  reti'anslated.  A  French  translator  changed 
till'  locality  to  latitude  ."'7    30',  and  the  coui'se  of  stiil- 

Uwi.  N.  W.  CoAKi,  Vol.  I.    10 


nc 


PIsroVHRY  OF  THE  N'ORTITWEST  COAST. 


iiicf  to  rorrosjiond.  Xavarretc  rcjx.'ated  tlu'  error,  as 
(li((  otliers  nlyliiL,^  on  Ijis  aiithoiity." 

( )n  .laiiiun  V  •»,  I  ^>0;^,  Schastian  A'^izraiiio,  in  cnininaud 
of  t\\i>  S|)niii:;li  cxiiloiiii^^'  vessels,  the  Scit  Dir^jn  aiul 
yVr.s-  liC'/rs,  Iho  latter  l)ein«jf  eoinmaiuled  l>y  Martin 
A;;'nilar,  sniled  from  Monterey  to  the  nortli.'"  Jiist 
altove  i*oint  Keyes,  on  the  7th,  the  vesul;  }i;ntr<l, 
A'j^nilar  hee|)in^'  on  his  way  and  N'i/caino  turnin'Ljf  hack 
to  the  old  San  I'^raneisco.  The  eninniander  went  on 
also  the  next  day  with  a  lii^ht  wind,  and  hy  Januaiy 
rjth  was  within  I'oui'teen  Icaijues  of  wliat  he  su;t|)'^;cd 
to  he  C\t]K'  Mendocino,  in  latitude  41"  HO'.  A  i'niious 
wind  with  sleet  s])ran;^  up  next  day  I'roni  the  soutli- 
(>ast,  threatriiin^  d(>struetion.  All  hut  six  men  v.'ere 
down  with  theseurxy;  they  dared  not  u'o  I'artlier;  an<l 
the  vessel  was  hove  to  and  awaited  a  lavoivilile  v.ind 
that  ini^ht  carry  her  t(»  the  Houth.  In  tv.<t  (hyy-  she 
drii'ted  to  (*;i])e  Mendocino;  and  on  the  l!);!i,  v.heu 
the  I'oi''  cleared  awav  with  a  chan<>'e  of  the  v/ind  to  the 
nortli-west,  slu;  was  found  tt>  he  in  latitude  I'J  ,  at  a 
white  caj)i'  near  hii^h  snowy  mountains,  v/hicli  IVom 
the  color  of  the  earth  and  iVom  the  day  was  named 
('al)o  IManco  de  San  Sehastian.  Tluncc^  Vizcaino 
with  a  favorahle  wind  followed  the  coast  si)uthward 
in  search  <*1"  the  consert. 

Meanv.hile  Aj^'uilai",  jmrtin;.''  from  his  commandei- 
on  .lamiaiy  7th,  was  in  latitudi'  41"  when  struck  hy 
the  sou(h-ia;  t  ji;ale.  The  Ti'cs  J*(i/cs  ran  helbre  the 
wind  to  a  slultei-  l)ehin<l  a  e'reat  clilr'nenr  ('a[)e  }Ji'n- 
<locino;  and  affer  the  wind  had  calmed  somewhat 
"they  continued  their  voyau^e  close  alou'^;  the  lansl, 
and  on  .lanuary  l!»lh  the  jiilot  of  tlu^  Frojatu,  Ati- 
tonio  I'^lores,  found  himself  in  latitude  A'X,  where  the 
shoi-e  makes  a  cape,  or  |)oint,  whi<'h  was  named  ('al>o 
Ulanco,  from  which  tlu;  coast  heeins  to  run  to  tlie 
noi'th-west"' — or,    as    ]*adr(!    Ascension    savs,   north- 


oast- 


an( 


I   near   it  was   found  a  very  copi 


ous   am 


'■^  For  il''t.'ii!^<  of  (l:ili'H  voynfjo  «pc  ll'int.  Crd,  i.  chnyi.  iii.,  this  series. 
'Tor  N'izcaino's  voyayu  on  the  lower  couuts  ace  JJiM.  CuL,  i.  clmp.  iii. 


TIIK  COMIXC  INTr.HVAL. 


147 


s(»un(lal)li'  I'ivci',  <>ii  the  l>;iiiks  of  wliidi  Wci'c  vciy 
lari^c  aslics,  willows,  hrauiMi's,  and  other  tvcvs  of 
Castile;  and  wisliln;:,'  to  enter  it  the  eiirn-nt  w<»uld 
nn(  permit  it."  Then  AiLijiiihir  and  I'Moi-i-s  agned,  jis 
tin  V  iiad  many  sick,  and  liad  ah'eudy  gone  fail  her 
than  the  viceroy's  instructions  recjuiin-d,  to  turn  Itack 
1m  Acapulco.  ]>oth  died  on  th«;  way,  oidy  I*]ste\an 
!,(]»(■>'.  and  lour  men  surviving  to  relate  their  noitheru 
di. -cowries.''' 

Thus  is  given  in  text  and  noti'  all  that  is  known  of 
this  V(yage  noi'th  of  San  Francisco,  from  all  oj"  which 
it  a:)])ears  that,  as  in  the  earlier  vova''es,  there  iire 
<iirilc;ihies  in  fixing  the  limit  reached.  If  we  take 
l!ic  latitudes  as  approximately  correct  we  must  sup- 
jiiise  that  A'izcaino  I'eached  tlu'  ]*oint  St  Cleoige  and 
A  ;uilar  the  Cajie  ]>lanco  of  modern  maj)s  just  l)rl(»w 
l;ill;udes  4-  and  4:)  respect ixcly.  In  the  nan-alive 
no  ( 'alirornian  latituiles  south  of  ^leudocino  are  "ilveu 


'  Ti>n/iii'iiiii'l(i,  Moiirini.  lull.,  i.  71''  -.").  P.-xlro  A'^i'dision,  viiu  was  on 
^'i,■c•;l•lll>^^  sliij),  lurrivid  fnnii  Ldjif/  iiit  nccmiiit  of  wluit  liii|i|i<'iK d  l.>  Uio 
(it!ii  r  \t  sil,  iiiiil  v.a.s  'I'diviuciiiacla't  iiiitliDiitv,  in  lii<  AV  'ncli'ii,  .'i  .S,  hcciiis  to 
I' iili'iiii'l  the  liiovciiicnt.s  (if  tlii>  twii  vi'.ssi'I.s.  1!(^  Fay.":  'On  tlio  coast  wo 
saw  the  port  <if  San  !■  ^aIl(■i^st.•o.  .  .and  wo  iii'iivi'il  at  Cajjc  Mcmlnrino,  wiiicli  is 
ill  -IJ  ,  tliu  lii'.'lic.t  latitiiilc  wliiili  i^^  icailml  liy  the  Ciiina  t^lii|is.  Iiii-c.  it 
lit  ill ;  iiiiilwintir,  tlii"  I'oM  ami  ir.",'iii;^  'rucl,  and  almi-st  all  tlu-  nun  ^  iik.  Ilio 
hai:.i  Wire  lowiTcil,  tliii  t'  iinhinii  v,i\>\  liovo  to,  and,  as  hlic  could  not  .steer,  tlio 
cuneiit  f  carried  licr  slowly  toward  the  land,  runnin;;  to  tlio  strait  of  Aiiiaii, 
uliii  !i  here  liai  it.s  enlraliee;  ;ind  in  ( i;;ht  dayt  ue  had  advain-ed  more  than 
on.'  lie  , lee  ot  lalitnde  to  AW  ,  ill  ^■iL;ht  of  ii  point  named  .^an  Sehastian,  near 
w  !iii!i  ( I'.iMtiei  ;i  1  i\\  r  named  S.in(;i  Ims.  Hire  no  one  lamled,  Ikc.mi. c  all 
l>oor  health,  only  fix  jiersons  lieim^  alile  to  Kt.'ind.     'I'he  coast  . anil 


laud  turn  i  to  the  N.  i:, 


d  tiii:-!  i-i  the  he. id  and  end  of  the  mainland  of  Cali 


fiini.l.'     Tlu  n  tliev  tlinieil  ahoiitaiid  eNalliiiacl   the  coast  tot! 


itliuard. 


Ill  11  oi'di'.lai  f  Aic'iist  1!»,  l(i(l(i,  the  k 


n  alliiilin'' 


to  V 


izcaiiio  .s  voyage, 


Kay:i:  '.\!l  that  coa.st  iiji  to  A()  nin.i  one  jiint  wi'.h  another  from  .s.  i:.  lo 
N.  v>.,  ••ml  for  the  other  two  dc'/rees  i!i>  to  IJ  ic  ruin  almost  due  s.  and  s.' 
\'iiiiiiii.<,  .\'<if.  ('ill.,  i.  Kill.  N'izeaino's  niai),  a;ire]irodiiecd  hy  Navarrete,  .V(//'7  y 
.'/..-.,   l'/('i/<',  Atlas  \o.  4,  sliov  s  nolhiii.;  aho\i'  ('ape  Mendocino  hut  a  'half 


lli'-.i    of  coa.st  tlendlll''   N.  i:.  towalc 


cl    (' 


A. 


iin  ■inrviii  /."jinrlalini,  .'ilV.',  u 


1  ho  di 


1 1" 


\:h 


llieo. 


(ah: 


ii>rcr;i  i.iieiio,  in 


i::u, 


eriveil  hi.-t  iiiloi-ination  manih  tiom 


c::iiio's  (Aploration,  lint  .I'so  to  sonu^  extent,  pirliaps,  from  the  oliseivalioiis  of 
till'  Manila  shijis,  lie;.'ins  lii.s  sailing  directions  with  a  e;ipe  in  4'-''.  iilioiit  ei;  ht 


I  a  e;ipe 
onth  of  vhich  wa.s  another  point  with  .some  white  elitls,  in  41  ',>\t', 
lied  ("api!  Ml  udoeino,  whence  the  coast  runs  s.  I'.,  to  ji  jioint  in  ."!•'  '.MY, 
ainl  thence  s.  i;.  .|  s.  to  I'oint  Jieyes,  in  .'IS  .'{t)'.  l!oth  latitudes  and  coast 
til  lid  are  very  faulty,  liut  the  central  ])oint  must  lie  I'oint  Arena,  .'!(>'  too  liij.di, 
lilic  Point  lieye.s;  and  the  northern  points,  ei^;ht  leajjues  apart,  must  ap- 
jMiiiitly  he  ideiitiiicd,  if  at  all,  with  the  false  ^Iendocino  eight  miles  ulwjve 
aU'l  the  I'oint  Gordu  fourtoen  miles  below,  thu  rcul  Mtndociuo. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 

f,  ^  m 

i'f  IIIIM       2.2 
"   IIIIM      — 

..:.  iiiis     2.0 
mil  1  ft 

I.I 

1.25 

1.4 

11111=^ 
1.6 

V] 


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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STRIET 

WEBSTER,  N.y.  14580 

l7U"  872-4503 


I 


* 


&p 


M 


148 


DISCOVEP.Y  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  COAST. 


to  serve  as  a  test;  but  Cabrera  Bueno's  latitudes, 
doubtless  obtained  from  Vizcaino's  log,  show  an  excess 
of  00'  at  Point  Reyes  and  Monterey,  increasing  both 
north  and  south  to  a  full  degree  or  more.  This  test 
would  bring  Aguilar  back  to  Point  St  George  and  Viz- 
caino to  Trinidad.  Again,  there  can  be  little  doubt 
respecting  the  identity  of  Cape  Mendocino,  which  was 
put  in  latitude  41°  30',  so  that  if  we  place  capes  Saii 
Sebastian  and  Blanco  respectively  half  a  degree  and 
a  degree  and  a  half  beyond  ^lendocino  we  still  ha\e 
Trinidad  and  St  George  as  the  points  reached.  If  we 
turn  to  the  description  of  landmai'ks  we  find  plenty 
of  difficulties,  but  very  little  to  support  either  tlieory. 
Thei*e  is  nowhere  in  the  region  visited  a  larije  river 
just  beyond  a  cape.^^  Ascension's  statement  that  tlie 
<X)ast  turned  to  the  north-east  might  be  applied  to 
that  beyond  any  one  of  several  capes  for  a  shoit  dis- 
tance; but  the  north-western  trend  in  Torquemada's 
narrative  can  apply  only  to  St  George;  and  indeetl 
the  small  Smith  lliver  with  its  lagoons  just  above 
that  point  may  quite  })lausibly  be  made  to  sers'c  as 
Aijuiiar's  river,  since  discoveries  of  a  strait  in  tliosc 
times  were  made  to  rest  on  vet"  '"  ,il  foundations.  In 
view  of  such  slight  evidence  ;  xists  I  deem  it  un- 
likely tliat  Aguilar  passed  the  present  boundary  line 
of  latitude  42\ 

Thus  at  the  end  of  what  has  been  termed  the  first 
ejioch  of  Oregon  history  we  find  that  Oregon  was  to 
all  intents  and  }>urposes  an  undiscovered  ci^mtry. 
There  is  a  strong  ])robability  that  the  Spaniards  undt.r 
Ferrelo  and  Aguilar  had  not  ])assed  the  line  of  lati- 
tude^ 42°;  and  the  probability  that  Drake  had  done  so 
is  not  a  very  convincing  one— that  is,  it  rests  mainly 
on  the  lack  of  evidence  to  the  contrary.  There  is 
much  reason  to  sus})ect  that  if  Drake'u  observations 
of  latitude  had   been  more  frequent,  or  if  Fletcher 

'"  Unless  it  bo  the  Uiii|v|ua,  where  the  trees  nre  said  to  agree  soincwhiit 
better  with  Aguilar's  descnirtion  tliaii  jit  other  jioints;  l>ut  the  river  is  in  4U" 
4o',  and  thuiiu  vuyugera  uiiilunuly  iiiudu  tlieii'  latitude  tuu  high. 


REVIVAL  OF  SPANISH  ENTERPRISE. 


140 


had  diverted  a  portion  of  liis  zeal  from  the  climate  to 
the  do.scrij)tioii  of  landmarks,  evidence  might  not  be 
wanting  that  the  Englishmen  did  not  reach  43°;  while 
il'  the  Spaniards  had  abstained  somewhat  from  sucli 
dcscri[)tions  and  observations  it  is  very  certain  that 
their  claim  to  have  reached  the  same  or  a  hi<>:hcr 
latitude  could  not  be  successfully  disputed. 

Xothing  was  acconij^lished  by  Spain  on  the  western 
coast  beyond  the  gulf  of  California  for  one  hundred 
and  sixty-six  years  after  Vizcainos  return.  During 
this  period  there  was  no  lack  of  exploring  projects 
urged  upon  the  attention  of  the  king,  as  we  have 
seen  in  presenting  another  phase  of  this  topic;  but 
tile  government  could  not  be  roused  to  action.  There 
Mas  no  longer  a  hope,  save  on  tlie  })art  of  certain 
entliusiasts,  of  lindinu'  m'viit  and  rich  kini>'doms  in 
the  north;  the  finding  of  a  strait  was  no  longer  de- 
siral)le  to  Spain.  As  before  observed,  the  fear  tliat 
it  Avould  be  found  and  held  bv  foreiiJ'ners  had  1)een 
somewhat  allaved  in  official  circles:  tliere  was  in 
many  respects  a  decline  of  Spanish  power  and  energy, 
hrsidcs  a  multiplicity  of  more  urgent  matters  tlian 
llic  exploration  of  unknown  coasts.  But  during  the 
reign  of  Ciirlos  III.,  wliich  began  in  1759,  there  was 
a  marked  revival  of  enterprise  in  all  directions;  and 
tliat  monarch  was  not  more  fortunate  in  his  choice  of 
ministers  at  home  than  in  that  of  a  representative  in 
the  New  Woi-ld,  for  which  position  lie  cliose  Jose'  do 
(ialvez  as  visitador  general.  All  the  old  motives 
t"i>r  northern  exploration  remained  in  full  force,  the 
extension  of  territory,  the  conversion  of  souls,  the 
ot(  up.ation  of  ports  for  the  Manila  ships,  the  taking 
possession  of  a  possible  interoceanic  sti-ait,  and  the 
pivveiition  of  foreign  encroachments;  and  there  was 
an  additional  motive  in  the  repoi'ts  of  recent  Jvussian 
(liseoveries  in  the  far  north.  Pntler  the  intelligent 
and  energetic  su]x;rvision  of  Galvez,  who  later  became 
iJiinister  of  the  Indies,  the  Calilorniaii  coast  from  San 


ISO 


DISCOVERY  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  COAST. 


I 


I 


Diego  to  San  Francisco  was  promptly  occupied  in 
17G9  and  the  following  years,  as  fully  recorded  else- 
where  in  this  history.^" 

It  had  been  intended  to  include  in  the  general 
movement  an  examination  of  the  coast  far  above  San 
Francisco;  and  that  examination  was  hastened  by  new 
reports  of  Russian  expeditions,  which  came  by  way 
of  ]\Iadi'id  from  the  Spanish  minister  in  St  Peters- 
burg.^" In  1773  an  expedition  was  planned  f  )r  the 
next  year.  The  new  transport  Sant'uKjo,  built  ex- 
pressly for  the  Californian  service,  was  deemed  the  liest 
vessel  for  the  purpose ;  and  to  Juan  Perez,  the  officer 
who  in  the  late  expeditions  had  been  the  first  to  reacli 
San  Diego  and  INIonterey,  was  given  the  command. 
Laden  with  a  year's  supplies  for  the  northern  mis- 
sions, and  having  on  board  also  the  returning  presi- 

"Sco  Hid.  Cal.,  i.  chap.  iv.  ct  scq. 

^".)f(iiirrne,  Compendio  de  Xotickn  adquirhlas  en  Ion  defcuhrimienfon  dc  fa 
co-'ta  septentrional  de  (a  N.  California,  heeho  por  6rden  del  £>:»'"  Sr.  I'irei/ 
Coiide.  de  /I'eril/a-d'iijedo  con  la  prolixidad  pot<lf/lr  (17'Jl).  Tliia  id  tlic  title  of  ii 
MS.  in  the  collection  of  M.  Piiiiirt,  which  contains  copies  of  the  con-cp])oii(l- 
ence  on  Russian  discoveries  leading  to  the  expedition  of  I'erez.  Tlic  cor- 
rc^l>(indcncu  en  rc,iiiine  is  as  follows;  Feht-uuiy  7,  IT?.*?,  Coiido  do  La;ri, 
Spanish  minister  in  Russia,  to  Manpii'^s  dc  Orimaldi:  Has  heard  that  tliu 
Russian  Tschericow  in  1 70'J-7 1  made  u  voyage  to  America ;  the  result  tlioii!;ht 
to  lio  important,  but  kept  a  profound  secret;  will  ti-y  to  unravel  it.  April 
11th,  Arriaga,  minister  of  navy,  sends  the  preceding  to  viceroy,  with  ordci.s 
to  investigate.  July  "27th,  viceroy's  reply:  Js'o  foreign  establishments  Ijcluw 
^lontcroy;  aid  needed  to  explore  beyond;  has  ordereil  Juan  Perez  to  forai 
a  plan.  September  2.")th,  Arriaga  to  viceroy:  Sends  by  king's  order  three 
letters  of  Lasci:  lirst,  of  March  lOth,  has  succeeded  in  getting  from  a  man 
who  liiis  read  the  secret  archives  an  account  of  the  voyage  of  Cwcliacow  an. I 
Ranowbafcw  in  1704;  the  new  regions  doubtless  in  California,  and  steps 
should  b(!  taken;  second,  of  ^lay  7th,  Russian  ambition  is  so  vast  that  it  in- 
tends not  only  to  invade  China  but  to  send  an  expedition  against  .Tapnn 
under  an  Knglishnian;  third,  of  May  11th,  the  famous  Haller  has  pro- 
piwcd  to  send  a  Russian  si|uadron  to  the  American  an^hipelago.  Dc;;c  iilur 
'J.'Jd,  Arria;'a  to  viceroy:  The  king  will  send  olliccrs,  etc.  .Tunc  1,"),  1771,  /A 
♦()  /(/.,  with  another  letter  from  Lasci  eonlirming  the  others,  and  includiii;,'  a 
(\demhrio  Ihtm)  de  Ji7.'/,  which  contains  a  muss  of  descriptive  matter  <  u 
northern  jjeography,  mostly  (pioted  from  ]Mullcr  and  Stiiehlin.  August  _'•">, 
17711,  viceroy  to  (A'lrdoba,  general  of  the  licet:  lias  resolved  on  an  cxpcilitiou 
in  1771.  September  1st,  Cordoba  approves,  but  is  ignorant  of  nor.'ii'ni 
waters.  .Tuly  ISth,  viceroy  orders  Juan  Perez  to  form  a  plan.  Septc  aliir 
li't,  Terc/,'  plan:  Ho  proposes  to  strike  the  coast  in  45'  or  55',  and  tiienc  •  i  .■ 
ploro  down  the  coast  M'ith  the  wind.  The  .SVo/Y/a./o  is  tlie  boit  vessel ;  and 
V.[c  best  time  from  Deeomberto  I'Vbruary.  A  year's  supplies  need  'd,  aad  .m 
order  on  the  presidios  for  men  in  ease  of  siekneiis.  September  "J^Lli,  vi.' "'oy 
a]i[)r. )ve3  plan,  but  Perez  nmst  go  its  far  as  (iO".  Some  other  unimpo'tiat 
correapondenco  about  outlit,  etc.;  also  two  orders  from  Spain  to  this  viceioy 
to  dislodge  the  Ruiisiuns  if  found. 


THE  UnSSIONARY  VOYAGE. 


151 


lied  in 
X  clsu- 


rcno 


Till 

ve  Sail 
by  new 
uy  way 
Petors- 
for  tlie 
Liilt  cx- 
tlic  best 
c  officer 
to  read  I 
mmaiul 
M-n  niis- 
ig  presi- 

lienfos  <J('  '" 
iiio  Si\  Vii'".! 
•ic  tilk  of  ;i 
\  corvc'?])o'.iil- 

0  do  La.ii, 
aril  tliiit  tUo 
sultthonglit 

01  it.     April 
with  oidti'.'^ 

[acuta  below 

■l-LV.    to   foVUl 

order  thive 
from  a  ni'H' 
■cU:ico\v  iiii'l 
t,  and  sti'iis 
it  tluit  it  iu- 

ioi-  has  r'"- 
Dc^e-nlit-'i- 

5,  177K  /  '• 

iucludiiis'  :i 

.  uuitU'r  '_» 

Au;;u-;J  '-^•'■ 

,11  cxpoili.i'ii 

of  nor.li'''" 

SopteulHi- 

,d  t'lH-'UL';'  '  ■• 

„  vcsbul;  a! id 

fcd.'d,  iiuil  .11' 

pLh,  vi ■••-■'>; 
nniaipi'i ;  it 

the  vic>i"y 


I 


(lent,  Pacb'o  Junipero  Serra,  with  another  padre  and 
.sevoi'al  oiiicials  for  CaHfornia,  the  *S«;(^A/r/o  sailed  from 
San  Bias  January  24tli,  and  having  touched  at  San 
Uio^ijo,  anived  at  Monterey  on  May  9th.^^ 

The  nii;;sionaries  Crespi  and  Peila  were  appointed 
by  President  Serra  to  act  as  chaplains  and  keep  tliaries 
of  tlie  voyage  in  place  of  the  chaplain  IMugartegui, 
and  surgeon  Davila  took  the  pkice  of  the  regular 
surgeon.  Tlierc  were  eighty -eight  persons  on  board, 
ofiicers  and  men.  On  June  11th,  after  solemn  public 
prayei's  for  the  success  of  the  expedition,  Perez  set  sail 
fi'oin  jMoiitercy.  His  instructions  were  to  make  the 
land  wherever  lie  might  deem  it  best,  but  at  least  as 
hiu'h  as  latitude  G0°  and  thence  to  follow  the  coast 
southward  as  near  as  possible  without  risk.  No  settle- 
iiie!its  were  to  be  made,  but  the  best  places  were  to 
be  noted;  and  the  commander  was  to  take  possession 
of  such  ])laces  for  the  king,  erecting  a  cross  at  eacli 
and  burying  a  bottle  with  the  proper  documents.  If 
any  foreign  settlement  was  found,  the  fornuility  of 
t'lking  possession  must  be  commenced  above  it.  All 
su'jli  estaWishments  were  to  be  carefully  examined,  but 
not  interfered  with;  neither  to  the  inhabitants  of  such 
places  nor  to  vessels  met  on  the  way  was  the  nature 
of  the  mission  to  be  divulged;  if  met  below  ^Monterey, 
Pri'ez  was  to  say  his  business  was  to  carry  su[)plies; 
il'  above,  tliat  he  had  been  driven  out  of  his  course  by 
the  wind."^  This  voyage  was  well  recorded,  there 
beinn-  no  less  than  four  distinct  diaries  extant.^'^ 

'-''  S;p  JIh>.  C,<J, ,  i.  chap,  x.,  for  an  account  of  the  voyage  up  to  the  dcpai-t- 
ui'c  from  !Mouturey. 

■■'I'eivz,  Iiislnircloii  que  d  E.v"io  Sr.  Vnri/  tUd  a  In.-i  cnmiui'hin'f't  dc  hm/iif.n 
(!('  (■Xjiliirnrlone^i  L'4  «'f'  J^ic,  17i3.  MS.  in  the  I'lnurt  oolleotion.  Thtio 
arc  ',\1  iiitieles,  with  many  routine  dotails  on  outfit,  diaries,  kind  treatmuiit 
of  nutivcd,  vXq.  A  Russian  map  of  'pretended'  discijverioa  was  furid^lied 
I'eriz.  To  th(!  [iislrwcioii  is  aj)pendcd  a  Fonnulur'io  <]iif  hddf  arrr/r  ihi  /irnitii 
j>'u\i  fxtci'diT  las  e^criijturus  tie  poscxion  en  Ion  dr-icnhriinieiilus  tie  que  (■■<ld 
eiicarjnto  Juan  I'eirz. 


152 


DISCOVERY  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  COAST. 


By  reason  of  calins  tlie  Saxtiar/o  was  still  in  sight 
of  Point  Pinos  on  June  IStli;  on  the  I7tli  they  lost 
sight  of  land;  on  the  24tli  were  south  of  the  Santa 
Bai'bara  Islands;  and  it  was  not  until  the  29th  that 
they  again  passed  the  latitude  of  ^lonterey.  Tlieu 
with  winds  generally  favorable,  but  constant  fogs,  they 
kept  to  the  northward,  far  from  land;  })assed  the  line 
of  latitude  42°  on  July  4-5,  and  decided  on  the  loth  in 
a  junta  of  officers  to  seek  a  port  for  water,  being  then 
in  latitude  51°  42'.  For  the  next  three  days,  having 
followed  the  coast  to  latitude  55°,  Perez  tried  in  vain 
to  round  a  point  in  that  latitude,  beyond  wliich  the 
coast  turned  to  the  east.  As  this  is  the  first  undoubted 
discover}'  of  the  territory  herein  designated  as  the 
Northwest  Coast,  I  give  his  geograi)hical  observa- 
tions from  his  movable  station  off  the  cape  somewhat 
in  full   from  three  of  the  diaries.-*     There  is  some 


CompcixJio  (If  Nof/cirw,  159-7;");  andfonrth,  Pore.,  Tahln  D'lnr'ia  qvc  rontirne 
las  /(itihii/i'.i,  iiiiiijihiilc'^,  rnri(irio)ie-i,  ;/  r/c^/o.-j  dr  cinhi  ,.'.'/  /lanis  en  il  v'ki'Ji'  <Ii' 
17 1. 'i  I'l  /<>■<  iltxriihrimicnto",  ilS.,  in  Mniinlli',  ('(iiii/irKdio  )7II-8."i.  Sou  iilso 
hrit^f  aecounta  of  tlii.s  voyajjc  in  N(i>'(rrr(t< ,  Sidif ;/  .U(.r.,  Vhi'jr.  !)'2-.'?;  Ilnm- 
Iwlilf,  J'JmiiI  I'oL,  XM-'2;  Mnfr(C-'<,  Exjilnr.,  i.  107;  Nm-drntc,  Vkuiis  Apdr., 
5:5-1;  (!,■((  II how' X  Mem.,  G!)";  /(/.,  <h:  nnd  Cal.,  11-1-17;  Tides'  '///V.  Or., 
55-(i:  /</.,  Or.  (Jiifsf.,  «{»-7;  Fulrnnrr's  Or.  (Jiirxf.,  li);  IJ.,  JVixror.  .Ml-'.f., 
(i"2;  ]iii.<tnniaiitp,  m  Ciiro,  Tirs  Sii/los,  iii.  11!);  J'ahii,  Vuln,  l(iO-"J;  J-orh/.s' 
ni<t.Cnl.,  II4-1C.;  C(iln\Col.  7'w/.,  iii.  .'1,18;  Oirr/^nid  Moiitlili/,  A\>r\\,  1.S71, 
p.  -!)!(;  Tujilor,  in  ('(d.  Fnrmi'r.  August  7,  ISfi.'l;  Nirolfiii'.s  Ori'i/oii  Tcr.,  'M)-'2; 
Fiiiil/(ii/'n  ll'iri'dorii,  i.  34!)-.")0;  PoiiH-<iii,  Qiirxiion  dc  rOrrijou,  118  9;  Id.,  U.  S., 
2-47;  F(ir>ih(im'n  fJ/ehi  Cid.,  iCi.S -7 ;  M(ic(!r(<ior'n  /'ro;/.  Amir.,  i.  53."). 

^*  Fnjni  the  Tiilda  Diiirin:  .luly  19th,  iipproiiciicd.aitointcallcilSinita  !Mni'- 
garita,  tiiought  to  be  in  5.V.  X.  of  tiiis  point  is  seen  ii  cape  callcil  Santa  Magila- 
lena,  from  whiuli  the  coast  trends  x.  w.  Sixteen  h.'agucs  \v.  of  tliat  cape  is  ;ui 
island  calleil  Santa  Cristina,  whieii  is  seven  or  eigiit  U'agues  n.  of  Point  Santa 
Mai'gnrita.  Between  tiie  points  Santa  Margaribi  and  Santa  Magdalcna  is  ii  largo 
gulf,  from  whieh  tl\o  current  runs  six  or  .seven  niiU's  an  lioiu'.  1'his  is  accurate 
enougii  for  I'oint  North  and  tlie  soutlieni  extremities  of  rrince  of  Wales  IsUintl 
if  v.e  transpose  tlie  sixteen  leagues  and  seven  or  eiglit  leagues  and  i'e<lnce  tlie 
latitude  to  .")4  19'.  I'eua's  diary,  or  the  fragment  liefore  nie,  docs  not  include 
this  ]>art  of  the  voyage.  From  Pen-,,  Pclndon:  18th,  sighted  land  in  o.'C  XY; 
trie<l  to  follow  shore  for  an  anchorage,  l)ut  were  .soon  prevented  liy  rainy  and 
foggy  M-eatlier  and  s.  v..  wind:  19tli,  turned  v..  n.  k.  toward  a  jioint  cut 
down  hy  the  sea,  called  Santa  Margaribi,  estimated  to  he  in  5.')'.  The  coa.st 
from  the  ])oint  of  discovery  to  Santa  Margarita  runs  jialf  N.  N.  w.  an<l  the 
other  half  n.  From  Santa  Margarita  s.  extends  a,  hill  (loma)  for  thi'ee  leagues, 
that  seems  detiiched  fi'om  the  main  coast,  hut  is  not  an  island;  and  at  its 
southern  end  half  a  league  out  at  sea  is  a  little  island  one  league  in  cii  luni- 
fercnce,  anil  outside  of  it  at  the  same  distance  a  rock  six  or  eiglit  \aras  high, 
and  within  a  gunshot  U>\\v  or  five  small  rocks  causing  breakers  visible  from 
ufar.    There  arc  also  thrco  small  islands  a  gunshot  from  Point  Santa  Marga- 


PERlilZ  VOYAGE. 


153 


confusion,  but  no  more  probably  than  mny  b;)  at- 
tribute;! to  errors  of  copyists  and  printei-s.  It  is  clear 
that  tliis  navigator  struck  the  coast  of  Queen  Char- 
lotte Island,  and  followed  it  up  to  its  northern  poii^t, 
Cape  North,  in  latitude  54°  15',  which  he  called  l*oint 

rita.  The  coaat  niiis  s.  from  Santa  Margarita  to  a  liighsnowj-liill,  ami  thonce 
the  land  t;ills  away  to  a  tongue-shaped  point,  whence  it  turns  s.  k.  North  ot" 
Santa  Margarita  the  coast  runs  low  anil  wooded  to  tlie  east  for  ten  It'agnes  witli- 
out  any  heacli  that  can  be  seen ;  and  in  this  space  is  a  k)w  point  fuiined  liy  a 
hill,  with  two  rocks,  the  point  forming  apparently  a  shelterecl  hight,  hut  not 
iucessilile  on  account  of  the  strong  current,  the  ships  being  kept  six  or  seven 
leagucH  oil'  the  coast.  Jaght  leagues  X.  of  Santii  Margarita  they  saw  a  cape 
called  Sa  iita  Magdalena ;  and  between  the  two  points  is  doubtless  a  largo  gulf, 
judging  liy  the  strong  current  of  six  or  seven  miles.  It  was  also  seen  that 
seven  leagues  west  of  Cape  Santii  Magdalena  (and  not  sixteen  leagues,  as  in  the 
Ttilila,  perhaps  l)y  a  copyist's  error)  was  an  island  live  or  six  leagues  in  circuni- 
fuivnce.  called  Santa  Cristina,  and  x.  w.  from  Santa  Margarita  al)out  seven 
leagues.  July  "ilst,  oliservation  ttkken  in  5,")^  All  this  agrees  as  well  with 
tlio  country  about  Dixon  Strait  as  the  best  modern  maps  agree  with  each 
other,  except  that  the  latitude  is  too  high.  From  Crcipi,  J)'iario,  .Inly  KSth: 
Land  .seen  at  a  clistancc;  no  olxservation ;  cn<l  of  laml  appeai'cd  about  sixteen 
leagues  X.  w.  j  N.;  very  smoky;  I'Jtli,  land  at  dawn  eiglit  or  ten  leagues 
distant;  calm;  land  seems  to  end  in  x.  x.  w.,  and  thence  to  turn  \.  w. 
At  noon  observation  in  oS^  08';  fresher  wind  in  afternoon;  at  .">  r.  .\i.,  being 
three  k:\gues  from  shore,  saw  that  the  coast  continues  low  northward  lio- 
yond  the  cape;  tacked  to  get  farther  from  shoi'e;  "JOth,  in  morning  fog  and 
drizzling  rain,  with  1;.  wind  and  lieavy  sea,  course  x.  ^  n.k. ;  at  !l  a.m.  tui-ned 
N.  1'..:  at  ID  were  three  leagues  from  the  point,  which  seemed  to  lie  formed  of 
three  islands;  at  noon  no  observation;  at  3  I'.^r.  two  leagues  from  the  point, 
the  three  islands  now  appearing  as  one,  and  not  very  far  from  the  c';:>.' t;  by 
the  said  point  was  formed  a  good  bight;  at  4  i'. >r.  tacked  away  froni  slioii'; 
'21st,  fog  and  drizzle;  at  8  a.m.  turned  toward  the  point,  named  Santa  Mar- 
garita, Irom  yesterday,  the  day  of  its  discovery;  course  1:.  :{  n.;  at  noon  no 
oljservaiion  ;  one  fourth  league  from  the  point  which  was  coasted  eastward, 
witli  a  view  of  reaching  what  seemed  to  be  an  anchorage,  but  they  could  not 
(loulile  the  point,  nor  find  out  if  it  was  an  island  or  a  point  of  the  main,  be- 
cause the  current  was  so  strong;  lay  becalmed olF the  point  all  the  afternoon. 
1  he  point  Santa  Margarita  is  a  medium  hill  (h)ma),  lofty,  cut  ilown  to  the  sea, 
civered  witii  liees  like  cypresses.  It  is  about  one  league  long,  making  two 
points,  one  to  s.  e.  \  s.  and  the  other  to  the  s.  K.,  from  whicli  begins  a 
great  liight  (ensenada).  From  the  point  the  low  land  stretches  eastward  ten 
leagues  or  more,  also  wooded.  In  the  x.  is  seen,  sixteen  leagues  oil'  (whicli 
again  shows  a  transpositiini  in  the  T(Uila),  a  vei'y  high  wooded  ea|)e,  named 
Santa  Maria  Magdalena.  Fiomthatcape  the  high  wooded  coast  runs  1;.  and  W. 
as  far  as  tan  be  seen ;  and  X.  w.  from  that  coast  was  seen  a  small  island,  named 
S.uitft  Catarina  (not  Santa  Cristina,  as  in  tlie  other  accounts),  although  they 
were  not  sure  if  it  was  an  island  or  connected  with  the  main.  (Jape  Sant.i  Mag- 
d:dena  is  \,  (jf  Point  Santa  Margarita,  and  between  them  there  is  something  lil:o 
a  large  biglit,  which  could  not  be  explored  for  the  strong  current  to  learn  if  it 
wa.s  ni^i-iiuila,  hol.son,  or  (Htncho;  and  if  it  is  only  an  cnsoialii  it  may  lie  that 
BoMie  great  river  causes  the  current.  Cape  Santa  Maria  Mag<lalena  is  about 
ten  leagues  from  Point  Santa  Margarita,  which  is  the  width  of  the  mouth  oi 
the  biglit,  pocket,  strait,  or  gulf.  Cape  Magdalena  exten<Is  into  the  sea 
from  the  east,  and  west  of  the  point  and  very  near  it  is  the  island  of  Santa 
Catarina.  Jidy  '2'2d,  tried  to  double  the  Point  Margarita  to  find  au  auchorugo 
bchiuil  it,  but  in  vain.     At  noon  latitude  exactly  5o^ 


IM 


DISCOVERY  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  COAST. 


Iff 


Santa  Marijarita,  in  latitude  55°.  Tlio  stroiiij  currcnis 
rimning  out  of  tl)o  i^-reat  yulf  or  strait,  which  ho  did 
not  name,  but  wliicli  is  now  Dixon  Entrance,  pre- 
vented his  rounding  tlic  point.  In  the  noith  he  could 
see  the  present  Prince  of  Wales  Island  and  others 
round  it,  naming  the  nearest  point — Point  Muzon  of 
modern  maps— Cape  Santa  Magdalena,  and  an  inland 
fai'ther  west,  now  Forrester  Island,  Santa  Cri.stiua, 
or  as  Crespi  says,  Santa  Catalina.  For  further  details 
I  refer  to  the  note  already  given. 

Though  Perez  did  not  land,  he  had  much  friendly 
intercourse  witli  the  natives,  who  came  olf  in  canoes, 
siiiu'injx  and  scatterinu*  feathers  on  the  water  in  token 
of  peac^e.  They  were  entirel}'  friendly,  but  only  two 
liatl  the  courage  to  board  his  ship.  At  one  time 
there  were  twenty-one  canoes  witli  over  two  hundred 
natives  about  the  vessel.  They  were  glad  to  barter 
their  dried  lish,  furs,  wooden  boxes,  ancl  images,  nii'ts 
of  wool  or  hair,  and  other  native  pi'oducts,  particularly 
for  knives  and  anything  made  of  iron,  but  cared  very 
little  for  beads  and  other  trinkets.  They  had  already 
SO] no  few  articles  of  iron  and  copper.  In  accordance 
with  the  viceroy's  instructions  the  people  vrere  de- 
scri'oed  as  fully  as  possible  by  Crespi  and  the  others. 

The  impossibility  of  reaching  here  an  anchorage  and 
obtaining  fresh  water,  together  with  the  unfavorable 
weather,  which  prevented  a  close  examinatloi^i  of  the 
coast  from  point  to  point,  determined  Perez  and 
his  com})anions  to  abandon  the  eftbrt  to  reach  higher 
latitudes.  On  July  2 2d  the  Santiago  was  headed  south- 
ward. The  coast  was  seen  on  the  23d  and  24th,  a 
ranijo  of  hi'jfh  snowy  mountains  named  Sierra  do  San 
Cristobal,  thought  to  extend  from  latitude  54°  40'  t.) 
53°  8'.-'    Until  the  30th  they  had  occasional  glimpses 


2''  7\ih!(i  Dkir'ia;  Perez,  lielnc'ion.  Crespi,  D'tarh,  Gijj,  saya  that  from  Santa 
jrni';raiita  the  coast  ia  low  for  seven  leagues  soutli ;  and  from  that  low  coast,  in 
50  'A'  (a  typograpliical  error),  tlic  lofty  mountains  begin,  wooded,  ami  the  peaks 
covered  with  snow.  The  sierra  extends  from  54'  41'  to  H'.V  8'.  it  u  ',]'.]  k;a;-;iu's 
lon^j  from  N.  w.  to  H.  K.  Tlic  latitude  on  July  '2^d  was  '>T  4;i';  on  the  "jitli, 
Cr-21';  -jrith.  'hV2\';  on  the  '20th,  .-)•2^■i^';  ^Tth,  .VJ'II';  •J.Sdi,  .-)J'i;j';  2!)th,  ."d ' 
30';  30th,  JV  oS'i  31st,  51' 33';  August  1st,  50' 20';  I'd,  40   124';  3d,  4o'  52'; 


RETURX  OF  THE  SANllAGO. 


185 


of*  tlio  C(iast  (If)wii  to  about  latitude  52°,  always  off 
QiR'uu  Charlotte;  Imt  tlio  fog  and  wind  woulil  not 
])crnn't  tlio  oloso  examination  desired.  Then  lor 
five  da^'s  no  land  was  seen,  until  on  the  5th  of  Au- 
gust it  reappeared,  in  48°  50';  and  on  the  7th  in  the 
al'ternoon,  after  many  efforts  and  jirayers,  they  ap- 
j)i()aehed  the  eoasf^"  and  anchored  in  49°  30',  calling 
their  anehora'jfe  San  Lorenzo.  The  anchora'jfe  was  a 
*C'-s]ia])ed  roadstead, affording  but  slight  protection; 
the  southern  rocky  point,  extending  three  fourths  of  a 
leaLTue  north-westward  into  the  sea  and  causing'  bi-eak- 
crs,  was  named  San  Estevan,  for  the  pilots,  one  of 
wlioin  was  Estevan  Martinez,  while  the  northern 
l)oint  was  called  Santa  Clara,  from  the  saint  whoso 
novena  was  being  observed.''''' 

San  Lorenzo  has  been  identified  by  modern  writers 
with  Nootka  Sound;  the  latitude  is  the  same;  later 
Si)anish  navigators  had  no  doubt  of  the  identity ;  and 
the  description  agrees  a;i  well  with  this  as  with  any 
other  of  the  numerous  iidets  on  this  part  of  the  coast — 
better,  indeed,  in  respect  of  tlie  distance  between  the 
two  points  than  with  the  northern  inlet.  It  is,  ho\\'- 
e\'er,  impossible  to  speak  })ositively  about  the  identity 
of  an  inlet  on  a  coast  where  there  are  so  many,  the 
description  being  vague,  and  the  latitude  somewhat 
too  accurate  in  comparison  with  that  of  other  points 
as  given  by  Perez.  San  Lorenzo  may  have  been  Es- 
perauza  Inlet,  north  of  Nootka  Island,"^  or  possibly  an 


4th,  4S'  34';  Tith,  48' .50'.  These  latitmlos  are  chiefly  from  the  Tahla,  hut 
til  re  ;ivo  Home  sli'.^ht  variiitions  in  the  other  records,  especially  iuCrespi.who 
is  Olio  (lay  lic'iiiul  in  tlio  August  liitituiles. 

-"('rcspi  still  is  one  day  hchiiid  in  lii.s  dinry. 

'-'  in  I'crpx,  I'i'lacioii,  Point  Santa  Clara  is  (leserihed  as  six  leagues  from  tlio 
vessel  and  I'oint  San  Kstc'van  two  leagues.  Civspi  makes  the  distance  Ix^twccu 
till!  ]K)int;i  four  or  five  lejvgues.  The  lowliills  near  the  shore  were  covered  with 
trees;  one  loa','uo  farther  inland  was  a  higher  range,  also  W(M)de.d  ;  and  in  tlio 
iKirtli  a  still  higher  range,  with  snow-covered  peaks.  The  shelter  seems  only 
from  .'i  \.  w.  wind.  I'ena,  says  the  sierra  in  the  N.  w.  was  also  called  San 
Loren.'.o;  the  name  Point  Estevan  is  refciined  for  its  southern  point. 

-''  I'jypecially  if  Point  Estevan  is  the  s;iine  as  Point  Breakers,  as  ( Jreenhow, 
Findlay,  an<l  others  think.  In  this  case  Point  S.anta  Clara  would  lie  Woody 
I'oint;  otiierwiae  Point  Macuina  or  Point  llijo.  See  account  of  Cook's  visit  in 
next  chapter.    There  ia  eoufusioa  in  both  narratives.    lu  the  Tahla  we  read, 


Ilillili 


150 


DincOVERY  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  COAST. 


inlet  soiitli  of  Nootka  Sound. ^"  The  Indians  oanio 
out  in  their  cano(>s  to  trade.  Here,  as  farther  nortli, 
they  were  friendly,  liaving  also  some  articles  of  iron 
and  eo])per,  A  l)oat  was  lowered  on  the  Stli^"  to 
j^o  to  the  sliore  for  Avater;  but  a  sti'on_ij^  west  wind 
sprang  U})  suddenly,  forcing  them  to  cut  tlie  eal)le  and 
])ut  to  sea,  dragging  the  boat  and  narrowly  escaping 
the  rocky  point. 

Ke(>[)ing  in  sight  of  the  land  for  seven  days,  but 
unal)le  to  approach  it  for  the  wind,  fog,  and  rain, 
Perez  ran  down  to  latitude  44'  33',  liaving  seen  on  tlie 
10th  or  llth  a  lofty  mountain  covered  with  snow  in 
latitude  48°  7',^^  called  Santa  Rosalia,  and  supposed  by 
later  writers  to  have  been  the  present  Mount  (,)lyni- 
]ius  of  Wasliington.  On  tlie  latli  or  IGth,  l)elng  in 
latitude  42°  37',  they  were  nuich  troubled  that  the  fog 
jircvented  their  search  for  Aguilar's  river  and  Cape 
Blanco,  noting  the  fact  that  the  latitudes  of  the  earlier 
navigators  W(;re  too  high.  Land  again  appeared  on 
tlie  L*]st  or  2'Jd  for  a  short  time,  wJien  what  vras  re- 
garded as  Capo  ^Mendocino,  in  about  latitude  40°  8',  was 
seen  in  the  north;  the  Farallones  were  passed  on  the 
2()th;  and  on  the  27th  the  Sanilarjo  anchored  at 
^lontercy.  The  voyage  to  San  Bias  lasted  from  Oc- 
tober Dth  to  November  3d. 

In  this  expedition  Juan  Perez,  though  ho  had  not 
reached  latitude  00°,  as  instructed,  nor  discovered  any 
good  ports,  nor  landed  anywhere  to  take  possession 

'Este  parage  cs  jnstamento  la  boca  do  Xnca,'  which  is  evidently  Mnurel]e'.s 
interi"Kiliitiim  of  Inter  date.  Tlie  Houtheni  point  at  Xootka  is  still  ealled 
Esti'vau  on  hitnno  maps,  I'oint  lireakei's  on  others.  Point  Santa  Clai-a  must  l>e 
tlie  later  I'oint  Mucuhia,  or  at  least  cannot  he  Woody  I'oint,  as  Greenhow 
states. 

'-'•'  1'he  silver  spoons  found  by  Cooic  five  years  later  came  from  a  place  south 
of  Nootka  Sound.   Cook's  I'o//.,  ii.  '2f>'2. 

'■'^  ( )n  the  ittli,  according  to  Crespi  and  Pefia.  My  fragment  of  the  hitter's 
diary  Ix^gins  witii  August  !)th. 

'•"  Accoriliug  to  the  Tahtu,  on  the  10th  they  were  in  48"  9',  and  thought  the 
mountain  to  be  in  48'  ">';  the  liolarion  has  it  that  they  saw  it  on  tlie  1 1th,  when 
tlicy  were  in  47'  47',  and  thougiit  it  to  be  in  48^  7'.  I'ena  and  Cres])i  say  they 
sawit  on  tile  llth,beingin  48  0'.  Tlie  mountain  was  in  sight  both  days.  J'eua 
notes  that  at  lirst  it  seemed  a  horrunra  hlniicn  close  to  the  shore,  Mitli  high 
broken  snowless  land  above  it;  but  later  they  saw  that  it  was  sotoe  distance 
inland,  and  that  there  were  other  snowy  luuuutains. 


n 


REMARKS  OF  PEREZ. 


m 


ad  not 
mI  any 

llauroUe'.s 

In  ciilk'il 

,  iimst  )'0 

('.•L'lniliow 

lico  south 

liittor's 


for  SiKiIn,  nor  found  either  foreign  establishments  or 
jii'oof  of  tlu'ir  non-existenee,  luul  still  gained  the 
honor  of  having  discovered  practically  the  whole 
Northwest  Coast.  He  had  surveyed  a  large  portion 
of  the  two  great  islands  that  make  up  the  coast  of 
]]ritish  Columbia,  giving  the  first  description  of  the 
natives;  lie  had  seen  and  described,  though  vaguely 
and  from  a  distance,  nearly  all  of  the  Was)  ingtou 
coast,  and  a  large  part  of  the  Oregon.  He  had  gi\en 
to  his  nation  whatever  of  credit  and  territorial  claims 
may  be  founded  on  the  mere  act  of  first  disco ver3^ 
To  give  any  degree  of  precedence  in  these  respects 
to  later  navi<xators  who  were  enabled  to  r.iake  a 
more  detailed  examination  is  as  absurd  as  to  regard 
the  ofHcers  of  the  United  States  coast  survey,  who 
have  done  such  excellent  service  for  geography  and 
commerce,  as  the  discoverers  of  the  Northwest  Ct)ast. 
AVhether  Perez  made  the  best  use  of  his  opportunities 
it  is  very  difficult  to  decide.  Maurelle  in  '71)1  criti- 
cises niost  severely  a  conmiander  who  w,>,s  dri\en 
back  by  thirst  when  he  might  easily  have  carried 
water  for  six  months;  who  complained  of  the  scurvy, 
when  only  one  man  w^as  lost;  who  could  find  no  an- 
chorage on  a  coast  where  many  good  ports  existed; 
and  who  with  his  associates  could  write  so  many 
diaries  with  so  little  information.^'"  And  Mr  Greenhow 
says :  ' '  The  government  of  Spain,  perhaps,  acted  wisely 
in  concealing  the  accounts  of  the  expedition,  which 
rciiected  little  honor  on  the  courage  or  the  science 
of  its  navigators.  "^^  It  seems  to  me,  however,  that 
the  criticisms  are  severe,  since  the  diaries  contain 
a  tolerably  good  account  of  all  that  was  le.'irned 
in  the  voyage;  and  Perez,  a  bold  and  experienced 
l)ilot,  Avas  a  better  judge  than  I,  possibly  better  than 
the  writers  named,  of  the  difficulties  in  the  way  of 
learning  more.  It  should  be  added  that  no  account 
of  this  voyage  was  given  to  the  world  until  the  ap- 


^- .Vmirelk,  Compendio,  17iJ-7. 
"^  GretiiJiow's  Or.  and  CuL,  IIC. 


ir)8 


disco\t:ry  of  the- northwest  coast. 


pcarauco  of  Naviirrotu's  resume  in  1802,  which  con- 
tained only  a  very  brief  outhne  of  the  fuct«. 


Tlie  second  explorini^  expedition  of  the  epoch  fol- 
lowed closely  \\\M\\\  the  lirst,  bein<;'  des|ttitched  in  1775. 
Naval  oflicers  had  been  sent  out  from  Spain,  as  prom- 
ised in  correspondence  already  noted,  to  take  cliargo 
of  the  San  Bias  dei)artment  with  its  Californian  and 
cxplorinLj  service.  They  accordingly  took  connnand 
of  the  four  vessels  sailing  to  the  north  this  year, 
two  bound  for  California  with  mission  and  presidio 
sup[)lies,  the  others  for  the  coasts  furtlier  north. 
Ijvuno  I[oc(!ta,  lieutenant  and  acting  ca})tain,  was 
commander  of  the  expedition,  and  the  vessel  chosen 
for  liis  llag-ship  was  tlie  Snntiwjo  of  the  last  year's 
voyage.  Juan  Perez  went  on  her  as  p/'loto,  or  sailing- 
master,  and  second  in  connnand;  Cristobal  Revilla 
was  his  mate;  and  the  chaplains  were  the  Franciscan 
])adres  Campa  arid  Sierra,  who  became  missionaries 
in  California.  The  ship  also  carried  a  quantity  of 
snpj)lies  for  Monterey.  The  schooner  Sonont,  alias 
Fdichlad,  was  selected  as  the  consort,  connnanded  by 
lieutenant  Juan  Francisco  do  Bodega  y  Cuadra,^'  with 
Alierez  Antonio  ]Maurello  as  piloto.  Supplies  for  a 
year's  cruise  were  taken,  and  Mie  force  of  both  vessels 
numbered  one  hundred  and  si.,  men.  Hccota's  instruc- 
tions were  the  same  as  had  been  those  of  Perez,  except 
that  latitude  (55°  instead  of  latitude  G0°  was  named  as 
the  northern  limit.  They  sailed  from  San  Bias  on 
]\Iarcli  IGtli,  the  schooner  towed  by  the  ship;  but  the 
winds  were  not  favorable,  and  it  was  not  until  IMay 
2]st  that  they  reached  the  latitude  of  Monterey, 
wliore  it  was  decided  in  council  not  to  enter.  They 
finally  drew  near  the  land  in  42°  on  June  7th,  and 
followed  the  coast  southward  until  they  discovered 
the  port  of  Trinidad.  Heceta's  operations  on  the 
Californian  coast,  like  those  of  Ayala  and  Quiros  in 

' '  Lieutenant  Juan  B.  Ayala  waar  at  first  put  in  command,  with  Cuadra  as 
his  second;  but  he  had  to  bo  transferred  to  tlie  San  Curios. 


HECCTA  AND  CUADRA. 


150 


the  other  vessels  of  this  year,  have  been  ah'eady  ru- 
oordtxl.'^' 

The  Sanfiar/o  and  SonorriAci't  Trinidad  on  Jnne  1  Otli 
for  tho  north,  kc'o[)ingto<^ethor  until  the  end  oC  July.'"' 

Littlu  i)rogress  was  made  northward  in  tlu-  un- 
favoruhlo  and  variable  winds;  but  by  the  end  ol'  Juno 
they  were  over  one  hundred  leagues  away  iVoni  tlie 
oast.  Cuadra  and  Maurelle  were  in  I'avor  of  'Xoin<jf 
still  farther  out,  so  as  to  run  far  to  the  noi'th  when 
the  winds  sliould  come;  but  Ileceta  chose  to  follow 
the  ju.h^nient  of  Perez,  as  indeed  his  instructions 
reijuiicd  him  to  do,  who  represented  tlie  v,  ..Is  to  bo 
from  a  southern  quarter,  favorable  to  proyT^ss  along 
tlio  coa.?t  northward.  When  the  wind  c;viie,  lioweve]*. 
it  v.ai  from  the  west  and  north-west,  driving  t^em 
landward  sooner  than  they  desired.    On  July  iitli  they 


^■'S;.u  JJ.-tt.  Cat.,  i.  clwp.  xi. 

'"'' //rrc'i,  S ''J  1111(1(1  L.cp'nracion  (Ic  la  Costa  l^cpt(n)lr'i(iih(J  (l< 
Mailers  M.-iS.,  No.  Vl\,  is  a  iiarnitive,  no  ftiulior  being  n'micd, 


•((!.,  177o,  in 
'f  tii(!  .S'(/;i- 
ViVjo'ti  movc'.neuis  down  to  August  loth,  coniplctud  down  to  Aug.iat  IJ'JLli, 
liy  Uccrt'i,  Vkkj:'  <Ji'  J77'>.,  ^I'i.,  in  I'/n/ct  al  S'orfc,  No.  "J.  Tho  .  cliooncr'.i 
inovo'.ncnl.  I  r.ru  of  courso  included  down  to  tlio  Huparuiiuii.  Ilctiti,  Dinrh, 
Vi  Ilia  c'jr.r.naudcr'.i  narrative,  .s\il)Mt.intially  l)ut  not  literally  thr  :i  nno  i^s 
the  p'.'cecding,  of  wliieli  I  have  only  an  extract  relaiing  to  the  Coltriihia 
liivei"  legijn,  [;iven  liy  (rrcenhow.  Jio(lc;i(i  ij  Cudilca,  I'/n;/"  dc  /77  7,  M.>., 
ill  \'i  :;j'  :i  cil  A\>i'i',  No.  2j,  i.-i  a  narrative  by  ( 'uadta  hiinseU  of  liie  Soiimi's 

MdnrcUi', 
(d  A'or.'c,    No.  3, 


voya;;o  from  Atrjust  4l:h  to  November  20th.  after  tho  scp:ir:ition. 


of    the     iJclioouer 


JJiiiflo    (Id    VtKji',    (le  li   Sonord,    1775,  M.S.,  in    VkfjcM 

ia   tlic    second    jiHoti'-t   narrative   of    the   vrliole    voyM,"u 

and  of   tho  nliip   bo  long  ns   they  were   together,   with  n^Ileelion-^,  tables, 

etc.,  at  t!io  e.ul.    MniinU  'n  Journal  of  a  Vui/iijc  in  //'7J,  London,  I7.>l,pub» 


li.i:-d 


lli!rr!ii;ilnii'.f  j)l/.-irtl/,tiii's,  is  an   English  tniii;; 


)f  a 


r.ilivo  Kiniilar  to  but  not  identical  with  that  last  named.  It  contain.)  a  map, 
iut'.'oducod  by  tlio  publisher  to  illustrate  tho  voyage.  Hodi-ji  //  Caalra, 
( '(j.:ir  .t  J  d  ■  hi  '\ar:"f<i'-i'tn,  MS. ,  in  I'/ajc-i  al  Xoric,  'So.  (i,  i:t a  H'.iiniiiary  nairative 
byCnadi'a,  covering  t!ic  same  ground  as  that  of  Maurelle.  Ilcre't,  h'sjii'diclou 
M';ri:i,iin,  in  Pidou,  ^.'(itiri'iK,  ii.  •J1!)-4>S,  '2.")IV  7,  is  a  narrative  of  tho  voyage 
of  l)jl.!i  veriacb,  probably  founded  on  the  ch;ip!ains'  diaries,  but  inaeli  con- 
fused in  tlio  printing.  Tho  original  charts  of  this  voyage,  as  of  the  preceding, 
if  a:'.y  v,t;'o  ina.lc,  have  never  been  publitjlied  and  arc  not  kn:)\vn  to  be 
c>:tant.  Such  arc  tho  original  authoritie?  on  llcceta's  c^:podition.  For 
minor  rcfcvcnce.T  to  works  tliat  mention  the  voyage,  but  eontiiiu  no  additional 
i:if>)r:iK'.Lio:i,  aoc  tho  references  for  I'oi-cz'  voyage,  note  'Ly  of  lliis  c!ia;itcr, 
auil  latir  pages  in  oacli  reference;  also  Flcnricii,  in  Jfirchand,  I'ov.,  i.  l::vii.- 
Ixx.;.;  2Ir.rr,  Nachrichten,  401;  Fariihuiii'n  Hint.  Orr<ioii,  12-i;J;  /Jitiih'x  iJisf. 
()rcjo,-,  -JX);  Swill's  X.  W.  Coaxt,  224-0;  Ifhics'  Or.  Hist.,  Wsl  A;  Fcdix 
rOn'f/oii,  02;  I'ossi,  Sonrrnirs,  58-!);  liouhaml,  /ii'fiidiis  XuuirUci,  11;  Suint- 
A„iui:f,  I'oj.,  144;  Simpnoii'a  Xorr.,  i.  2U0;  Nor/crii  Fuss,  i^iiiiunari/,  2<A). 
Grccuhov.',  pp.  4r)0-.3,  gives  a  quotation  from  Hecetji'.s  ro^)oit,  and  .i  long 
qiiotatian  I'roiu  Maurelle  ia  found  in  U.  S.  Oov,  Doc,  Joth  <  'oi  '  ,  Jd  Sens.,  IJ. 
Jki>L  Xo.  101,  pp.  42-7. 


160 


DISCOVERY  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  COAST. 


I  ■' 


■  '11 


rccoo'iiizcd  tlici:-  proxiinity  to  tlio  coast,  sii])])osing 
tlieiuselvcs  to  be  near  tlie  iiortlieni  j)oiiit  of  Fuca 
Stmit,  according  to  tlie  Frencli  niaj)  of  M.  Bellin,  and 
on  tlic  I  I  til  sio'lited  land  in  latitude  48  20'.  Search- 
ing soutlnvard  in  vain  for  an  inlet  or  ])ort,  the  vessels 
ancjiored  on  the  KUh  in  latitude  47"  23',"^  tlie  schooner 
behind  a  point  and  a  line  of  shoals,  M'hich  proved  a 
very  diingcrous  anchorage,  and  the  ship  outside  some 
miles  fai'ther  south. 

The  i)lace  whero  tlie  Spaniards  were  now  ancliorcd 
was  the  Point  Grenville  of  modern  ma{)s,  in  latitude 
47"  20'.  A  barren  island  fai'ther  north,  which  they 
discovered  and  named  Isla  de  Doloivs,  was  Destruc- 
tion Island.  They  had  })roved  that  Fuca's  imaginary 
strait  diil  not  exist  between  latitudes  47"  and  48  ;  and 
theii-  landfall  had  been  a  few  miles  too  far  south  to 
reveal  the  strait  that  now  bears  Fuca's  name.  To  the 
anchoi'agc,  which  one  diary  at  least  calls  Ilada  de 
liucareli,'"  accoi'ding  to  Navarrete,  or  to  the  point, 
as  (jii'ceiihow  says,  the  name  of  Martires  was  ap- 
plied, in  consequence  of  the  disaster  to  be  mentioned 
})i'esently.  I  do  not  ihid  any  I'ecord  of  the  name, 
howcM'r,  in  the  original  narratives.  On  July  14th 
Europeans  set  foot  for  the  lirst  time  on  the  soil  of 
the  Northwest  Coast.  Captain  Heceta,  witli  Padre 
Sierra,  Surgeon  Ddvalos,  the  second  piloto,  Cristobal 
Ilevilla,  and  a  few  sailors,  landed  in  the  morninu'  to 
erect  a  cross  and  take  formal  possession,  though  the 
time  did  not  permit  the  celebi'ation  of  mass.  But 
few  Indians  were  present  at  the  ceremony,  and  they 
were  altogether  friendly;  indeed  they  had  bef(»re 
visited  the  shi[)  in  a  canoe,  carrying  skins  to  barter 
and  inviting  the  Spaniards  to  land. 

'"  Tlii.s  is  tlio  liititiidc  given  in  Ifccrta,  Expcillcion,  and  ^faiiri'f/r,  Dhirio. 
In  //i  (■<  f((.  .s'l  iiiiiidii  L'.r/i/oi:,  it  in  4" '  -4',  and  in  MdiirdU  '.-i  Jtiunial  47 '  -W  In 
the  talilf  at  tlic  end  iif  /(/.  tlio  latitudes  hy  uhscrvation  niA  ivi'koninj,'  rcsivct- 
ively  art!  ^iven  as  follows;  .Inly  )(th,  47  37' and  47  44';  lOtli,  47^  .'!'>  and 
47  '4.V;  litli,  4.S '•_'(;' and  48' H'J'";  ll'tli,  47' :«>' and  48'  T;  Kith,  47' 28' and 
47  '  41':  I4tli,  47'  -0'  and  47'  -4'.  Tlio  variations  arc  no  greater  than  would 
naturally  result  from  the  ohservation.s  on  two  vessels. 

"**  So  Oiilluil  ulso  ill  licvillu-'Gijedo,  ln/ormc,  I.'  Abfil,  1700. 


ATTACKED  BY  THE  NATIVES. 


ICl 


Tlio  schooner,  nncliored  a  few  miles  farther  north, 
Avas  also  visited  this  day  and  the  preceding'  by  large 
iiunibei's  of  Indians,  vho  were  eager  to  trade,  especially 
I'or  articles  of  iron,  and  who  were  very  demonstra- 
tive in  their  assurances  of  friendship,  urging  the 
strangers  to  visit  their  ranrhcria.  After  he  succeeded 
in  removing  the  Sononi  from  her  dangerous  position 
nniong  tlie  shoals,  Cuadra  resolved  to  send  a  ])nrtv 
iishore  to  obtain  wood  and  water,  lie  trusted  to 
the  iViendly  disposition  of  the  natives  and  to  past 
experience  at  Trinidad.  Six  men,  under  connuand 
ol'  the  boatswain  Pedro  Santa  Ana,  were  accordingly 
sent  to  land  in  the  boat.  Tlie  Indians,  some  three 
]iun(h-ed  in  nund)er,  were  hidden  in  the  vroixls  near 
the  landing,  and  no  sooner  had  the  Spaniards  left 
the  boat  than  they  rushed  to  attack  then).  Two 
sjjrang  into  the  sea  and  were  drowned;  tlie  rest 
were  immediatt'ly  killed  and  torn  in  })ieci'S,  the  boat 
r.lso  being  broken  up  for  the  nails.  CUiadra  could 
all'oi'd  no  succor,  iiaving  no  boat,  e\'en  if  he  had  been 
al)le  to  man  one.  The  savages  even  came  otf  in  their 
caiioi's  and  surrounded  the  scliooner,  as  if  to  prevent 
her  di'})arture;  but  one  of  the  canoes  venturing  too 
near  liad  six  of  its  men  killed  by  the  guns  of  the 
S])aniards.  On  rejoining  tlie  ship,  Cuadra  and  some 
others  desired  to  march  with  thirty  men  against  the 
Indians  to  avenge  the  massacre,  but  a  council  decided 
that  such  an  act  would  be  unwise. 

Tlie  council  also  discussi'd  the  e\])ediency  of  send- 
ing the  Soiwi'a  back  to  ^Monterey,  on  account  of  her 
small  size — thirty-six  feet  long,  twelve  feet  wide,  and 
tight  feet  deep — the  i-ough  weather,  and  the  dilHculty 
«it'  kct'ping  the  vessels  together.  But  Cuadra  and  ^lau- 
I'cUe  insisted  on  bi  ing  allowed  to  procetul,  urging  that 
they  were  not  likeiy  to  experience  worse  weather  than 
ihat  which  they  had  survived;  and  lleceta,  with  the 
assent  of  most  of  the  olKcers,  decided  in  their  favor. 
Six  men  were  furnished  to  rejilace  the  seven  lost;  and 
nil  the  evening  of  the   14th  the  two  vessels  set  .sail. 

Uiai.  M.  \V.  CoAur,  Vol.  I. 


11 


! 


162 


DISCOVERY  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  COAST. 


The  course  was  westward,  and  losing  slightly  In  lati- 
tude, by  the  end  of  the  month  they  were  over  one 
hundred  leagues  fi-oni  the  coast.  Meanwhile,  on  the 
19t]i,  Perez  and  the  surn-eon  in  writin'j;'  advised  a  re- 
turn  soutlnvard,  on  account  of  sickness,  contrary  winds, 
and  the  lateness  of  the  season;  but  Cuadra  and 
jMaurelle  again  opposed  such  action,  and  tlie  com- 
mander yielded  again  to  their  advice.  On  the  30th 
a  wind  i'rom  the  north  struck  the  vessels  and  separated 
tliem.  Let  us  follow  Heceta  and  the  Santkujo:  On 
the  morning  of  July  31st,  in  latitude  46°  42',  tlie 
schooner  being  no  longer  in  sight,  a  council  was  hehl 
on  the  shij),  in  which  tlie  officers  favored  a  return  to 
IMonterey,  because  tlie  scurvy  liad  not  left  men  enoug'i 
tit  for  dutv  to  manajj^o  the  vessel  in  case  of  a  storm. 
Heceta  yielded  so  far  as  to  turn  his  course  toward  the 
coast,  but  in  d(.)ing  this  he  also  sailed  as  far  north  as 
jtossible,  and  on  August  10th  they  sighted  land,  being 
in  latitude  49'  30',  tliat  is,  in  the  region  of  Nootku. 
In  the  north-west  was  seen  a  mountain  resembllnn'  the 
peak  oC  Teneritl'e,  in  about  latitude  50',  and  another 
farther  south  resembling  the  cuchillada  de  Roldan  in 
Valencia.  Next  day  the  master,  mate,  and  surgeon 
renewed  their  warnincjs,  Perez  claimin<j^  that  showers 
like  those  (»f  tlie  past  year  would  surely  leave  not  a 
man  for  duty,  and  Heceta  determined  to  follow  the 
coast  southward.  On  tlic  r2tli  they  noticed  that  iu 
the  first  iifteeii  leau'ues  above  latitude  49'  there  were 
two  salient  })oints,  with  a  bight  three  or  four  leagues 
deo]),  with  a  beach  and  low  hills,  which  may  have  been 
Clayo([uot  Sound,  or  perha})s  by  an  error  of  latitude ' 
IJarclay  Sound,  farther  south.  The  natives  came  oif 
to  trade,  selling  one  of  their  four  canoes  and  urging 
the  S})an lards  to  land.^^ 

According  to  the  narratives,  Heceta  kept  near  tin' 
shore,  anchoring  often,  and    having  clear,  favoraltle 

'* According  to Ifcrrfa,  Kupcl.  Jfarif.,  tliit  was  on  Vngust  IStli,  wlicn  tlu'V 
Were  in  41)"  i")';  the  I4tii  tlicy  wcro  iu  48' .'t^',  luid  tliu  (■oiahslnMc  died;  tlni 
ITilli  iu  48'  ■'{'  (or  47^  H4'  iu  al'toruciou  according  to  another  account);  CJrccu- 
how's  account  of  this  part  of  tlio  voyage  is  very  erroneous. 


:movemexts  of  the  santiaco. 


1G3 


wcatlicr;  liut  if  tliis  liad  been  strictly  true  lie  coulil 
liarclly  have  missed  the  entrance  to  the  strait.  He 
saw  two  small  islands  about  a  league  from  sliore,  in 
latitude  48°  4',"  and  located  JJolores,  or  Destruction 
Island,  in  latitude  47°  58',  or  eighteen  miles  too  far 
north. 

On  the  loth,  in  latitude  47°  ."4',  ten  Indians  came 
off  in  a  canoe  tt)  trade.  The  sailors  pretended  t<» 
recognize  some  of  those  engaged  in  the  massaci-e  <■■{' 
July,  and  efforts  were  made  to  entice  tliem  on  board 
Avith  a  view  of  holdinuc  some  of  them  as  hostaLCes,  if  bv 
chance  any  Spaniard  had  survived;  but  tlie  savages 
Mere  too  wary,  and  when  at  last  the  grappling-irons 
were  tlu'own  at  the  canoe  they  struck  an  Indian  1:1 
the  l)ack  but  ditl  not  hold. 

Still  keeping  near  the  wooded  shore,  and  noting 
some  rocks,  or  small  islands,  Heceta  in  the  afternoon 
of  the  17th  discovered  a  bav  with  stroni""  currents  and 
eddies,  inchcating  the  mouth  fjf  a  great  i'i\'er  or  strait, 
in  latitude  40°  9',"  Avhicli  but  for  the  latitude  the  navi- 
gator would  have  identihed  with  Fuca  Strait,  but 
v.lncli  lie  now  named  Bahia  do  la  Asuncion,  caHin;;' 
the  northern  point  San  Ko'.jue  and  tlie  soutliern  Cabo 
Fi'ondoso.  It  M'as  subsequently  called  by  the  S[)a;i- 
iards  Ensenada  do  Ueceta;  and  was  of  course  tlio 
iiiouth  of  the  Cohunbia  lliver  between  caries  iJis- 
a})pointment  and  Adams."  Xo  exploration  v/as  at- 
tL'in[)te(l,  liecause  tJiere  were  not  moii  enough  to  raise 
the  anchor  if  it  were  once  L>werL(b  or  with  safety  t> 
man  the  launch.    Xext  day,  in  latitude  45'  4-')',  a  ])oinu 

■"'The  cliarts  hIiow  uinny  riHiJill  mclcs  iiloii;;'  tlio  roast  hetwccii  I  )i'stnicti()!i 
I  ;liiiul  ;ni(l  (Japo  t'lattciy.  'i'hosc  islofi s  may  have  Ik'cu  Flattery  linek.H  or iiny 
el'  tiie  (ithcr.i.  It  is  clour  enoiiu'h  that  Jlt'ocla  did  not  I'Xiiiiiiuo  this  part  ni 
thu  idd'.t  fo  closely  as  Wiis  ))reteiideil. 

"  AccordiiiL;  to  lleccla,  A'sj.al.  Mnrif.,  it  was  in  40'  11'.  In  //<''■<  '(t,  l>i((ri<t, 
the  reader  is  referred  to  the  map  fur  the  hititiide;  Imt  in  the  taliU'sat  the  end, 
aicdvdlng  to  (ireenhow,  the  latitudi^  of  thi;  17tli  is  j^iven  as  4ii'  17',  prohaMy 
tit  niiou.     Ilic  true  latitude  <>f  the  entrance  at  its  inidiUe  is  alioul  l(i    I.")'. 

'-l[eceta"s  statement  tJiat  the  points  ran  in  the  an^le  of  10  nf  tiie  third 
iiuadcaat-ihat  is,  lU  westof  south  —is  uiiintcKiijdde,  the  true  diri'ction  heiu'^ 
aliiiut  40"  of  the  second  quadrant,  or  nearly  s.  i;.  In  Ilk  h'--/,<i/.  Mmtf.  tlio 
I'liuts  are  .saiil  to  ho  a  ka;^;ue  and  a  half  apart,  tlic  inlet  'hacieudo  horiionte' 
ill  till.'  cu.st,  and  .supposed  to  be  a  li\cr. 


164 


DISCOVERY  OP  THE  NORT^^\^:ST  COAST. 


named  Cape  Falcon,  perhaps  Tillamook  or  False  Tilla- 
mook." Next  were  seen  three  farallones,  called  tlio 
Tres  Marias,  in  latitude  45°  30'";  then  came  a  flat- 
to])ped  mountain  called  the  j\Iesa,  or  Table  Mountain, 
ill  latitude  45"  28'^^;  and  on  the  '20th  iu  43°  they  saw 
ten  small  islands  and  more,  noting  three  others  in 
latitude  42°  3(]V°  P^'^i^i'io  Mendocino  on  August  2Gth, 
and  anchoring  at  Monterey  on  the  29th.  Thirty-li\'e 
fc;ick  men  ^\'ere  landed  next  day,  ten  remaining  on 
hoard,  one  of  Avhom  died. 

I  have  now  to  ibilow  Cuadra  in  the  Sonora.  At 
dawn  0!i  July  31st  the  ship  could  not  be  seen;  and 
the  captain  sought  her  in  the  very  direction  that  he 
\.  ished  to  go  I'or  purposes  of  exploration — that  is, 
(straight  out  to  sea. 

Cuadra  and  Maurelle  state  in  their  narratives 
tliat  the  se[)aration  ^^■as  accidental,  and  impl}'  that 
their  subse<|uent  course  westward  was  in  accord- 
ance with  the  proposed  course  of  both  vessels,  no 
cliange  having  been  ordered,  though  such  a  change 
Avas  pi'obable.  13ut  in  another  account  it  is  stated 
with  much  plausibility,  and  probably  on  good  author- 
ity, that  the  separation  was  <leliberately  ])lauuod  by 
tlio  two  commanders  to  appear  accidental,  lleceta 
realized  that  vltv  soon  he  would  be  I'orced  to  yield  to 
the  clamors  of  his  oUicers  and  men  and  to  order  a  re- 
turn. But  Cuadra  not  only  desired  to  <xo  on,  but  was 
conlident  of  success;  and  accordinu'ly  it  was  arranged 
tliat  the  bold  explorer  should  lose  sight  of  the  siiip 

"'  A  lofty  sierra,  callod  Siinta  Clara  dc  Monte  Falcon,  the  latitnrlc  of  V.\o.  day 
l)cin,L,'-l,')  -U',  accord  ill;.;  to  tUo  K-ij.cd.  Murit.  Tlio  Ijuariii','  iVoniCaljo  i'loudoi^i, 
lu'coriliii;,'  to  the  JJiario,  'was  s.  '2'2'  \\',,  the  coast  nimiiiig  thcuco  s.  .')'  i:.  In 
till'  Scjtiiiila  J:'.c/,t'ir.  the  haiiie  healings  are  given,  and  the  ))iiint,  not  named, 
is  said  to  he 'a  ishort  diataiico'  helow  Cape  I'rondo.so.  O/eeiihovv'  ideiitilr  s 
laleoii  w  ith  ( 'ajio  Lookout  (!.">' 'JO'),  hn-  iin  reason  that  1  knovi-oi'.  The  bearings 
jriven  aliive  do  not  a;riee  witli  either  jxiint. 

'■  Only  nieiitioiied  in  the  ,Srijii,i,lii  jj.r/ilor.  The  latitndeniay  bo  acopyi.si'fi 
error,  as  llie  di.seovery  is  mentioned  alter  lliat  of  tlie  Mesa. 

'-'  Jja  Me.sa  is  on  tlie  (."oast  Survey  (."hai't  in  -1")  ,">')'.  (Ireenliow  identities 
it  witli  the  Claiko  i'oiiit  of  Mew  of  l^ewis  and  ('!avke,  in  liSlt.'i. 

•'"Ad  these  ;,re  varitiiisly  de.scrihed  as  i  <;o'(  .-<,  j'ui'dUnin'x,  w /'led ran.  I'e'-'haps 
tliose  of  ■!;{'  were  just  beiow  Capo  llianco,  in  -12'  oU'.  Tiicso  rociia  are  ninncr- 
ons  all  aioii''  the  cuu.^t. 


MvOVLMENTS  OF  THE  SOXOEA. 


IG'. 


and  subsoqnontly  iiso  liis  own  judLjnicnt  as  to  the 
(lircftiou  ill  wliieli  ho  should  search  I'or  her.''' 

The  httlc  craft  kept  on  to  the  west  until  August  atli, 
when  tlie  navio'ators  thou2^ht  themselves  one  hundred 
a!i<l  seveutv  leagues  from  land,  and  were  in  latituilo 
45°  r),")'/^  Then  the  favorable  south- v.'est  winds  began 
to  blow,  and  a  junta  of  officers  Vv'as  held.  They  wei'e 
short  of  footl  and  watei',  and  the  season  was  deemed 
late;  but  the  OiHcers  were  unanimous  in  favor  of  p-oinLT 
on,  and  the  crew  agreed  not  only  to  obey  orders,  but 
to  contribute  for  a  solemn  mass  in  honor  of  our 
lady  C)f  Bethlehem,  that  she  might  enable  them  to 
reach  the  latitude  named  in  the  viceroy's  instructions. 
( 'onscquently  on  the  15th,  when  according  to  Bellins 
map — wliicli  had  been  founded  on  Russian  discoveries, 
eked  out  with  imagination — they  should  have  been 
one  hundred  and  thirty-tivo  leagues  from  the  coast, 
l;md  was  found  in  latitude  57°  2',  in  the  recjion  of  the 
Liter  Sitka,  the  navigators  noting  and  naming  Mount 
Jacinto,  now  called  Mount  Edgecombe.  Cuadra  sub- 
ser[uently  went  up  the  coast  to  about  latitude  53°, 
returned  to  latitude  55°  17',  and  went  again  up  to 
latitude  58°.  Avery  complete  examination  was  made 
IVoin  the  limit  of  Perez'  voyage,  and  formal  possession 
Vv'as  taken  at  two  points;  but  details  of  this  northern 
exploration  belong  to  the  annals  of  Ala«ka,  in  a  later 
volume. 

3Iost  of  the  men  were  now  sick  with  scurvy,  ren- 
dering it  very  difficult  to  manage  even  so  small  a  craft 
in  rough  weather.  Accordingly  on  September  8thtlio 
Snr-  inr  \'-as  headed  soutliward.  It  was  a  most  peril- 
ous i,ip;  more  than  once  it  seemed  certain  that  the 
vessel  nuist  be  lost,  for  a  part  of  the  time  the  officers 
only  v.'ere  able  to  work,  and  both  Cuadra  and  ]\[au- 
relle  were  attacked  with  fe\'er.  Still  the  gallant  ex- 
})lorcrs  did  not  altogether  lose  sight  of  their  mission; 


*■  JTirotn,  Sffiunfla  Exjilornrion.   'Ilnsta  la  proscnto  no  so  ha  sabiilo  si  fut5 
o  no  voluiitaiiii  la  s<'p;u'iicic)u.'  Ilr'-iiu,  /;>■/»'■/.  Munt. 
'"4ii  47',  iicuorUiii''  to  llio  tables  in  M<iurt!h:^6  Journal, 


100 


DISCOVEHY  OF  THE  NOIlTHWEST  COAST. 


thoy  still  ke[)t  as  near  the  shore  as  they  could  with- 
out sure  destruction.  On  the  11th  they  saw  land,  in 
latitude  53''  54',  and  kept  it  generally  or  at  least  oc- 
casionall}'  in  view  from  a  distance  down  to  about  lati- 
tude 47^;  and  again  they  scanned  the  coast  very 
closely  from  latitude  44°  30'  down  to  latitude  42°  4i>' 
in  search  of  Aguilar's  river,  of  whicli  no  trace  could 
be  found.^^  Then  they  directed  their  course  for  San 
Francisco,  but  discovered  instead  the  bay  to  wliicli 
the  commander  gave  his  name  of  Bodega,  reacliing 
^Montere}'  on  October  7th.  As  soon  as  the  sick  hud 
recovered,  both  vessels  sailed  for  San  Bias,  wlicro 
they  arrived  November  20th.  Juan  Perez  died  two 
davs  out  from  IMonterev. 

Thus  the  whole  extent  of  the  Northwest  Const 
from  latitude  42°  to  55°  was  explored  and  formally 
taken  possession  of  for  S})ain  by  Perez,  Heceta,  and 
Cuadra,  in  1774-5.  The  results  of  these  most  iui- 
j>ortaiit  expeditions  wei'e  not  published,  as  they 
^;hould  have  been,  by  the  Spanish  go\'ernment,  and 
I'or  many  years  were  known  only  througli  the  little- 
circulated  EiiiTjlish  translation  of  Maurclles  Jonrnai, 
wdiich  was  not,  however,  so  faulty  a  Avoi-k  as  it  ha  4 
generally  been  represented.  The  charts,  which  nuist 
have  been  tolerably  complete,  have  unfortunately 
never  been  published,  and  are  not  even  known  to 
exist  in  manuscript.  B}^  this  mistaken  polii-y  on  the 
part  of  their  nation  the  Spanish  discoverers  lost  nuich 
of  the  honor  due  them,  but  popularly  given  to  later 
navigators,  who  in  most  instances  substituted  f.)r  the 
(original  new  geographical  names  of  their  ovv'u  choice. 
It  does  not  appear,  however,  that  l)y  her  error  Spain 
eventually  lost  anything  of  territorial  lights,  or  even 
[)ossessions. 


^'■•Tlicre  is  no  agreement  l)ct\veen  tlio  difTcront  accounts  respecting  tho 
latitudes  at  which  liind  -was  seen  on  the  sonthei'n  tri]i,  but  nil  agree  on  tlic 
r.eareh  for  Aguilar's  river.  Miiurelle,  ./oiinial,  notes  that  ou  the  'Idth  thoy 
were  at  the  scene  of  the  massacre  of  .luly  ;  on  the  24th  were  close  to  hind,  in 
4"'  '21',  and  searched  for  the  river  <l()wn  to  45'  (?)  ~id',  where  they  found  a  capo 
with  ten  small  islands — probably  Cape  Blanco,  in  42 '  oi)'. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


EXPLORATION  OF  TUE  XORTIIWEST  COAST. 
1778-17S8. 


^t  inucu 


Captain-  Cook's  ExrEDirioN- — IxsTiircTioxs — Discoveries  axd  Xames  - 
Mai* — At  8an  Louexzo,  King  Geokoe  Sound,  oh  Xootka — Oiuciix 

OF  THE  Fun-TRABK — VOYAGE   OF   AUTEAGA  AXI)  CUADRA  TO   Al-ASIvA  — 

En<;l[sii  rrR-TKADERS  FROM  1785 — IIan'N'a's  Voyages — La  Pkrocse — 
Arciiii'elago  on  ^Lvinlvnd?— Map — Expedition  of  Stkanck,  Lowkie, 
AND  GrisE — McKey  at  Xootka — Portlock  axd  Dixon — Qieex 
Charlotte  Isles — Barclay  Discovers  the  Strait  —  Dincan  and 
Ciii-NETT — ^Martinez  and  IIaro  in  AL;ISka — Spanish  Policy  E<)];k- 

SIIADOWED — TUE  StARS  AND  StRIPES  IN   THE  XORTII  PACIFIC — VoVAGE 

OF  Kendrick  and  Gray  on  the  'CoixjiiiiA'  and  '  AVashixctox' — 
An  Oricinal  Diary — Murderers'  Harror — AVintlrini!  at  NutrrKA — 
Voyage  of  Meares  and  Docgl-vs — Under  PoRTrGrr.si-:  Colors^ 
Lacxcii  of  the  'Xortii  West  America' — The  House  that  Jacic 
Built. 

The  famous  Captain  James  Cook  in  his  third  and 
last  voyage,  coming  from  the  Sandwich  Islands,  of 
which  he  was  the  discoverer,  on  March  7,  1778,  sightcfl 
the  northern  seaboard  in  latitude  44°  33',  He  c(mi- 
nianded  the  English  exploring  ship  Ilcsolution,  and  was 
aecompanied  by  Captain  Clerke  with  the  D'n^covcrij} 

^Cnok,  A  Voi/dijc  to  ihn  Pacijlc  Ocean,  vndcrtalrn  hi/  the  cmmnninl  of  hin 
Jfajc.-t  1/  /or  MuhiiKj  Disrom'ics  ia  the  K'Hhi'ni  Jfi'wi'ijihi  re.  To  (Ivhriuiue.  the 
Pntil'iiiu  and  Extent  of  the  West  Side  of  ^"^ortli  A  inerietL ;  its  1  )i.it  (inee  from  Asia  ; 
Olid  the  PracticahilUy  of  a  Northern  PasfWie  to  L'iiro//e,  I'erfurinni  under  the. 
dirccHon  of  C<tj>iains  Cook,  Vlerke,  and  (lore,  in  /(/s  J/"j. , >.'/// ".v  nhijui  the  liefolii- 
ti'iii  (uid  iJiaeovirij,  in  the  Yictrs  1770-80.  Lontlon,  1784;  4to,  3  vols.,  maps, 
(.hurts,  aiul  illustrations.  Tlic  portion  of  tlio  narrative  rtlatiiii;  to  the  north- 
west eoast  is  found  in  vol.  ii.  pj).  ■2,"iS-343;  also  tahlc  (^f  latituiles,  route, 
vinilti,  etc.,  in  vol.  iii.  pp.  50G-'J.  The  oetavo  edition  of  the  same  date,  in 
t'lur  vohunes,  ia  an  aln'idgm  nt  of  the  original.  'J'herc  were  otiier  editions 
iiiid  translations;  and  there  is  hardly  a  collection  of  voyai,'e.s  tliat  has  not  a 
loiiixcr  or  shorter  account  of  this  cxjicdition.  Ledyard'a  A  Jonnidl  <f  <'a/>f. 
I  iioL-.t  lust  voyaije  to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  etc.,  Hartford,  17S.'5,  is  another  account 
hy  a  man  who  accompanied  Cook.  Sjtark^i'  Life  of  John  L<di/ard,  Cambridge, 
lb'J8,  covers  also  the  same  ground. 

(107) 


1G3 


EXPLORATION  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  COAST. 


i 

ill  111' 


iMi 


Cook  liad  loft  Eno-laiul  in  1770,  kuowiuL''  nothinf:^  of 
what  tho  Spanish  naviu^ators  had  accoiiiplislicd,  thoiiiL^di 
awaru  that  they  had  visited  the  northern  coast."  His 
special  mission  was  to  search  for  a  })assage  to  Euro])e, 
either  ])y  Hudson  Hay,  or  the  northern  sea  recently 
found  hy  Hearne,  or  hy  the  sea  north  of  Asia;  and  in 
the  search  he  was,  of  course,  to  exph)rc  all  the  iiorth- 
westei-n  regions  of  America.  His  instructions  werc^ 
to  fall  in  with  tlio  coast  of  New  Albion  in  45",  that 
is,  beyond  the  supposed  hmit  of  Cabrillo  and  Vizcaino, 
and  after  refitting,  to  fi^llow  the  c-oast  northward,  but 
not  to  begin  his  careful  search  for  a  passage  until  he 
had  reached  tho  hititude  of  Go".  Every  precaution 
umst  bo  taken  to  avoid  encroachment  on  the  Spanish 
dominions,  or  troubles  with  any  foreigners;'*  but  we 
also  read  in  his  instructions,  "You  are  also,  with  the 
consent  of  the  natives,  to  take  possession  in  the  name 
of  the  king  of  Great  J^ritain,  of  convenient  situations 
in  such  countries  as  you  may  discover,  that  have  not 
already  been  discovered  or  visited  by  any  other  J'au'o- 
pean  ])ower;  and  to  distribute  among  tlie  inhabitants 
such  things  as  will  remain  as  traces  and  testimonies 
of  your  liaving  been  there."  It  would  appear,  not- 
withstanding the  allusion  to  J3rake  in  the  use  of  the 
name  New  Albion,  that  it  was  not  England's  inten- 
tion to  found  any  territorial  claims  on  the  freebooter's 
discoveries,  but  to  claim  l)y  virtue  of  Cook's  discov- 
ery all  lands  beyond  the  unkn(nvn  limit  of  tho  I'ocent 
Spanish  voyages.*    As  to  the  main  object  of  the  ex- 

'^CdoFn  Viiif.,  ii,  ."."^-J.  firccnliow,  Or.  aiul  diL,  124,  quotivf  from  tlio  Lowhni 
Aniiiifil  lt('!i/s/i-r,  177(1,  a  brief  notice  of  the  voyage  to  5S' '20'  in  1774,  frciiii 
the  oiiiciiil  gazette  of  Madrid. 

^  ''\'(.iu  are  also,  in  your  w.iy  tliitlier,  strictly  enjoined  not  to  toucli  upon 
•iny  part  of  the  Spanish  dominions  on  the  western  continent  of  America, 
unless  driven  thitlierliy  some  nnavoidalile  accident;  inwliich  case  you  are  to 
Btiiy  no  longer  there  than  shall  bo  a))solutely  noeessary,  and  to  be  vei'y  careful 
not  to  give  any  lunbrago  or  oU'enco  to  any  of  the  inhabitiints  or  subjects  of  hi3 
Catholic  Majest}'.  And  if,  in  your  farther  jirogress  to  tho  northward,  as  herc- 
nfUiV  directed,  you  find  any  subjects  of  any  European  prince  or  state  upon  any 
part  of  tho  coast  you  may  think  proper  to  visit,  you  arc  not  to  ilistiu'b  the!ii, 
or  give  them  any  just  cause  of  ollencc,  but  on  the  contrary  to  treat  them  witli 
civility  and  fricndshi]).'    Secret  Instructions.  CooFs  Voij.,  i.  xxxii.-iii. 

'  I'Use  tlio  Avords  'discovered  or  visited' would  have  no  force,  and  there 
would  bo  some  alludoa  to  Drake's  latitudes. 


COOK'S  VOYAGE. 


ICO 


ini^  of 
li()ini;h 

;-  liis 

luropc, 
3feully 
and  ill 
nortli- 
s  were 
r,  tliat 
izcaino, 
,rd,  but 
iitil  ho 
caution 
■Spanish 
l)ut  \vo 
rith  tlio 
iie  name 
buations 

lave  not 
)!•  l"juro- 
abitants 
inionies 
;!ar,  not- 
ol'  the 
s  inten- 
])()()tei''s 
diricov- 
^  recent 
the  ex- 

Itlio  Londiin 
1 177-4,  fniiu 

|()Uch  iipf'Ti 

If  America, 

yciii  an;  to 

|Jrv  fart^t'il 

joc-tHdf  Ilia 

I'll,  iVA  lu'it- 

upou  any 
jturl)  tlifiii, 
ItluMuwitU 

-iii. 
land  there 


pedition,  n  powerful  incentive  was  tlie  recent  offer  by 
th(^  iMi'^-'isii  L;()\'crnnient  of  a  reward  of  twenty  tliou- 
sand  |)()und.s  to  the  officers  and  crew  of  any  vessel  dis- 
coveriniLj  a  passaf?e  to  the  Atlantic  north  of  ;V2°. 

Ciiptain  Cook's  explorations  alont^  what  is  heroin 
termed  the  Northwest  Coast  are  shown  on  his  niaj), 
which  I  reproduce.'*  For  six  daj's  he  remained  in  sight 
(»f  land,  unable  to  advance  northwaid  on  account  of 


CO 


L 


^frBLE  HILL 

'^petpetua 


a^ 


•ai\ 


j^yA 


gM\ 


ay>\ 


iC.Gref^nry 43 


Cook's  M.vr,  177S. 

contrary  and  variable  winds.  Tlie  coast  seen  by  him 
was  between  44'  oo'  and  4;!'  10';  and  lie  nam(>(l  capes 
]'\)ulwcather,  Pcrpetua,  and  (jlre^orv,  which  names 
were  permanent,  exce[)t  tliat  the  last  is  also  called 
Ai'a^-o."  lie  noted  the  absence  of  any  strait  like  that 
whose  discovery  had  been  attributed  to  Aguilar;  but 

'■  III  liis  pcncrnl  chart,  showing  less  (U'tail,  wo  find  C  flhtncn  just  hclow  C\ 
Gi-i-jdrii;  '('.  Mi'zari  seen  l)y  the  Spaiiiardis  in  177">,"  in  -4i)  ;  .lud  in  ."i.'i  'Ijaiid 
seen  l)y  tlic  Spaniards  in  Sep.  I77">.'  In  llii^  map  attached  to  Mi  in  nil  (■'■■< 
■lonriKt'  wn  \uA  also  ( '.  M<:uri  and  <.'oo/Sh  llaihonr,  177S.  Tiio  name  Mczml 
i.;  perhaps  a  lihinder  for  the  Spani^ih  Mdrt'n-cn. 

"Tile  latitmh';*  of  tiieso  capes  wen;  cnlcuhited  l)y  bearing's  as  H'oo,  44' 0', 
and  4;!'  oO';  the  true  Uititudea  are  41'  45',  44    I'J',  and  43'  '20'. 


11 


Hii 


m 


11 


170 


KXPLORATIOX  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  COAST. 


iie  did  not  sco  the  Unipqua  Hivcr,  tlio  lur<:(Oftt  on  tho 
const  c'xc('j)t  tile  Columbia.  Ai'ter  heing  tlriven  Jiway 
iVoni  land  down  to  4iJ'  45',  the  naviy-ator  aj;ain  turned 
north-eastward,  and  sij^hted  tho  coast  in  47"  r>'  on 
]\rarch  '22d,  naminjjf  and  dcscribini^  Capo  Flattery,  in 
48  15',  thouoh  unable  to  decide  whether  or  not  it  wa.s 
an  island.  "It  is  in  this  very  latitude  where  we  now 
were,"  writes  Cook,  "that  g'oogra] )hers  have  pla;'ed 
tho  pretended  strait  of  Juan  do  Fuca.  But  wo  saw 
nothing  like  it;  nor  is  there  tlie  least  probability 
that  over  any  such  tliinuf  existed."  The  Enghsh  navi- 
gator Avas  verv  lucky  in  his  conclusic^ns;  for  if  when 
ofi*  Ca])e  Gregory  he  had  seen  tlie  Unipqua  River, 
or  off  Ca[)o  FlatteiT  lio  liad  seen  the  broad  entrance 
just  beyond  that  ])oint,  he  might  have  put  himself  on 
I'ocord  as  conlirming  the  discoveries  of  both  Aguilar 
and  Fuca. 

Driven  away  l)y  tho  winds,  Cook  sighted  land 
again  on  ^larch  20th,  in  49^  29',  at  what  ho  called 
Hope  Bay,  with  Point  Breakers  on  the  south  and 
Woody  Point  on  tho  north,  in  50°.  Di-awino;  nearer 
the  shore,  two  inlets  wore  seen,  into  the  lower  of 
M'liich,  bel(j\\'  Point  Breakers,  the  ships  entered  and 
found  a  tolerably  good  harbor,  anchoring  on  tho  shore 
of  an  island,  within  what  was  named  Friendly  Cove 
anil  Shi])  Cove.  This  southern  inlet — tho  connection 
of  which  with  tho  northern,  forming  a  largo  island, 
was  not  discovered  at  this  time — was  called  at  first 
King  George  Sound ;  but  soon  Captain  Cook  doomed 
it  best  to  retain  what  ho  understood  to  bo  the  native 
name  of  Nootka.  The  San  Lorenzo  of  Juan  Perez 
was  either  this  same  Nootka  Sound  or  tho  inlet 
immediately  above  or  below  it.'  The  natives  came 
olf  in  their  canoes  to  meet  Cook,  as  they  had  met 

'  See  Perez'  voj-age,  in  preceding  chapter.  Cook  has  left  a  degree  of  con- 
fusion in  h)cal  geograplij'  which  has  l)ecn  reflected  in  later  maps  and  writings. 
Woody  I'liint  is  tho  one  which  still  retains  the  name.  Cook's  narrative  gives 
the  impression  that  Hope  Bay  was  honnded  on  the  south  by  Point  Bi-eakcrs,  ami 
included  both  inlets ;  ami  later  writers  have  followed  this  in  most  cases,  I )y 
identifying  Point  Breakers  with  tho  mainland  Point  Esti^'van,  south  of  No<jtkii 
Sound ;  but  Cook's  chart  of  Nootka,  vol.  ii.  p.  '270,  and  even  his  text,  when 


AT  NOOTKA  SOUND. 


m 


Vwo'/j,  cnstinuf  tratliers  upon  tho  waters  in  siLjn  of 
iVieudshi}),  'I'luy  ruiimiiu'd  fVirjidly  (liiriii<r  flic  month 
ci'  the;  Enolislunun's  stay,  bein;,'  vi\<rvr  to  trade  tlieir 
i'nrs  and  other  })roducts  for  anything  that  was  made 
<>r  metal,  hut  not  ca/ing  for  heads  or  oh>tli,  Tiiey 
came  on  hoard  the  shi[)s  witliout  the  shghtest  timichty, 
icid  L^ave  no  other  trouble  than  tliat  resulting  i'rom 
tlieir  ]>etty  thefts,  whieh  the  closest  watch  could  not 
t.ntii'cly  prevent.  They  were  ready  to  fight  with 
their  neighlxn-s  for  the  exclusive  privileu'e  (jf  tradiuLT 
v.itli  the  strangers,  and  they  expected  tho  latter  to 
j)ay  for  the  wood,  water,  and  grass  obtained  from 
their  country.  Cook's  long  stay  enabled  him  to  give 
uu  extended  and  accurate  description  of  tho  country 
and  of  its  people,  but  this  description,  like  tho  earlier 
ji'.id  somewhat  less  complete  ones  of  Perez  and  Cuadra, 
has  of  course  no  place  in  these  pages. 

Captain  Cook  noticed,  as  Perez  had  done  before  him, 
t.hat  the  natives  had  many  articles  of  iron  and  copper, 
whit'h  must  have  come  from  abroad;  and  he  rightly 
.  oncluded  that  all  could  not  liave  been  obtained  I'rom 
any  one  foreign  navigator  visiting  the  coast.  Two 
silver  spoons  worn  as  ornaments  by  a  native  who 
came  from  a  place  south  of  Nootka,  suggested  an 
earlier  visit  by  the  Spaniards;  and  the  failure  of  tho 
Indians  to  exhibit  any  surprise  at  sight  of  the  ships 
])()iute(l  in  the  same  direction;  but  it  could  not  bo 
I'arned  from  the  Indians  that  they  had  ever  seen  a 
sliip  hefore,  and  their  astonishment  at  the  penetrative 
])ower  of  a  musket-ball  indicated  that  the  discharge 
of  tire-arms  was  new  to  them.  Accordingly  Cook  con- 
cluded, incorrectly,  that  the  8[)anish  vessels  had  never 
i)eon  at  Nootka;  yet  it  is  not  stated  that  he  took  pos- 
session of  the  country  for  England. 

Having  made  the  somewhat  extensive  repairs  re- 

t'.osL'ly  examineil,  shows  that  Point  Breakers  was  on  tho  island — eitlicr  the 
I'dint  Pia  j(j  or  Point  Macuina  of  hxter  maps,  or  Perez'  Point  Santa  Clara,  if  ho 
V,  a.s  at  Xootka  Sound — and  that  the  mainland  point  below  was  not  named  at 
iiil.  M  idcrn  maps  differ  widely  iu  both  names  and  coast  contour  on  this  part 
ot  tlie  coast. 


m 


nXPLORATION  OF  TUK  XORTIIWKST  fOASf. 


I 


qnirod  l)y  liis  vessels;  obtained  full  supplies  of  water, 
wood,  fisli,  L^rass,  and  spiiice-beer;  and  made  soiiks 
toiU's  of  ox])loi'atioii  round  tlit;  sliorus  of  the  sound, 
of  wliieli  a  cliai't  was  j»ul)lislied  with  Ids  naiTative, 
(^aptain  ('ook  sailed  on  April  "JOth  from  Nootka  tor  the 
north,  to  undertake  ex[)lorations  voiy  much  moi'e  ex- 
tensive and  important  than  those  hei'e  recorded,  hut 
which  l)i']oni^  to  a  later  volume,  the  Illstorji  of  Al(ish:i. 
Of  the  Northwest  Coast  ho  had  seen  much  less  than 
I'eri'/,  Heceta,  and  Cuadi-a;  nor,  with  tlio  exception 
of  Xootka  Sound,  had  his  descri[)tion  of  the  i-ejjiioiis 
visited  l)een  more  eom])li'te  than  theiis.  J^ike  t!ie 
Spaniards,  he  had  missed  the  enti'ance  of  the  strait; 
and  like  them  he  had  not  suspected  that  the  nortiiei-n 
shores  were  those  of  islands,  and  not  of  the  uiain. 
])Ut  (V)ok  had  established  the  loniL>'itude  of  the  coast 
much  more  accurately  than  his  predecessors  hy  mere 
dead-i'eckoniu!^  had  been  able  to  do;  and  by  the  acci- 
dental carryini^  away  of  a  small  collection  of  I'urs, 
whose  threat  value  was  learned  in  Siberia  and  CUiina, 
he  orii^inated  the  u'reat  fur-trade  which  l)ecame  the 
chief  incentive  of  all  later  English  and  ^Vmerican  ex- 
peditions to  these  regions.  jSloreover,  the  results  of 
his  voyao'o  were  fully  and  promptly  made  known  to 
the  world,  as  those  of  the  Spaniards  had  not  been; 
and  thus  were  practically  won  for  Cook  and  England 
the  honors  of  discovery  and  of  naming  the  points  c-x- 
plored.  S})ain,  with  her  unwise  policy  of  concealment, 
had  no  just  cause  for  complaint,  though  to  the  real 
discoverers  individually  great  injnsticc  was  done. 

Orders  for  .'  new  Spanish  expedition  to  the  nortli 
were  issued  in  17 (\  as  soon  as  the  results  of  the  last 
one  were  know  Delays  ensued  for  various  reasons, 
chiefly  the  lack  '  suitable  vessels,  and  it  was  not  until 
the  beginning  <  1779  that  evcrvthinsjf  was  readv. 
One  vessel,  the  \iror>'ta,  was  brought  up  from  Peru, 
and  another,  the  Pn'iu-esd,  was  built  for  the  voyage  nt 
San  Bias.     Heceta  had  at  first  been  named  as  com- 


n.vxxAS  AnvKXTinins. 


J78 


nniulcr,  luit  before  tlu;  ])ii'j)arati()ns  \vh'1'(>  <'()ii»])i;jt('(l 
J^icLitc'iiant  Jgiiat-io  Arteana  was  apjJoiiitL'tl  in  Jiis 
place.  Lieutenant  Ciiudra  was,  as  bel'oio,  second  in 
fr»nniiaii(l,  tlioULfii  lio  oui^lit  to  liave  been  lirst,  in  con- 
^;i(lel•at ion  of  forinei'  services.  The  expedition  sailed 
i'rom  San  lUas  Februaiy  II,  177!),  and  letui'iied  to  the 
same  port  November  2 1st.  The  explorations  of  ^Vr- 
U'lv^ti  and  ('uadi'a  in  Alaska  wore  extensive,  and  in 
a  sense,  Cook's  achievements  being  unknown  to  tho 
Spaniards,  im|iortant;  but  they  are  not  to  be  recorded 
here,  for  the  J*n'nci'sa  and  Faroritu  ilid  not  touch  tlie 
coast  hetween  latitude^'  !:2'and  5;")  ,  nor  even  California 
until  the  return.**  '^riio  north-west  coast  was  rej^-arded 
as  Hlrea<'y  fully  explored,  and  as  a  lenitimato  posses- 
sion of  Spain.  By  a  cedula  of  ^lay  10,  1780,  the 
kint^'  (jrdered  that  voyages  dc  allitra  should  cease.' 

It  was  seven  years  after  Cook's  departure  before 
the  Northwest  Coast  was  visited  by  another  European 
vessel.  In  1785  a  brig  of  sixty  tons  was  despatched 
from  China  under  Captain  James  Ifonna  in  ([uest 
of  i'urs.  It  was  an  ICnglish  ex»)edition,  but  it  is  not 
(|uite  clear  whether  this  pioneer  craft  of  the  fur-trade 
sailed  under  Portuguese  colors  or  under  the  En<»'lish 
ilag  with  a  license  fix)m  the  East  India  Comj)any. 
Jlanna  left  China  in  April  and  reached  Nootka  in 
.Vugust.  The  natives  attacked  his  small  force  of 
twenty  men,  but  were  repulsed,  and  thereupon  became 
friendly  and  willing  to  trade.     Having  obtained  from 

^Artca;ia,  Tinrra  expJoradon  lirrhit  cl  afin  1770  con  las  Fraf/afax  (hi  ivi/,  la 
'Priiircsa,^  iitaii'lfi'ld,  par  nl  tciiiiiitf  tie  iiario  ilon  [iinnr'o  A  rh'Ujd,  ?/  In,  'Favor'itu^ 
]ii>r  cl  (!c  la  iiilnnia  claie  iluii  Juan  Fninctsro  ih  la  Ho  l",ia  y  i'limlra,  dimlc  <i 
ji'trti)  lie  Sua  l)lan  lia.ita  /os  Kiu'iifa  y  lui  i/ntdos  de  lati/nd,  MS.;  an  ollicial 


his  Hi'iHi'diiiK,'  (iliaa  la  ^  Furor'da,^  Ai'io  de  1770,  MS.  Ciiailra'«  diary,  in  /(/. , 
No.  ()\.  J}tid('(/rc  y  Citadrn,  Xart'ijacioii  y  dcfridirimh  idn.i  herhmi  dc  ordi  n  de 
>V.  .1/.  en  III  C'lsfa  Kcpfriitrloiiul  dc  (JaliJ'iriu<t<,  177'>,  MS.;  tlio  saino  diary 
ill  il'iyv,^  .l/.y.y.,  No.  i;S,  and  also  in  tlio  I'inart  coUectiou.  As  to  the  visit  to 
Califiirnia  in  ivtm-niiisr.  suo  H'l^t.  Cal.,  i.  chap.  xv. 
"liu-itla-UiijcJo,  1,'ijonuc,  IJ  Abril,  17'JJ,  p.  1-J3. 


174 


EXPLORATIOX  OF  THE  XORXmVEST  COAST. 


them  a  valuable  lot  of  five  liumlrcd  and  .sixty  sea- 
otter  skins,  which  were  sold  for  twenty  thousand  six 
hundred  dollars,  the  captain  proceeded  up  the  coast, 
naming  Sea-otter  Harhor  and  St  Patrick  Bay,  in  50' 
4L',  near  the  northern  end  of  the  island.  Tlie  fornirr 
name  has  been  retained;  tlie  latter  changed  to  St 
Joseph.  Leaving  Nootka  in  September,  he  reacihed 
Macao  in  December.  Such  is  the  only  inforaiation 
extant  respecting  this  first  voyage  of  its  class,  di- 
rivod  at  second-hand  fi'oni  tlie  statements  of  other 
voyagers.  Of  a  second  voyage  l)y  Hanna  in  the  Sra 
Ottci'  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  tons,  in  178(5,  v.' 
know  still  less — barely  the  fact  that  such  a  voyagv; 
was  made;  and  that  he  spent  two  weeks  in  Augusc 
at  Xootka,  obtaining  oidy  tifty  skins,  and  fifty  mor'.; 
on  oth<  parts  of  the  const,  which  he  left  on  Octobei- 
1st.  Hanna  seems  to  have  discovered  and  named  Smitli 
Inlet  and  FitzhuLrh  Sound.^" 


The  famous  Frencli  navigator  La  Perouse,  scttin;;- 
out  in  1785  on  a  scientific  ex-ploring  expedition  roun  I 
the  world,  an  expedition  destined  to  be  fatal  to  him, 
as  was  that  of  1778  to  Cook,  was  instructed  to  ex- 
amine such  parts  of  north-western  America  as  ha'I 
not  been  ex[)lored  ])y  Cook,  to  seek  for  an  iuteroceani-.>' 
passage,  to  make  scientific  observations  on  tlie  country, 
with  its  people  and  products,  and  to  obtain  reliable 
infarniation  about  the  fur-trade.  He  was  to  learn  the 
extent  of  the  Spanisli  establisliments,  the  latitude 
beyond  which  peltries  might  be  obtained  witliouC 
giving  ofi'ence  to  Spain,  and  in  general  the  induct - 

'"Also  Vir;.'iii  Island  aii'l  Ponrl  llocl;/!,  according  lo  Vrtiiroii:vi-''i  I'l//-'  '■ 
3()9-70.  l>i.v(iii  .s'  To//.,  pp.  xvii.-wiii.,  xxii.,  'l',\l,  .'U,")-17,iind  PnrI 'ork' i^  Voij..  S, 
luuko  tlio  earliest  inenLion,  in  ITS');  tliat  in  J/ih/v.s'  Vu'I.,  pp.  l.-ii.,  of  ITi'  •, 
is  foniewliat  nioi'o  extensive,  tlii!  author  having  seen  llamia's  original  ionrn;il. 
'lie  di;eovci'eil  .seveial  Hounds,  i.-^lands,  and  Uarh^inrs,  which  he  naincil  Fit/- 
Iiugli'a  Sound,  Lanec'ti  Ishmds,  and  :jonu'  ])articular  ]iaits  which  lie  named  alter 
Ifcnry  Lane,  l'^s(j.;  l)nt  particularly  an  liarhoiir  vvhicli  Ik;  called  Sea,  Otter's 
llarljour.'  llanna's  chart  or  sketcli  of  that  liarl)i>r  anil  of  St  I'ah'iik  J>ay  i< 
puhlislicil  liy  .Mean's,  WH'i.  Dixon  also  ii  ed  Hanna's  chart.  I'crhaps  tlio 
);t'oi^rapliical  iliscoverics  mentioned  wi're  niad<!  in  tlio  si^cond  voyage.  Oreiie 
liow,  Or.  and  CaK,  I(j.")-(i,  Hiys  Hanna  saded  iiuder  I'ortngU'jso  oolorsj  but  he 
liail  no  other  authorities  tiuin  tlio-.c  1  have  mentioned. 


LA  PEROUSE. 


175 


monts  for  Frencli  enterprise  in  that  (lirection.  His 
explorations,  from  a  <j;eoi>Tapliieal  point  of  view,  wen? 
neither  extensive  nor  important,  so  far  as  theyaffeeted 
t'lese  latitudes ;^^  and,  thouL>'h  the  seientiiic  observa- 
tions of  himself  and  a  tainted  eorps  of  associates  an? 
of  un(piestioncd  value,  his  information  on  connnercial 
;>!id  other  practical  topics  was  published  t(Jo  late  to 
attract  or  merit  much  attention.  Especially  were  his 
il'scoveries  unimportant  as  touching  the  Xorthwcst 
("oast.^- 

(A)ming  from  the  Sandwich  Islands  on  the  ^isfro- 
I'hc  and  Boassole,  the  former  itnder  the  connnand  o1' 
rd.  de  Langle,  the  French  navigator  saw  land  on 
.lime  'I-],  1781),  and  spent  a  month  and  a  half  on  tin' 
Alaska  coast,  below  Blount  St  Elias,  chietly  at  Poi't 
(les  Francais,  in  58°  37'.  It  was  on  August  9th  that 
]^a  Fiiruuse  entered  the  waters  about  the  present 
biiundary.  lie  noticed,  but  Avas  ttnable  to  explore, 
tile  entrance  which  the  S[)aniards  had  found  before, 
and  v/jiich  Dixon  a  little  later  named.  ITe  followed 
the  coast  soutliward  without  landing,  in  haste  to  reach 
]\[onterey  after  his  long  delav  in  the  north.  The 
southern  extremity  of  the  great  island  he  named  Cap(; 
]  lector;  and  he  was  the  discoverer  of  the  broad  en- 
trance south  of  tliat  })oint,  believing,  though  unai>l(! 
to  j)r()ve  it,  [hat  lie  was  at  the  mouth  of  a  great  gulf 
like  that  of  California,  extending  north  proijably  to 
r)7'  He  does  not  state  deiinitely  his  opinion  that  the 
gulf  conununie'itcd  with  the  Dixon  entrance,  but 
ii;i[>lie(l  tliat  it  did  so,  and  with  other  entrances 
farther  north — indeed,  that  the  whole  coast  seen 
was  that  of  a  great  archipelago.     The  names  apjtlied 


"  Ste  l/ist.  Cal.,  i.  ch;.£).  xxi.,  for  liis  visit  to  Califoruiii;  jiIho  I [!.■<(.  Aiislit, 
tliis  suriL's. 

'-/yii  /'■■roiiDi',  Voi/iiijc.  .  .n:itniir  i/n  uwiuh  .  Piiris,  ITOS;  Svo,4v(i!s.  niiil  foli;> 
alias.  Tliut  imi'tol'  tlio  naiiiilivc  jKi'tiiiniiiL;  to  tii<i  coast  lictwi't'ii  .">.">  ami  \'l 
is  ill  toiii.  ii.  ::.")4  7S.  In  toin.  i.  .'U.">-()4  is  a  translatoil  extract  from  Maurdle'.s 
■lii'irn'il  of  tlio  Spanisli  voyage  of  177!K  in  tlio  atlas,  maps  ;{.  I.'),  Ui,  17,  l'!), 
aail  ,'tl  show  ail  or  part  of  tin;  territory,  on  diU'eruiit  soalcs.  I'luiv  arc  several 
t'litioiis  hotli  of  tlie  Freiicli  original  ami  of  an  I'Jiiglisli  truiislalioii.  L.  A. 
Milel-.Murcaii  was  the  editor  ul  tlie  origiiuil. 


176 


EXPLORATION  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  COAST. 


- 


hA  I'euolsk's  Mai',  ITiSG. 


MEARES,  TIPPIXtt,  AXD  STRANGE. 


177 


arc  shown  on  the  map  which  I  ropy,  and  which  is 
remarkably  complete,  if  we  consider  the  limited  ma- 
terial on  which  it  rested.  Though  far  su})erior  to 
any  map  made  before  178G,  its  value  was  of  course 
much  impaired  by  the  fact  that  it  was  not  published 
until  1793.  La  Perouso's  names  were  su[)erso(led  by 
others  which  later  English  navigators  ap[)lied  before 
the  French  narrative  was  known  to  the  world.  The 
vovaijre  was  continued  down  past  Nootka  and  the 
southern  coast,  with  occasional  glimpses  of  the  coast 
as  the  fog  lifted;  the  latitude  of  several  points  was 
fixed  moi'c  accurately  than  ever  before,  the  English 
and  Spanisli  names  being  retained,  and  that  of  Xecker 
Island  being  aj)plied  to  the  rocks  oft*  Cape  Blanco; 
the  lino  of  42^  was  passed  on  September  Oth,  and 
on  the  14th  they  anchored  at  Monterey, 


13 


Rond 


'oledo 


ICurda 


iida 


In  178G  at  least  three  distinct  fur-trading  expedi- 
tious were  despatched  to  the  Amei'ican  coasts;  one 
of  them,  consiriting  of  the  Xootka  and  Sea  Offer,  under 
ca})t;iins  ]\Icares  and  Tipping,  was  fitted  out  in  ]>eiigal, 
and,  its  trading  operations  being  conlin<Ml  to  I^rince 
William  Sound  and  the  Alaskan  coast,  requires  no 
further  notice  here. 

The  second  ex[)edition,  also  from  India,  was  fitted 
out  by  the  mei'chants  at  Bombay,  and  was  under  the 
su[)ervision  of  James  Strange.  The  vessels  were  the 
Captain  Ci)ak  and  Experiment,  connnanded  by  L<iwrie, 
or  Lorie,  and  duise,"  sailing  under  the  lliig  of  the 
llast  India  ("ompany,  David  Scott  being  the  cliief 
o\\  ijcr.  Thev  I'cached  Xootka  in  June,  obtainin<''  six 
liuiidreil  sea-otter  skins,  thouii'h  not  so  manv  as  they 
liail  hoped  for,  because  the  natives  had  })romised  to 
ke<'p  tlieir  ivirs  for  Hauna,  who  arrived  in«  August. 
One  .lohn  ^IcKey,  or  Maccay,  was,  however,  left  at 

"Till)  niiino  (\  7\tli'(lo,  not  hcanl  of  liffin-o,  may  have  coiuu  fi-om  soiuo 
copy  (if  Uccota  Id-  I5i)(k'ga's  cliart.  La  I'ri'oiisc  ami  otlicra  rofer  viiyiicly  to 
a  iliart  of  MaurcUi',  of  whiuli,  howevor,  I  know  nolliiii^'. 

'  Ai'fonliiin  to  Vancouvor,  I'oi/,,  i.  30!),  tlic  E.i'jx'rimi-iit  was  uoiiimaiulftl 
I'V  Mr  S.Wf.l^lioroiit,'!!. 

Hist.  N.  W.  Coast,  Vol.  I.    12 


178 


EXPLORATIOX  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  COAST. 


Nootka,  atliis'cnvn  request,  and  under  the  eliief's  pro- 
te(?tion,  to  recover  his  liealth  and  to  act  as  a  kind  of 
agent  or  '(hiunnier'  for  the  traders;  and  lie  lived  for 
over  a  year  anioni>'  the  savai>'es  with  a  native  wife, 
well  treated  hut  eiidurinj^  nuuiy  hardships.  Subse- 
cpiently  Strange  sailed  on  up  the  coast  to  Prince 
William  Sound,  and  thence  to  jMacao.  He  seems  to 
have  discovered — and  named,  according  to  Caj)tain 
])ix()n's  statement — Queen  Charlotte  Sound;  and  he 
probahly  named  ca[)es  Scott  and  Cox." 

The  third  expedition  of  the  year  was  one  fitted  out 
the  year  before  in  England  by  an  association  (jf  mer- 
chants called  the  King  George's  Sound  Company, 
acting  under  licenses  from  both  the  South  Sea  and 
East  IiuHa  monopolies.  Their  ships  were  the  Kinu 
(reoiyc  and  (^ticcn  Charloffc,  commanded  by  Nathaniel 
Portl(K.'k  and  George  ])ixon.  Both  of  tliese  gentle- 
men had  been  with  Cook,  and  each  of  them  published 
a  full  account  of  their  voyage;  so  that  in  this  respect, 
as  also  in  respect  to  the  vessels'  outfit,  the  expedi- 
tion bore  much  resend)lance  to  one  of  exploration. 
]  ligh  ofiicials  took  an  interest  from  a  scientilic  stand- 
})oint  in  the  enterprise,  and  several  gentlemen's  sons 
Avere  committed  under  tutors  to  Captain  Portlock  to  be 
educated  for  a  seafaring  life.  Leavino;  Eni^land  in 
August  1785,  Portlock  and  Dixon  sailed  round  Cape 
Horn,  touched  at  the  Sandwich  Islands,  as  was  cus- 
tomary in  these  voyages,  and  in  July  1780  arrived  at 
Cook  River,  in  Alaska. 

Soon  the  navigators  stai'ted  down  the  coast,  intend- 
ing to  touch  at  several  different  points,  and  finally  to 
winter  at  Nootka.  Some  of  the  Jiai'bors,  however, 
were  not  found  where  sought,  and  others  could  not  be 
entered  by  reason  of  bad  weather,  so  that  the  vessels 
ilid  not  anchor  at  all.     They  were  t)n  the  coast,  gen- 

>■'  Mvarrx''  Vol/.,  liii.-iv.;  nij-on\i  Vmj.,  2.12.  .117-lS,  (ind  other  refciviuTS 
on  ][:ii. ;;;.'«  voyiigo  in  iioto  8.  Shares  saw  MclCcy'^*  jimi'liiil,  and  ho  smvs 
S.ran';o  iini'iril  Friendly  Cove.  Dixon  used  Onisc's  cliart  fur  lii-i  i^cncr.il  ni;ii'. 
t.>  111"  cuj.icd  jirivciitly,  and  hv.  got  uu  account  of  Mclvcy's  advcntiu'c^  fioiu 
iiarclay,  wlio  carried  him  away. 


rORTLOCK  AND  DIXON. 


173 


orally  in  sight  of  it  at  a  distance,  from  55"  clown  to 
Nootka,  from  tlio  I7tli  to  tlio  2Stli  of  So[)temI)cr,  but 
their  work  as  explorers  was  limited  to  the  naming  of 
Split  Hock,  otf  Cook's  Woody  Point.  From  this 
rc'-ion  thev  went  to  winter  at  the  Sandwicli  Islands, 
this  lirst  voyage  being  in  most  respects  a  failure.' 


10 


Portlock  and  Dixon  repeated  their  vo^-age  in  1787, 
with  much  success,  both  in  respect  to  trade  and  geo- 
graphical exploration.  Leaving  the  islands  in  ^larcJi, 
I'ley  proceeded  to  Prince  William  Sound,  where  they 
met  Captain  ]\Iearcs,  whose  first  voyage  of  178G-7 
has  already  been  mentioned.  The  vessels  parted  com- 
pany in  May,  the  Kiny  Gcoiye  remaining  on  tlie 
Alaskan  coast  and  the  Queen  C/iorlofte  })roceeding 
southward.  It  was  on  July  1st  that  Di.xon  passed 
the  boundary  lino  and  was  oif  the  'deep  bay,'  whoso 
enri'cnts  had  baffled  Juan  Perez  thirteen  years  before, 
and  wliich  from  this  time  bore  TJixon's  name.  IL« 
did  not  enter  it,  any  more  than  the  Spaniards  am.. 
I'i'enclunenhad  befoi'e  hiia;  but  far  within,  to  the  east- 
ward, he  saw  a  point  of  land  to  be  remembered,  and 
]i:isse;l  on  down  the  coast.  Keeping  close  to  the  shore, 
without  landing,  but  trading  cxtensiv(!ly  with  the  In- 
dians, who  came  off  in  their  canoes,  he  named  several 
points,  some  of  which  had  already  been  named  b}--  La 
Perouse,  though  this  was  of  course  not  known  to  the 
Englishman," 

'''/'orf/.ic/.%  A  rnj/fi'ic  round  tlic  irorhl :  hiil  mori'  jKir/iriihirfi/  lo  /hr  vorth- 
vr.-<t  consl  <if  Aiiienra:  pcrl'itrmcil  hi.  ITS.'i,  J7SI1,  J7S7,  amt  J7S><',  in  the  'Khiij 
dionji''  uiid  '(Jwiii  C/iarlu/U','  L'(i/j/niiis  J'diiloi'L-  niitl  lliroit.  Lijiiiloii.  17M); 
■tt'i.  in.'ip  ami  twoiity  coppcrjilntes.  'I'lic  part  ri'latiii!,'  to  tlio  incsciit  topic  is  on 
jiji.  ll{.")-12,  app.,  xxiv.  The  map  does  not  covt'four  territory.  J)i.roi>,  ^1  mi/ii'jt'. 
i-liiikI  thv  iriifld,  etc.  (as  aliove).  Loiitloii,  ITS!);  4to,  iimp  ami  plates;  also  a 
sniiiHl  eilitioiiof  the  same  year.  The  narrative  is  in  the  form  of  lettursas chap- 
ters, each  Ijearin;^  a,  tlato  anil  the  initialn  '  W.  1>. '  (Wm.  llerresford).  The  pai'fc 
of  tlie  text  relating  to  this  subject  i.s  on  pp.  7t)-S;i.  The  map  will  be  nijticcd 
jirescntly. 

''  The  names  applied,  most  of  them  still  i-ctaincd,  were  Forrestor'H  Island 
(Santa  ("ristina,  ("atalina,  or  San  Carlos  of  the  Sjianiards  an<l  La  IVronse), 
("ape  I'itt  (Ma,i,'ilaleiiii  of  Pere/),  Oajie  Ciiathani,  North  Island,  Cloak  Hay, 
llippa  Island,  Jlemu'll  Sound  ( J^a  Touclie  of  Perouse?),  Ibbei'tson  Sound,  Ca|i(! 
St  James  (Cape  Hector  of  Pi  rouse).  Cape  Dali'yiupie,  Dixon  Straits,  Quecii 
Charlotte  Islamls,  Cape  ('ox  (Flemieii  of  IVrouao),  lierresford  Isluuds  (Surtiue 
of  Pa-ouae),  and  Capo  8eott. 


180 


EXPLORATION  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  COAST. 


By  the  ciul  of  July  Captain  Dixon  luid  rounded 
Cii\}c  St  James  and  reaelied  a  latitude  of  53^  within 
the  strait,  seeing  in  the  north  land  which  he  believed 
to  be  that  seen  through  the*  deep  bay  on  July  1st,  and 
thus  proving  to  his  own  satisfaction  "the  land  we  have 


DixoN-'s  Map,  17S7. 

been  coasting  along  for  near  a  niontli,  to  be  a  group 
of  islands."  Accordingly,  from  his  own  name  and 
that  of  his  vessel,  ho  ap])lied  the  names  Queen  Cliar- 
lotte  Isles  and  Dixon  ISti-aits.    It  will  be  remembered 


j;k.',.r||j 


CAPTAIX  BARCLAY 


181 


that  La  Pcrousc  had  already  coiijoctAircd  the  true 
i«o()L!:rai)liv  of  this  rc<nou,  which  Dixon  (hd  not  (iiiito 
prove;  but  it  is  also  to  be  noted  that  La  Perouso's 
I'llitor  had  Dixon's  narrative  and  map  before  hinj. 
This  map,  which  aifords  all  necessary  detail  about  tho 
voyage,  and  is  far  superior  to  any  that  preceded  it,  I 
i(ipi()duce,"  That  part  of  the  coast  from  Cape  Cox 
to  Woody  Point,  showing  the  first  indication  that  tho 
Xootka  region  might  be  on  a  great  island,  was  laid 
down  from  the  earlier  explorations  of  Hanna  and 
Guise. 

On  August  Gtli  Dixon  sighted  Woody  Point,  and 
two  days  later  he  met  at  sea  captains  Duncan  and 
( 'olnett,  learning  from  them  that  Ca})tain  Barclay  was 
at  Nootka,  or  had  just  left  that  port  for  the  south, 
and  that  there  was  no  prospect  for  successful  trade 
thei'c.  Accordingly  the  Queen  Chai'lottc  was  headed 
for  the  Sandwich  Islands,  where  she  arrived  early  in 
Sc[)tember.^'^  Portlock  and  Dixon  sokl  in  China,  as 
the  result  of  their  expedition,  2552  sea-otter  skins, 
1821  of  which  had  been  obtained  by  Dixon  on  Queen 
Charlotte  Islands,  for  }ii^54,857.  The  whole  number 
obtained  by  Hamia,  Strange,  ]Meares,  and  Darclay, 
down  to  the  end  of  1787,  was  2481  skins:  so  that  tho 
exi)e(!ition  was  very  successful  in  comparison  with  tho 
others.^" 

'**  The  map  from  Bcrrcsford  Island  northward  was  from  Dixon's  own  survey; 
from  Cape  Cox  to  Woody  Point,  from  ( iiiise  iind  Hiinna  ;  from  Point  l?rc!ikcrs- 
stiuth,  from  JJjii'chiy.  Other  navigators  of  this  period  were  not  so  frank  in 
statin;,'  the  orii^in  of  tlieir  eharts. 

''■'/>/',;()/r,s  I'o//. ,  l!).S--JI:7,  considerahle  space  being  given  to  a  description  of 
the  natives;  Purllork'x  I'o//., 307;  Mcareit'  Voy.,  liii.-iv,  and  appendix;  Grcvii 
lioir'n  Or.  ami  Cal.,  l(»!)-7(). 

'-'' hixoiix  Iloimrkif  on  the  Voi/nni'fi  of  John  Jfeareri,  Ex(/.,  in  a  Jitter  tn  thuf, 
<l<'ii!lcin(in,  hi)  (riiirnr  DiMDi,  Icilc  ('iiinw.iinili  r,  I'tc.  London,  1790;  4to.  Meares, 
in  his  j)iiV)lislied  narrative,  to  l)e  noticed  hiter,  had  spoken  very  sliglitingly  of 
l'orth)ekand  Dixon's  expedition,  as  one  of  great  pretensions  an<l  slight  results. 
Moreover,  he  hhimed  those  otlieei's  for  the  maniiei-  in  whirli  they  liad  relieved 
his  own  great  necessities  when  they  found  him  on  tiie  Alaskan  coast  in  a  very 
prt'carious  situation.  I  have  no  room  foi"  tiic  (piarrel  in  its  cletails.  'liie  trutli 
iieems  to  he  that  J'ortlock,  while alibl'ding  all  the  relief  in  his  power,  did  it  in 
siuh  a  way  as  to  advance  his  own  interests  and  to  pievent  ^Ieares  from  en- 
gaging in  any  further  trade  dui'ing  the  tri[).  In  reply  to  Meares"  strictures, 
Dixon  published  his  /'i'niiirl:s,  in  wliicii  he  displayed  more  aliility  than  was 
needed  to  point  out  the  various  inaccuracies,  inconsistencies,  aoid  falsehoods 
of  Lis  rival's  uarrutive. 


1.S2 


EXPLORATION  OF  THE  NORTm^TlST  COAST. 


Two  other  expeditions  of  1787  liave  to  be  recorded 
here,  one  commanded  by  Cohictt  and  Duncan,  the 
otlier  by  Barclay.  Both,  as  we  liavo  seen,  were  at 
Nootka  about  the  time  that  Dixon  passed  that  port ; 
and  it  is  from  that  officer's  statements  and  those  of 
other  voyagers  of  the  time  that  all  information  about 
these  expeditions  must  be  derived,  no  direct  accounts 
being  extant. 

Captain  Barclay,  whose  name  is  also  written 
Bcrkely,  commanded  the  Imperial  Eagle,  which  sailed 
from  the  Belgian  port  of  Ostend,  under  the  flag  of  the 
Austrian  East  India  Company,  in  November  178(!, 
and  arrived  at  Nootka  in  June  1787.  He  did  not 
go  farther  north,  but  was  successful  in  trade,  obtain- 
ing eight  hundred  skins.  Ho  utilized  the  services  of 
!McKey,  whom  he  carried  away  to  China,  and  from  him 
learned  that  the  region  where  he  had  lived  for  a  vear 
was  prol)ably  not  a  part  of  the  continent.  McKey  had 
formed  that  opinion  from  his  travels  in  the  interior  anil 
IVom  reports  of  the  natives.  ]]efore  leaving  Nootka 
]jarclav  met  Duncan  and  Colnett,  whose  needs  he  re- 
lieved  by  selling  them  surplus  supplies.  In  July  he 
sjiiled  southward,  and  discovered  Barclay  Sound,  and 
then  the  strait  for  which  earlier  navi<vators  had  souu'ht 
in  vam,  but  which  he  neither  entered  nor  named. 
!Meares  states  that  the  whole  exploration  below  Nootka 
Avas  made  in  the  ship's  boat,  which,  though  possible, 
seems  unlikely. 

Continuing  the  voyage  down  past  Ca[)e  Flattery, 
\he  commander  sent  a  boat  to  enter  a  river  in  47°  4'V, 
\diere  the  crew,  consisting  of  five  men,  under  ^Ir 
Millar,  were  nuirdered  by  the  natives.  From  this 
occurrence  the  name  Destruction  River  was  ai)[)lied 
to  the  stream,  now  the  Ohahlat,  but  vras  transferred 
in  later  years  to  the  island  just  bchnv  its  mouth, 
called    by   the    Spaniards    in    1775    Dolores."^     The 


M 


"  Grcenhow  and  others  nro.  wronq  in  tlu'ir  tlieory  tliat  tlie  Spaniards 
rtinicil  it  Dolores  from  tlie  disaster  tliat  ouciirrod  farther  ^:(mth.  Tlic  iiaiiie 
■rtaa  that  of  tlio  day  ou  whiuli  it  was  discovered.     Mtares  calls  th«  rcj^ion 


DUXCAX  AND  COLXETT. 


tflS 


southernmost  point  of  Barclay's  ol^scrvation,  ho  boin,'^ 
the  first  /nca  Cook  to  visit  tlio  coast  below  Capo 
Flattery,  was  what  he  called  Point  Fear,  in  47°  9', 
]>robably  seen  at  a  distance;  and,  departing  in  Au- 
gust or  early  in  September,  he  reached  Canton  in 
November.  Mrs  Barclay  had  accompanied  her  hus- 
band, and  was,  perhaps,  the  first  European  lady  to 
visit  this  region.^'^ 

Captains  Duncan  and  Colnett  commanded  the 
Piificc'Sfi  lioyal  and  Prince  of  Wales,  which  wero 
fitted  out  by  the  same  company  that  despatched 
Portlock  and  Dixon,  loft  England  in  September,  and 
arrived  at  Nootka  in  July.  Here,  as  we  have  seen, 
they  met  Barclay,  and  a  little  later  Dixon.  From  the 
latter  they  learned  that  the  best  opportunities  for 
ti-ado  were  to  be  found  on  Queen  Charlotte  Islands, 
and  thither  presumably  they  directed  their  course, 
instead  of  going  to  Prince  William  Sound,  as  had 
been  intended.  Of  their  subsequent  movements  wo 
know,  from  fragmentary  references  in  the  narratives 
of  other  traders,  only  that  Duncan  wintered  on  the 
coast,  returning  the  next  year  to  Nootka;  that  his  trip 
was  a  successful  one  commercially;  and  that  he  sailed 
througli  the  strait  between  Queen  Charlotte  Island 
and  the  main. 

Whether  this  was  in  the  autumn  of  1787  or  the 
spring  of  1788  is  not  clear;  but  I  deem  it  as  likely 
to  have  been  in  the  former,  though  Greenhow  and 
^leares  inijdy  the  latter.  At  any  rate,  ho  was  the 
first  to  make  this  passage  and  prove  the  correctness 
of  the  earlier  conjectures  of  La  Perouse  and  Dixon. 

Qiieonhythe,  that  is.  Quenaiult,  the  name  of  a  stream  farther  south.  Mearos 
tin;  iiuxt  year  at  Nootka  found  among  the  natives  a  seal  that  had  Ijelonged 
t:>  Millar,  and  also  what  was  supposed  to  bo  his  hand  or  that  of  one  of  his 
nicn.  Dixon,  Itetnark'i,  33,  gives  the  latitudes  from  Barclay's  chart,  as  given 
oil  a  maji  published  by  Dalryniplc  in  I7S[>,  as  fidlows :  West  point  of  Barclay 
Sound,  49";  south  point,  48'  50  ;  north  point  De  I'Var's  (De  Fnca's?)  entrance, 
48'3.T;  south  point,  48"  2G';  centre  of  Tallock's  Island  (TatoucheVj  48' '24'; 
Tape  Flattery,  48'  8';  Pinnacle,  47"  47';  Destnictiou  River,  47'  43';  Point 
Fear  (possibly  Gronville),  47'  9'. 

'"irixofi's  Voii.,  '231-3,  320;  Id.,  liewarl.s,  9,  12,  18,  33;  Jfrarcs'  I'o//.,lv. 
28,  124,  132,  172;  Portlock'n  Voi/.,  307;  ilrccnhow's  Or.  and  Cat.,  171,  4G0. 


184 


EXPLORATION  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  COAST. 


Dunoan  also  discovered,  and  named   fur  hin  vessel, 
the  Princess  Royal  Isles.*" 

In  17S8  the  Spaniards  sent  another  cxjiedition  to 
tlie  f'ai'  north,  which,  however,  concerns  my  present 
toi)ic  only  indirectly,  since  it  did  not  touch  the  coast 
between  42"  and  55\  The  vessels  were  the  Prineesa 
and  S(i)i  Cdrlds,  connnanded  by  Estevan  Jose  ^lar- 
tinez  and  (Jonj^alo  Lopez  de  Haro,  whose  njissiou  waM 
to  ascertain  what  the  Russians  were  doin^'.  The  royal 
order  was  itisued  in  consequence  of  a  repoi-t  of  La 
Perouse — on  his  visit  to  Chile  before  goinuf  north — 
that  the  Russians  had  already  four  establishments, 
one  of  them  at  Nootka.  The  ])rcli'".iinary  corres])()nd- 
ence  on  the  expedition  of  Martinez  shows  very  clearly 
the  form  that  Spanish  policy  was  boginnin;^  to  as- 
sume. There  was  no  objection  to  the  occupati(Mi  by 
Russians  of  the  far  north;  but  it  was  feared  that 
by  Russia  or  some  other  foreign  power  posts  would 
be  established  farther  south,  not  only  encroaching  on 
8])anish  territorial  rights,  but  threatening  Spanish 
settlements. 

There  was  of  course  no  doubt  respecting  the 
right  of  Spain  to  the  lands  she  had  discovered  up 
to  the  rejijion  of  G0°;  she  had  some  theoretical  rights 
bevond  that  rcfjion,  which,  however,  there  was  no 
apparent  intention  of  attempting  to  enfcjrce ;  and 
even  the  region  from  Nootka  southward  was  be- 
gimiing  to  a})pear  of  slight  comparative  value,  to 
l>e  occupied  only  as  a  political  necessity  to  prevent 
foi'cigu  encroachment  and  secure  the  possession  of 
any  desirable  strait,  river,  or  port  that  might  pos- 
sibly be  revealed  by  new  explorations.  Accordingly 
Martinez  was  instructed  not  only  to  learn  as  much  as 

'^Dixon's  Vol/.,  230-4;  Id.,  Pemarbi,  8-10,  19,  28;  Meares'  Vo>j.,lv.  10."., 
190-201;  Greeiihow\i  Or.  and  VaL,  170,  199.  Dixoii  says  that  Dmicmrs 
course  was  laid  down  in  Arrowsmith's  chart,  and  denies  Alearcs'  implication 
that  Douglas  prccedetl  him  in  sailing  throujjh  the  strait.  According  to 
Vancouver,  To;/.,  i.  309-70,  he  also  named  Calvert  Island  and  Port  .Safety. 
Vancouver  had  his  chart. 


KENDRICK  AInT)  GRAY. 


ISd 


])()ssil)lo  of  Kussian  operations  in  Alaska,^^  l)ut  on  his 
I'lituru  to  follow  the  coast  an<l  to  niako  as  close  ji 
siu'voy  as  possible  of  every  place  which  wouM  have 
attractions  for  foreigners,  and  whose  occupation  hy 
Sj>ain  niij^^ht  therefore  become  necessary.  The  latter 
]>art  of  the  instructions,  for  no  good  reason  that  is 
kiif)wn,  was  not  obeyed,  the  voyagers  returning  to 
^Fontorey  and  San  ]31as  direct;  I)ut  they  understood 
that  the  Russians,  though  they  had  no  establishment 
at  Nootka,  intended  to  found  one  there;  they  learned 
something  also  of  the  operations  of  English  tra<lers 
in  northern  waters;  and  their  reports  on  these  mat- 
ters, as  we  shall  see,  caused  Martinez  and  Haro  to  bo 
sent  in  1789  on  a  new  expedition.^' 

Now  the  flag  of  the  United  States  appears  for  the 
first  time  in  these  waters;  and  the  'Bostons'  como 
into  rivalry  with  the  '  King  George  men'  as  explorers 
and  traders.  The  history  of  this  territory  for  the 
year  1788  is  little  more  than  a  record  of  what  was 
(lone  by  the  Americans  Kendrick  and  (jfray,  and  by 
the  Englishmen  Meares  and  Douglas.  It  seems  more 
convenient  to  begin  with  the  voyage  of  the  fcjrmer, 
though  the  others  arrived  first  in  the  field. 

The  first  American  fur-trading  expedition  to  the 
northern  Pacific  was  fitted  out  by  a  company  of  six 
l^oston  merchants,  who  were  influenced  chiefly  l)y  the 
reports  of  Cook  and  Ledyard,  there  being  no  evidence 
tliat  they  had  any  knowledge  of  English  traders' 
operations.  A  medal  commemorative  of  the  enter- 
])iise  was  struck  ott'  in  copper  and  silv'er,  and  the  copy 
here  given  explains  its  nature.  John  Kendrick  was 
chosen  to  command,  sailing  on  the  ship  Coltonhltt  Rcdi- 
v!iv,  of  two  hundred  and  twenty  tons,  while  Captain 

-'  I  use  thia  modem  name  in  these  years  for  convenience,  to  avoid  tiresome 
repetitions  of  geogriipliical  detinition. 

'' Marllncz  and  llaro,  Ciiarta  exploracion  de  defiriihrimi^ntns  ilc  la  rosfa 
Ki'l'fiii/rioiKil  de,  Cal/J'oniia  /lanfa  lot  Gl  f/railnx .  .  .  I7SS,  MS.,  in  Viaijrx  al 
X.,r/c  de  ('al.,  No.  7.  It  contains  not  only  Martinez'  diary,  t)ut  various  iu- 
i<tructions,  correspondence,  tables,  etc.,  connected  with  the  voyage. 


ISO 


EXPLOr.ATIOX  OF  TTTE  XOPvTTTWnST  COAST. 


Tl(>1)ort  (j!r;iy  ('<)iniiian(U'(l  tlio  sloop  T/ifhi  Wosfiiii;/f<w, 
of  ninety  tons.  'I'ho  vchscIh  wero  liuhMi  with  ai'ticlus 
(lecniod  host  litti'd  for  l)arti'r  with  the  Tiifhans,  cliic^fly 
iniplcnKMits  of  iron  and  <'oj»[)cr.  A\-irioiis  passports 
ami  Ic'ttci's  wi-ro  ohtaiiied  from  tlio  fiMlcral  govern- 
ment, I'roni  tlie  state  of  Massachusetts,  and  perliaps 
from  tlie  minister  of  Sj)ain  in  tlie  United  States.^"  I 
liave  heeii  so  foi-tunate  as  to  obtain  an  original  diary 
of  this  voyaijje,  kept  hy  Tloltert  llaswell,  the  seeond 
mate  of  the  La<li/  Was/iiiKjton,  a  very  important  doeu- 


A 


^^22^'S 

.>-^ 
'% 


■  V^-^.ic-Jf 


•hi  ir 

-  J  i'l. 


k 


f^f        J'BARllEIili, 
llfil    J-DAnBY,C'HATCH,    *^ 

H 


By  JV^ 


J-M*PlNTARD.    /^if 


The  Colttmbta  Medal. 

ment,  not  consulted  hv  any  writer  heforc  mo.     Indeed 
it  does  not  apjiear  that  any  other  log  of  cither  vessel 
has  evei-  heen  seen;  and  consequently  nothing  but  a 
brief  mention  of  the  expedition  has  been  j)ublislied 
As  a  narrative  of  the  first  visit  of  an  American  vessel 

-'"So  it  is  stntt'il  Ly  Grccnliownncl  others,  possibly  without  good  authority. 
At  «ny  r.'ito  tlio  <i;ov(.'riior  of  (Jalifonii.a,  in  obedience  to  insti'uctioiis  from 
Mexico,  issued  orders  lor  the  seizure  of  the  two  vessels  shouhl  tliey  appeal'  in 
Californian  ports.  See  his  famous  order  to  that  ellect  in  J/i-'f.  Cnl.,  i.  chap. 
x.\i.  The  medal  is  given  in  eouni'.ti'>n  witli  n  brief  account  of  the  voj'agc  in 
(iieenhow's  Or.  mid  <  '<(!.,  17!I-HI  ;  in  I  '  it/jiiich's  Or.  and  El  JJorado,  l-(i.  Tlie 
latter  gives  some  details  aboi.l,  the  ori;^in  of  the  enterprise  in  a  conver.siitinn 
at  the  residence  of  J)r  Jhiltinch—  iiei'iaps  a,  relative  of  the  writer — in  lioston. 
The  voyagers  also  carried  a  iir,>ni-','i'  of  small  copper  coins  i.ssued  by  the  stati;. 
One  fif  the  nic  lals  is  preserveci  ii,  tiic  office  of  the  secretary  of  state  at  Sahiii. 
Dirijoii  Itclirs,  JIS.,  1.  See  also  //Lit.  M<i<j.,  vii.  197.  Bullinch  .says  the  niedais 
were  struck  in  bron:;e  and  silver;  Kelley,  y/ior^^oH'.s  Or.  ///•■!<.,  MS.,  0()-S4, 
says  in  botli  gold  and  silver.  Charles  IJulfinch,  one  of  the  owners,  in  a  statv'- 
ment  of  1S:}8,  U.  S.  Gov.  JJor.,L'Jth  Vuii<j.,2d  Sftis.^Seii.  I,'</,f.  Xo.  .',70,  pp.  1!)  -i:'., 
and  in  other  government  reports,  mentions  the  medal  in  copper  and  silver. 
He  names  Joseph  Ijjirrell  as  the  originator  of  the  scheme.  Most  of  the  many 
writers  on  (iray's  later  discovery  of  the  Columbia  lliver,  17'J2,  mention  this 
first  voyage  briefly. 


Tiri';  i[As\vr:LL  MAXcsrnrpT. 


187 


tu  i]\o  iiortli-wcst  coast  tliis  diary  iiicrits  imich  more 
s|)acu  than  1  can  ^'ive  it  hvw — in  I'ac-t  it  slioiild  l»o 
]iultlis]ic(l  ("lit" 


ire 


^^ally  IJoston  iiu'rchauts  and  otlicr  friend.'-:'  of  tlio 
liavi;^atorH  spent  Sunday  on  hoard  tlio  vessels;  the 
eveninjjf  was  devoted  to  partinjjf  hilarity;  and  oii 
!M(>iiday,  October  1st,  the  start  was  made  fi'om  Xan- 
tasket  Itoads,  whither  the  guests  had  itoen  cai-ried 
IVom  l>oston  Harhor.  Progress  southward  in  the 
Atlantic  was  attended  by  many  delays,  for  which 
Caittain  Kendi-ick  is  blamed  by  Haswell,  as  foi*  other 


UMWiso  iirocee(nn<'"s  (luiinii'  rnc  vova-n 


th 


am 


I  it 


was 


t!ie  middle  of  Api'il  1788  before  they  rounded  Capo 
J  [orn  into  the  Pacific,  the  sloop  and  ship  beini^ 
jiai'ted  in  a  gale  a  month  earlier.  Xootka  was  the 
rendezvous,  and  thither  Captain  Cray  made  all  hasto 
in  tlie  Lad'i  Wnshuhjfim,  withrut  touching  on  the 
coasts  of  South  America  or  ^[e\ic(^. 

It  was  on  August  2d  that  (iray,  with  *ineN])rcs- 


l.k 


snuo 


J^T. 


first   saw  the  shores  of  New  Albion,   i 


II 


latitude  41°  28';  and  on  the  4th  ten  natives  came 
off  in  a  canoe  to  greet  the  strangers.  Notwithstand- 
ing the  latitudes  and  landmarks  mentioned  I  iind  it 
iiiij)()ssiblo  to  trace  with  any  degrt.'o  of  ac(,'uracy  the 
]»rog)-ess  made  along  the  coast,  almost  always  in  sight 
of  land;  and  it  is  not  easy  to  understan<l  how  Gray 
could  identify  a  [)oint  near  latitude  43°,  possibly  Ca[)o 
Plauco,  with  Mendocino.^''    (Jn  August  14tli  the  sloop 

'-' /AfOcW/'s  Voyar/e  mnnd the  world  on  Jionrd  flu'  xfii/i  '  fnliinihiii  Itrdirira' 
mill  .s/.  (I/'  '  H'a.^i/nijtoii,'  1788-0;  MS.,  (>.")  iip.  'I'liis  nuiiatiw,  ami  iinotlicf  (if 
a  later  voyage,  were  f:;iveii  me  liy  CapUiin  llas\vell".s  ilau^iitoi-,  Mrs.Idlm.l. 
Clarke  of  IJoxbnry,  Massachusetts.  Tlie  jouiiial  extends  from  tli(!  beL'iiiniiijj 
of  tlie  voyage  to  .Time  1780.  Haswell  stai-teil  on  tlie  Coliiiiili/a,  Imt  was 
transferred  to  the  Lailij  Wcuhhiiilan  liefore  eiiteiing  the  I'aeilie.  Ho  names 
.losepii  Iiigraham  as  second  mate  of  the  ''o'linili/'i,  Ho've  as  Kendriek's 
ilerk,  Itiiherts  as  surgeon,  Trect  as  furriei-,  and  Niittiii  as  ast'Miioiiier.  A  Mr 
(.-'oolidge  is  often  named,  who  was  probably  first  mate  of  the  A'"///  ]V<t.<h'iiii,it'ni. 

"'\\ugust  r)th,  latitude  4"2'  3'.  August  (ith,  past  <a  cove  formed  l)y  a  .small 
bay  in  n.  and  an  island  in  s.  [Mack's  Arch  or  I'ogue  Kiver?|  Augiwt  7tli, 
ran  for  an  apparent  inlet  in  a  large  deep  bay  to  the  s.  iiud  i:.  of  ( 'ape  Mindo- 
cin,  hiit  passing  round  an  island  found  the  inlet  to  be  only  a  valley  between 
two  hills  [Port  Orford':'];  at  (i  i'.  M.  Cape  Mindocin  was  n.  n.  i..  cix  or  seven 
leagues;  a  dangerous  reef  extends  six  leagues  from  the  point;  rounded  tlic 
cape  and  L'tood  in  for  land;  latitude  43'  'iJ';  Lure  is  a  very  deep  bay  north  of 


188 


EXPLORATIOX  OF  THE  XORTm\T.ST  COAST. 


crossed  tlio  l)ar  at  tlio  entrance  of  a  harbor  tliat 
IkkI  been  previously  exaininuil  by  tlic  boat,  and 
ancliorcd  in  wliat  was  doubtless  Tillamook  Bay. 
(Iray  tlioui^lit  it  likely  that  here  was  the  mouth  of 
tlie  famous  lliver  of  the  West;  and  before  his  de- 
])arturo  he  had  j^ood  reason  to  name  his  aneliora<m 
Murderers'  Harbor.  On  the  arrival  of  the  Ameri- 
cans the  Indians  were  very  friendly,  receivini;  with 
joy  trifling  presents,  and  furnishing  without  payment 
vast  (juantities  of  berries  and  crabs,  which  were  very 
acce[)table  to  the  scurvy- stricken  crew.     Skins  were 


the  cape,  prohnVdy  with  sounds  and  rivers,  lint  not  explored.  [This  ajircog, 
Were  it  r.ut  for  ))reeeding  diliiculties,  witli  Cape  Gregory  and  Coos  liay.J 
AuLjnst  Otli,  ten  or  eleven  leagues  N.  f>f  the  cape  the  bout  was  sent  to  explore 
the  shoiv,  the  sloop  sailing  along  about  a  mile  awaj';  at  '';.10  v.  M.  passed  an 
ii-.let,  in  44'  'JO',  apparently  the  mouth  of  a  very  largo  river,  with  not  water 
enough  foi-the  sloop  to  enter.  Natives  appeared  very  hostile.  |Tliis,afieordiiig 
to  the  latitude,  nnist  be  the  Alseya  of  modern  maps.]  In  45°  two  Indians  of 
di'i'ereiit  lan'jnages  and  of  fi'iendly  disposition  came  od'.  August  10-11,  lati- 
tude 4.") '  •!',  44 '  .'')S';  boat  out  in  search  for  a  landing ;  slight  trailc  witli  natives. 
August  I'Jth,  the  Ixjat  obtained  two  loads  of  wood  from  a  small  inlet.  Au'rusfc 
l.'itli,  latitude  4")  ,")()' at  noon;  in  evening  j)assed  ii  tolerable  harbor,  with  a 
l)ar.  August  14th,  returned  to  explore  the  hai'bor,  which,  after  exploration  by 
the  boat,  the  sloop  entered,  anchoring  half  a  mile  from  shore  in  two  an<l  ono 


fourth  fathoms:  latitude  45' 


'  Murderers'  Harbor,  for  so  it  wasnanu  d  [for 


reasons  sec  my  text],  is,  I  su[)posc,  the  entrance  of  the  river  of  the  AVist.  It 
is  by  no  means  a  .safe  place  for  any  but  a  very  small  vessel  to  enter,  the  shoal. 
at  its  entrance  being  so  awkwardly  situated,  the  jiassagc  so  narrow,  and  tlio 
tide  so  rapitl  that  it  is  scarcely  possible  to  avoid  the  dangers.'  [This  nuist  be 
Tillamimk  15ay,  really  in  45';!4'.  |  Meares.  I'oi/.,  "J I!)- "JO,  supposed  it  to  be  near 
liis  (nvn  <'ape  f^ookout.  Cray  in  170'2  tnld  Vancouver  that  he  had  [no  date 
given  I  been  off  a  river  in  4(>'  10',  where  the  current  kept  him  for  nine  days 
from  entering:  and  (Jreenhow,  Or.  and  <'(if.,  LSI,  '2.'t4,  erroneously  concludes 
that  this  .Murderers'  Harbor  'was  the  month  of  the  great  river  snice  called 
the  Columbia.  .  .because  there  is  no  evidence  or  reason  to  snjipose  that  <ir.iy 
visited  that  part  of  the  coast  on  any  other  occasion  prior  to  his  meeting  with 
Vancouver.'  August  Isth,  ( Iray  got  over  the  bar  after  stnking  several  times. 
August  10th,  latitude  47'  11'.  [It  seems  strange  that  hi;  missed  Slioalwatcr 
l>ay  anil  Cray  llarboi-.]  August  'Jlst,  at  7  a.  m.  Oi'cen  Island  bore  N.  four 
miles,  and  (,)ninelth  N.  \.  K.  seven  miles;  latitude  47'  .'W.  August  •i'_*-4,  con- 
trary winds;  latitude  47' 4.'V.  August '2.')th,  craggy  and  detached  rocks  and 
reef.-i:  Latitude  47' 57'.  August '2(ith,  some  distance  oil' shore,  but  in  sight; 
latitude  4.S'  5';  'to  the  i;.  N.  i;.  lay  a  very  dee|>  bay.  in  whose  entrance  lie 
many  islands,'  named  Company  B;iy,  and  doubtless  has  good  harbors.  jTliis 
was  liarclay  Somid,  .so  that  he  missed  the  entrame  of  the  strait  named  j"uc;i 
by  Meares  a  little  earlier.]  August  '27th,  snowy  monnfauns  in  the  distance; 
latitude 4S^  I'.V.  August  '2.Sth,  calm;  latitude  48'  53';  visited  by  many  natives 
familiar  with  English  names.  August  '20-lU,  narrowly  escaping  wreck  on 
sunken  rocks;  reached  Hancock':'  Harbor,  in  40' 0' [(^hiyoipiot  Sound],  wcio 
visited  by  the  chief  Wicanauish,  and  set  sail.  Septendjcr  1-2,  a  gale;  driven 
s.  to  4.S'"0'.  Sciitendier  H-5,  to  latitude  48'  50'.  September  (5-0,  to  sight  ..f 
Point  ilreakcrs  ;  latituile  50'  '22'.  September  10th,  latitude  40'  .'»:V.  September 
11-15,  gales;  in  Hope  Bay,     fcieptember  lUth,  uiiuhurcd  in  Xootka  Sound. 


FIGHT  WITH  THE  NATIVES. 


180 


also  purcliascd  iM  exchange  for  iron  implements, 
though  copper  was  more  in  demand.  The  natives  freely 
gave  up  their  furs,  and  took  what  was  oftered  in  re- 
turn without  the  slightest  complaint.  Wood  and  water 
were  obtained;  and  then,  while  waiting  for  a  tide,  the 
two  mates,  Coolidgc  and  Haswell,  went  ashore  witli 
seven  men  for  the  benefit  of  their  health,  and  to  get 
a  load  of  grass  and  shrubs  for  the  vessel's  live-stock. 
Tliis  was  on  Saturday,  August  IGth.  The  Indians 
received  them  in  a  most  friendly  manner,  invited  them 
to  tlieir  houses,  and  anuised  them  with  a  war- dance 
and  an  exhibition  of  skill  with  arrows  and  spears. 
Presently,  however,  while  the  officers  were  searching 
for  clams  at  a  little  distance,  and  the  men  were  cutt  ing 
grass  near  the  boat,  an  Indian  seized  a  cutlass  whicli 
the  captain's  servant — a  native  of  the  Cape  Verde 
Islands,  named  Marcos  Lopez — had  left  sticking  in  the 
sand,  and  rnn  away  with  it,  Lo[)ez  following  in  pursuit. 
The  chiefs  wei'e  offered  I'ewards  to  brinu'  the  boy  back 
unliurt,  but  refused,  urging  the  Ameiicans  to  seek 
him  themselves.  On  the  oiHcers  and  owi  man  doing 
so  they  found  Lopez,  who  had  caught  the  tliief, 
suri'ounded  by  a  group  of  Indians,  who  at  once 
killed  Loj)ez  with  tiieir  knives  and  arrov.s,  and  then 
attacked  the  tliree,  as  did  another  large  body  of  sav- 
ages in  the  rear  under  the  chiefs  who  had  sent  them 
that  v^ay.  The  situation  was  desperate,  but  by  a  dili- 
gent use  of  their  pistols  the  three  Americans,  iiWvr 
killing  the  boldest  of  tlioir  assailants,  succeiulcd  in 
reaching  tlie  shore  and  '"'i  wading  oif  to  the  lioat,  all 
Wounded,  the  sailor  v-rv  seriously.  The  savaires  pur- 
sued  in  canoes,  but  tin-  boat  reached  the  slooj),  and  a 
lew  discharges  of  the  swivel-gun  di-ove  the  savages 
hack;  but  all  night  they  kept  up  their  whoops  and 
howling  on  shore.  Two  days  moiv  [)assed  belbi'e  the 
Jak/i/  \Vas/iiii(jtun  could  leave  ^Nlui-derers'  Harbor, 
strik'-  •  dangerously  on  the  bar;  and  meanwhile  the 
swivci-gun  had  to  be  fired  again. 

Proceeding  up  the  coast  and  trading  often  with  the 


( 


I 


ll 


190 


EXPLORATIOX  OF  THE  XOIITHWEST  COAST. 


natives,  the  navio'ator.s  rnot  with  iiothinsf  rcmadaihlo 
in  the  way  of  adventure  or  discovery.  Haswell  writes : 
"I  am  of  opinion  that  the  straits  of  Juan  de  Fuca 
exist,  though  Captain  Cook  posii,ively  asserts  tliuy 
do  not,  for  in  the  very  latitude  where  they  are  said  to 
lie,  the  coast  takes  a  bend  which  very  probably  ini\y 
be  the  entrance."  A  little  farther  north  they  noted 
the  entrance  of  Barclay  Sound  and  called  it  Coni- 
j)any  Bay.  They  found  frequent  indications  of  the 
Englishmen's  visits;  narrowly  escaped  shipwreck ;  and, 
the  last  day  of  August,  entered  Hancock  Harbor,  as 
they  named  Clayo(|uot,  where  they  were  honored  witli 
a  visit  from  the  chief  Wicananish.  Beyond  this  point 
they  had  gales  and  fog;  and  it  was  not  until  Septem- 
ber IGtli,  almost  a  year  from  Boston,  that  the  L'^r/y 
WoHliinijtoa  was  towed  into  Nootka  Sound  l>y  tlie 
aid  of  boats  from  the  vessels  of  Meares  and  Douulas 
lying  at  anchor  there. 

Ca})tain  Gray's  intercourse  \\\i\\  the  Englislimen, 
^vhose  operations  in  this  region  will  presently  bu- 
noticed  in  detail,  was  very  agreeable,  and  they  showed 
him  many  polite  attentions,  besides  permitting  their 
smith  to  assist  in  certain  repairs  to  the  sloop.  Yet 
Captain  Meares  did  his  best  to  discourage  the  Amer- 
icans from  engaging  in  trade,  and  es[»ecially  fi'om 
winterimjc  on  the  coast,  to  do  which  he  insisted  was 
jnadness  and  sure  destruction.  He  even  went  so  far 
as  to  assure  Gray  on  his  word  of  honor,  but  most 
falsely,  that  his  vessels  had  nt)t  succeeded  in  obtiiin- 
ing  over  lifty  skins  during  the  s<.ason.  During  the 
stay  of  the  Englishmen  no  trade  whatever,  either  foi" 
furs  or  food,  could  be  cairied  on  in  the  sound,  the 
natives  being  una[)proachable.  Hiiswell  states  that 
this  was  in  consequence  of  ]\[eares'  custom  of  taldng 
their  property  by  force,  preventing  their  escaj)e  by  a 
free  use  of  musket-balls,  and  giving  them  in  payment 
s».ch  trilles  as  he  chose.  On  Sej)tember  IDth  or  'JOlh 
the  Americans  witnessed  the  launching  ^^'i  ]\Ieai'es' 
new  schooner,  firing  a  salute;  and  on  the  2iJd  their 


QUESTIONABLE  CONDUCT. 


191 


boats  hclixxl  to  tow  tho  Felice  out  of  tlio  harbor.^ 
On  \\v.i  departure  Ca[)taiii  Meaivs  oHei'ed  to  carry 
lettd'H  to  China;  but  by  his  consort's  l^oats  ri'turned 
the  j)acket,  on  the  plea  that  it  was  not  certain  at  what 
])ort  in  India  he  might  touch,  thus  preventing  Gray 
I'roni  sending  the  letters  by  some  of  his  officers  or 


men 


30 


On  Septeml)er  22d  or  23d  the  Colnmhia  and  Captain 
Kendrick  made  their  appearance.  Nothing  is  known 
of  her  trip  IVom  Cajjc  Horn  save  that  it  liad  been  a 
stormy  one,  tliat  she  had  touched  at  Juan  Fernandc;/, 
and  had  lost  two  men  from  scurvy.  October  1st  was 
cilebiated  as  the  anniversary  of  departure  from  Bos- 
ton, (Japtain  Douglas  of  the  Iphiyviiia  firing  a  salute, 
and  the  oflicei's  of  all  four  vessels  dining  on  board  tho 
C'llionhia.  The  two  vessels  under  Captain  Douglas 
Were  towed  witli  Kendrick 's  aid  out  of  the  haibor  on 
October  2()th,  bound  for  the  Sandwich  Iskmds.  Ou 
thi'  departure  of  the  Englishmen  the  natives  lost  all 
thi  ir  lear,  and  su})[)lied  all  the  ibod  that  was  needed. 
Ivendrick  decided  to  winter  at  Xootka,  an»l  made 
})reparations  to  build  a  house  on  slioro  and  to  rig  the 
sloop  into  a  hivj:,  thou!>-h  both  of  tliese  schemes  were 
abandoned;  indeed,  if  we  may  credit  liaswell,  Cap- 
tain Kendrii'k  was  nuich  addicted  to  whims  and  ever 
varying  plans  never  })ut  into  execution.  The  winter 
jtassi  (i  without  other  excitement  than  that  arising 
i'lotn  hunting  and  fishing  adventures,  the  discussion 
oi'  Kc!  iriclv's  vaiious  l)etty  schemes,  the  stealing  of 
.  l'<Ki\  and  divers  water-caslcs  and  cannon  by  tho 
India,  s,  tT-(»ublei;  with  one  or  two  refractory  sailors,"^ 

'■"■'Aco(iri!iii','  to  Mciiros  t'lo  launch  was  on  the  20th  and  his  (lc|)artnro  on 
the  /■'</;-,.  on  the  I'lth. 

'' '  .Mcai<'s  I'uicil  sonic  inforination  on  trailc  wonlil  he  si^nt  that  nuLiht  ho 
pvcjiidioial  to  his  interests.  Mucli  shai'|i  jiracticc  was  coannon  ♦■iioiiiiU 
iiiiioii^  lival  lui'-ti'aih'rs,  ami  as  a  inle  1  omit  hotii  sides  of  jictty  i|uanv!s; 
hut  it  seems  ]iro|)er,  foi'  leasons  that  will  appear  later,  to  add  lla.-\vell'8 
iiiiiisitidin  ti)  tlu^  mass  of  testimonj'  showing  .Mcare<  not  to  have  Ihmii  an 
liunoiahlc  man. 

"'.loim  (Irceu.  ^^cat■es'  lioat.swain,  while  confrncd  in  the  Iiohscmmi  sliovo  for 
:  'tiny,  lad  cMcapcd.  and  liad  a|)|)liecl  for  adnii<sion  to  tiie  Aiiierieaii  sloop. 
'  :uy  refused,  having  proniisfd  Mcurcs  not  to  ruccivu  him;  but  soiuii  of  liia 


102 


EXPLORATIOX  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  COAST. 


and  an  alarm  of  fire  one  day  iu  the  f-'iip  in  dangerous 
proximity  to  the  powder.  l-Joth  vossels  remained  at 
anchor  in  the  sound  until  March  of  the  next  year; 
and  their  subsequent  movements  will  be  noticed  in  a 
later  cha[)ter.  I  have  now  to  follow  the  voyage  of 
the  Enu'lish  traders,  whom  we  have  seen  at  Nootka. 

The  ships  Felice  Adventurer  and  Ipliujenia  Nu- 
hlana,  of  two  hundred  and  thirty  and  two  hunch'ed 
tons  respectively,  were  fitted  out  by  a  company  of 
Knglish  merchants  in  India,  and  Avere  put  under  the 
conunand  of  John  IMeares  and  William  Douglas,  the 
former  bei  ig  a  lieutenant  I'etired  from  the  British 
navy,  who.s  '  or  voyage  to  the  Alaskan  coast  has 
already  been  ,  ioned,  and  who  published  an  elabo- 
rate narrative  oi  Jiis  ex[)editions.  This  work  contains 
a  larjjfc  amount  of  valuable  information  on  the  Xorth- 
west  Coast;  but  tlic  author,  as  appears  from  his  own 
statements,  as  well  as  from  the  testimony  of  other 
traders,  both  English  and  American,  is  not  to  bo  im- 
plicitly trusted  in  matters  aft'ecting  his  own  interests."^ 

men  Riipplicd  Orecii  vitli  food,  ami  ■\vhcn  Kcudiick  came  lie  was  takou  en 
Innnil  IIk-  Cii/iiiiiliiii.  IJiit  lie  ivfii:-i'd  to  si^u  the  n-tioloH,  !uid  Keiidriok  laiiikd 
liiin  a.'iiiii  aiiioii;^'  the  .S!iva!.;es.  Mearos  in  lii.s  narrative  Ijlamcn  the  Aniorioaiis 
for  their  eoiiiso  iu  this  matter,  ami  very  likely  with  reason.  George  Monk,  a 
seaiium,  also  raiunvay,  hut  was  pursued  and  captured. 

^-  Vdjiicn'.i  Mrule  ill  the  ycfirn  I!SS  and  IIS'J,  /rum  Chlnn  to  the.  North  Wed 
Coiixt  iif  A  iiicrica.  To  ir/i'/c/i  arc  /inji.ixil,  itn Intro'liii-tor;/ XarrnlirctiJ'n  Voijd'jt: 
]>i-rfiiniiiil  ill  l',Si'i,J'ritm  Jii  mjuf,  in  the  nhip  'Xootka';  oh.'ii  rnitiuiis  on  the  pruhali'v 
cxiKlciiro  ij'  (t  miiih  irc-t  jia.'<  vo/c ;  and .siniie  arcoiiiit  af  the  trade  lietiirea  the  iiarlh 
VI  si.  roust  vf  Aiiierieii  and  ( 'hiini;  and  the  latter  coiiiitr//  and  tlreat  BritMU.  Jl'l 
,/i>hii.  Meiin.-i,  L'.'iii.  Lomlou,  17!)0;  4to,  portrait,  maps,  and  charts.  'J'lio 
'  Jiilroductoiy  N'oyajje,'  jip.  i.-xl.,  contains  the  author's  version  of  his  trouhln 
Willi  I'ortloek  and  Dixoii,  with  orijjmal  correspondence.  In  the 'Observa- 
tions,' ]>p.  xlii.-lxvi.,  the  author  argues  that  the  north-west  passage  may  yet 
betound,  relying  not  on  the  old  fanciful  theories,  but  ehielly  on  the  facts  that 
lluilsoii  r>ay  iiiid  not  bei'ii  completely  explored,  and  that  the  late  voyagers, 
including  himself,  had  found  on  the  I'acilic  side  a  complicated  net-work  of 
islands  and  straits,  solium  of  which  latter  might  very  likely  allbnl  the  desired 
])assage.  'J'hougii  marked  l)y  some  inaccuracies  of  statement,  the  argument 
is  far  s'ronger  than  most  of  tlios(!  on  this  subject  that  I  have  noted  in  cariiir 
chai)i(.'rs;  and  tiie  author  introduces  a  brief  sketch  of  the  late  trailing  voyages. 
I'iie  '  Acc<iunt  of  the  Trade'  is  on  pp.  Ixvii.-xevi.  'J'he  voyages  of  Meares  and 
liis  assoeiates  liU  .'{7-  pages  of  text.  There  arc  three  general  maps  or  charts, 
sliowing  all  or  part  of  the  north-west  coast  on  dillcrent  scales,  to  be  copied  u 
little  later;  there  are  local  .sketch-charts  of  Friendly  Cove,  p.  10  ,  I'ort  Cox, 
p.  l-i;i,  I'ort  J'ltlingham.  p.  IT'i,  Sea-otter  llaibor,  p.  'M't,  and  Ivaft  Cove,  J'. 
37-;  coast  viiws  of  Isootka,  I'ort  Etiiiigluim,  and  land  in  4'J'  3',  j).  )U4;  en- 


ME  ARES  AXD  DOUOLAS. 


103 


In  order  to  evade  oxccssivo  port  eliarijfo:-;  in  China, 
and  also  to  obviate  the  necessity  of  obtaining'  license:? 
I'roni  the  East  India  and  South  Sea  companies,  one 
Cavalho,  a  Portuijuese,  was  made  nominally  a  ])artner 
in  the  concern,  and  through  his  influence  with  the  gov- 
ernor of  Macao  the  vessels  were  furnished  with  Vov- 
tugucse  flags,  papers,  and  ca[)tains.  All  of  these  were 
to  be  used  as  occasion  might  demand,  either  in  the 
Chinese  ports  or  in  case  of  embarrassing  meetings  with 
British  vessels,  when  the  real  connnanders  would  ap- 
pear in  the  P(jrtuguese  version  of  the  ship's  ])apers  as 
su[)ercargoes.  Among  the  instructions  from  the  'Mer- 
chants Proprietors' — Daniel  ]3eale  of  Canton  being 
elsewhere  namec'  as  the  'ostensible  agent  of  the  con- 
cern'— was  the  following:  "  Should  you.  .  .meet  with 
any  liussian,  English,  or  Spanish  vessels,  you  will 
treat  them  with  civility  and  friendsliip;  and  allow 
tlu'm,  if  authorized,  to  exaniine  your  ])a])ers,  v.hich 
will  shew  the  object  of  your  vovage: — Put  vou  nuist, 
at  the  same  time,  guard  against  surprize.  Should 
they  attempt  to  seize  you,  or  even  carry  you  out  of 
your  way,  you  will  prevent  it  by  every  means  in  your 
power,  and  repel  force  by  force.  You  will,  on  your  ar- 
rival i?i  the  iirst  port,  protest  before  a  proper  officer 
against  such  illegal  procedure.  .  .Should  you,  in  such 
C(jnflict,  have  tLo  superiority — you  will  then  take 
possession  of  the  vessel  that  attacked  you,  as  also  her 
cargo;  and  bring  both,  with  the  ofticers  and  crew,  to 
( 'liina,that  they  may  be  condenuied  as  legal  pri.'ces,  and 
llieir  crews  i)unished  as  pirates."  Of  course,  the  only 
trouble  deemed  likely  to  occur  was  with  vessels  be- 
longing to  rival  English  companies,  in  which  case  this 


tr.iUL'o  to  Fncn,  strait,  p.  MO,  aiul  Cape  Lookout,  p.  Uil ;  portrait  of  author, 
iVditispiece;  the  chiefs  MiKfailla ami  C'allicuni,  p.  10'.);  launch  of  the  sehooucr, 
p.  "J-M.  Ill  the  appendix,  hesidcs  taMos  of  the  voyaire,  arc  over  (iO  ])age!, 
iiiit  nuiuhercd,  of  instructions  nnil  otlier  docunicnts,  including  Mearcs'  J/c- 
inor'idl  of  1700  ou  his  wioiigs  at  the  hands  of  Spain.  There  was  an  octavo 
edition  of  the  I 'o//rtj;c'<,  London,  1791,  -vols.;  al.so  a  French  translation,  17;I4; 
Italian,  170(5;  (icrniun,  1700;  and  Swedish,  1707.  Mearea  also  published  an 
Aii.-<iri )•  to  Mr  (,'<•  irijc  Dixon,  Loudon,  1701,  which  was  iutouded  as  a  rufuta- 
tiun  of  DixniiH  licmarldi. 

Uiar.  N.  \V.  Coast,  Vol.  I.    13 


I 


I  { 


104 


EXPLORATION  OF  THE  XORTIIWE^T  COAST. 


"vvns  to  be  a  ])Ui"eIy  PortuL^ucsc  expedition;  but  it  was 
to  be  as  jturely  English  if  Spaniards  or  Russians 
should  venture  to  interfere.  This  trick  of  sailiiinr 
under  double  colors  was  not  pcnnissible  under  tlu! 
kuvs  or  customs  of  any  civilized  nation,  unless  directed 
against  a  hostile  nation  in  time  of  war;  and  England 
assuredly  would  assume  no  res[)onsil)ility  in  conse- 
<}uence  of  such  a  trick,  directed  against  herself,  unless 
it  might  be  advantageous  to  her  own  interests  to  do  so. 
So  far  as  is  known,  Meares  had  no  occasion  to  use  his 
Portuguese  colors  in  American  waters,  exce])t  when 
the  IauI/j  Wiisliiiujion  made  her  appearance  at  Xootka, 
and  before  her  nationality  was  known ;"^  but  on  his 
return  to  China  his  device  was  successful,  so  far  as 
the  evasion  of  pc^rt  charges  was  concerned,  until  the 
'little  crame'  v.'as  exi)osed  by  leL»'al  i)roccedin<j['s  arisinjjf 
from  Cavaih;.)'s  banki'nptcy  after  the  complaisant  Por- 
tuguese governor's  death.''* 

The  V(!sseis  left  ^Macao  in  Januarv  1788,  The 
Ipliijf'uki  directed  her  course  to  Alaska,  with  instruc- 

'^  IlaswoU,  Toy.,  MS.,  ?>Ti,  <le  !Ciil)OH  the  vcsticlsas  'under  Portngucsn  colors' 
on  \\\H  arrival;  but  lie  tiays  iiolhini;  of  any  llag  later  oitliur  on  tlio  vc:  seiss  or 
honsc. 

^'^loarcs  in  lii.s  narrative  paj-s  notliin,','  to  iiidioato  that  the  expedition  was 
€nnytliiiiL;  liut  au  luiglisli  one  from  lieyiniiing  to  end.  In  his  Mvinonnl  he 
adniii,.'!  the  ruse  as  ajrainst  the  Cliinese,  caretullj-  ^npiires.sing,  of  eoiu'se,  the 


,"e:;se'.s  a 


md 


ear''oe:i  ^^•ero 


otliiT  jjhase  of  tlie  nia'ter,  iuid  ini^iting  that  the  v 
^  iwXwwWy  i\nt\hoii'i  j!<l('  Ih-itish  propi'rty.'  Tlio  instnietions  and  other  docu- 
nients  jmhlisliccl  in  Me.iivs' a]i])eudix  are  in  l^nglish,  and  for  the  most  i>arfc 
addressed  to  IVIeaies  and  ]  louglas  as  eaptains;  but  in  some  of  the  documents 
lelatuig  to  the  troubles  of  the  next  year  ( 'avalho  ami  Comjiany  are  named  ;;.i 
owners  of  one  of  the  vessels;  i;i  onedoeunient  Franeis.Josiplj  Viana  is  namiil 
iis  captain  of  tlie  /jiliii/i'iiid,  with  J  )ougla.s  as  supercargo;  ^Icares,  in  his  Minn- 
r'idf,  once  names  \'iana  as  'second  eajitain';  Douglas,  in  hii\J(iirniril,  once  nn  !i- 
(ions  instnu'lio;;S  iiithe  Portuguese  languag(,';  ( !ray  nmllugridiani  testitied  in 
lateryeais  to  tin;  fact  tliat  tlie  vessels  were  under  Pt)rtuguese  colors,  cai)taiiis, 
and  papers;  and  I'ually  Ifaswell  found  the  vessels  under  Portuguese  colors. 
All  tiiis  is  Miliicieiit  to  support  the  conclusions  in  tlu!  text,  whieli  are  mainly 
i  Icntical  with  those  of  Mr  ( licenhow,  Or.  tnid  ( 'al.,  \~-2-'A.  'J'his  writer  says; 
'Tliere  is  no  suli'icient  jiroof  that  any  other  fthau  the  J'ortugueso  flag]  v.as 
(lisplajed  by  them  during  tlie  (  xpedilion.'  This  is  in  a  Kense  true,  bat  his 
jiaitisanship  is  somewhat  toil  apparent  in  the  statement  that  the  J'ortaguc'io 
sulijeets  iigure  as  the  leal  commanders  '  in  all  the  pa]ier);'  and  that  'tlie  doc- 
uments aunextd  to  the  J/('//(o/v'«/ eonelusively  ])rove  that  all  these  diiccpti.e 
appearances  were  kejit  up  at  TVootka ;'  and  he  certainly  has  no  reason  to  impiy, 
as  he  (loos,  that  the  idea  of  this  being  an  b^nglish  and  not  a  Portuguese  expe- 
dition was  entirely  au  after-thougiit,  devised  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining 
Englisli  proteeiioa. 


MAQUIXXA  ^^^D  C.VLLICUM. 


195 


or- 


!  VL'I'.SL'is  (ir 

itiim  M'as 
!(>ri(if  111' 

niost  i!;ivt 
Dciimcnts 
naiiicil  ;■! 
i-i  iiaiiK'd 

li.H  J/ilio- 
OlICO  1)H!1- 

A'stilii'il  in 
(■;Hitili;is, 

:■(;  iiiiii:i!y 
■itcrKMV^i: 
fla;/]  i)^;;s 
',  liiit  hi-f 

Dl'tUgllC'll 
(Icfl'pli.'C 

to  im|ii,v, 
iK'so  I'xpr- 
oljtaiiuii'ri 


tions  to  follow  tl  10  coast  soutlnvanl;  and  her  movo- 
iiioiits  will  be  noted  later.  The  Felice,  Captain 
^leares,  had  a  force  of  fifty  men,  crew  and  artisans,  a 
considerable  number  of  each  class  hein^'  Chinese. 
Coniekela,  a  native  chief  of  Nootka,  brouLrht  away  by 
one  of  the  eai'lier  yoyai>-es,  returned  homo  on  this 
vessel,  while  the  Tpltiyeiiia  carried  also  Tiana,  a  younj^ 
Hawaiian  chief,  bound  homeward  to  the  Sandwich 
Islands  by  way  of  America.  Especial  pains  is  said  to 
have  been  taken  with  the  outiit;  but  the  Americans 
state  that  the  vessels  were  very  poorly  jirovided  with 
everything  except  articles  of  trade.  America  was 
siglited  on  jMay  11th;  and  two  days  later  the  Felice 
anchored  in  Nootka  Sound,  liaving  sighted,  without 
speaking,  the  Pfincess  lioyal,  Captain  Duncan,  which 
had  just  left  the  har])or  on  her  homeward  trip.''' 
Coniekela,  who  is  called  a  brother  of  Mat[uinna  and  a 
relative  of  Callicum,  the  two  being  the  great  chiefs  of 
Nootka,  was  received  by  his  countrymen  with  great 
festivities  of  welcome. 

The  Englishmen  had  come  prepared  to  build  a 
small  vessel;  and  their  first  occupation  was  to  erect  a 
house  for  the  workmen  and  stores.  INIaquinna,  the 
chief,  made  no  objections,  but  gave  them  a  spot  for 
tlie  house,  promised  native  assistance,  and  appointed 
Callicum  as  a  kind  of  guardian  to  protect  the  strangers 
in  their  operations.  In  return  for  his  kindness  ]\Ia- 
quinna  was  given  two  jiistols,  for  which  he  had  shown 
a  fancy,  an(l  was  promised  the  building  itself  when 
the  builders  should  leave  the  coast.  ^Meares,  how- 
ever, chose  to  operate  on  the  native  fears  as  well  as 
their  gratitude,  by  explaining  his  power;  and  I'ound 
tlie  r.cw  house,  which  was  two  stories  high,  built  of 
vroovl,  he  threw  U])  a  breastvv'ovk,  and  on  it  mounted 
a  small  cannon.  There  is  notlilng  in  ]\leares'  narra- 
tive or  instructions  to  indicate  an  intention  of  ac- 
(piiring  permanent  possessions  at  Nootka,  either  for 

^''  Tl\at  part  of  Mcares'  uairative  relating  to  his  experience  iii  Aincrioa 
be^'iutj  oil  p.  103. 


mo 


EXPLORATION  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  COAST. 


himself  or  any  nation,  but  everything  to  show  tliat 
the  house  was  built  for  temporary  purposes  only.  The 
circumstances  of  tlie  case,  and  the  testimony  of  men 
who  arrived  a  little  later,  point  in  the  same  direction. 
In  later  years,  however,  when  claiming  the  protection 
of  England,  Meares  set  up  the  claim  that  he  had 
bought  the  land,  and  also  stated  that  the  English  Hag 
had  been  raised  over  the  building.  It  matters  little 
Avhich  version  was  true ;  but  obviouslv  the  narrative 
is  to  be  trusted  rather  than  the  Memorial?^ 

On  the  shore  outside  the  enclosure  the  keel  of  a 
vessel  was  laid,  and  the  work  was  pressed  forwaid 
with  all  due  speed.  The  natives  remained  friendly, 
and  many  otter-skins  wore  purchased.  At  first  the 
trtide  was  regulated  by  a  fixed  scale  of  prices;  l)ut 
latei',  so  says  the  narrative,  a  system  of  mutual  gifts 
was  adopted — a  system  which,  according  to  !Mr 
Haswell,  as  the  reader  will  remcndicr,  consisted  in 
the  Englishmen  seizing  all  they  could  get  their  hands 
on,  and  giving  the  Indians  such  trill es  as  could  best 
be  spared.  But  this  accusation  nmst  be  taken  witli 
much  allowance,  since  Captain  ]\Ieares  was  by  no 
means  so  stupid  as  to  i-uin  his  prospects  for  future 
trade  by  such  wholesale  theft.  At  some  one  of  tlie 
later  interchanges  of  gifts  the  savages  may  ha\o 
deemed  themselves  overieached,  whence  the  dissatis- 

^^  Haswell  simply  f.ays:  Taptaiii  Mcarcs,  avrivinr;  here  some  time  beforo 
Captain  Douglas,  landeil  his  second  oHicer,  Mr  Funtc-'r,  and  a  jiarty  of  artili- 
»;ers,  who  first  built  a  tolerably  stron;;  fjarrison,  aud  then  went  to  work  buihl- 
iiijj;  Ji  small  schooner  of  al)out  .SO  tons.'  Caj.tiiin  Uraj'  aud  !Mr  Ingrahani 
Bul)se(juontly  testilied  that  *  On  the  arrival  of  tlic  Colnnibia,  in  the  year  17SS, 
tliere  wa3  a  house,  or  rather  a  hut,  couKisting  of  rough  posts,  covered  wit'i 
bo:irds,  made  by  the  Indians ;  but  this  Ca]itain  Douglas  pulled  to  pieces,  prior 
to  his  sailing  for  tlie  Sandwioli  Islands,  the  same  year.  The  l)oards  he  took 
on  Ijoard  the  Iphhjenhi,  and  the  roof  ho  gave  to  Captain  Kencbick,  which 
was  cut  up  and  used  as  firewood  on  board  the  Colmnhia.  .  .As  to  tho  land  Mr 
Meares  saya  he  purcliased  of  Maquinna  or  any  other  chief,  we  cannot  say 
furtlier  than  wo  never  heard  of  any;  although  wo  remained  among  these 
people  nine  months,  and  could  converse  with  them  perfectly  well.  BcMides 
this,  we  have  asked  Maquinna  and  other  chiefs,  since  our  late  arrival,  if 
Captain  Meares  ever  pui'chased  any  laud  in  Nootka  Sound;  they  answercil 
Ao;  that  Captain  Kcndrick  was  the  only  man  to  whom  they  had  ever  sold 
any  land.'  Gniji  and  Iixjniham^s  Letter  to  Vuculra,  li'J^,  in  Grecnhow's  Oi: 
and  CuL,  415-10.  I  may  add  that  Kentlrick  also,  according  to  Haswell,  built 
a  small  house  for  temporary  use  in  the  autunm  of  17S8. 


■U^CAXAXISH. 


197 


1  gifts 

0  :Mr 
tod  in 

hands 
d  l)est 

1  witli 
by  no 
t'uturo 

f  the 
liavc 
satio- 

Ic  lj(!f<>ra 
if  artiii- 
[k  ))uiM- 
|igrali:ini 
ar  17SS, 
led  with 
I's,  prior 
Ihu  tiidk 
|,  which 
liUKl  -Ml- 
Inot  say 
tho.iu 
iBi'si.Ius 
l-ival,   if 

|lSW(,'lVcl 

Jw's  Or. 
Ill,  built 


faction  noted  l)y  tho  Americans.  At  any  rate,  they 
.stole  a  grindstone,  were  not  admitted  within  the  en- 
closure of  the  house,  and  linally  retired  to  another 
hay  to  fish,  returning,  however,  to  steal  tho  shi[)'s 
pinnace,  which  was  broken  up  for  the  nails.  Maijuinna 
still  protested  his  iidclity;  and  it  was  just  before  tlie 
vessel's  departure  that  the  final  ownership  of  the  house 
was  promised  him,  as  before  related. 

On  June  11th,  leaving  a  force  at  Xootka  to  ■\vorh  on 
the  schooner,  ]Mearcs  sailed  for  the  south,  and  sjxMit 
two  weeks  in  Clayoquot  Sound,  which  lie  named  Port 
(\)X,  being  lavishly  entertained  by  Wicananish,  tho 
el  lief  of  that  region.    A  valuable  lot  of  otter- skins 
AVas  secured,  and  dissensions  between  the  chiefs  were 
liealud  by  a  treaty  which  gave  to  Wicananish,  for 
siile  to   Mcares,  all  furs  then  in   possession  of  the 
Indians,  but  allowed  Hanna  and  Detootcho  the  rig) it 
to  sell  such  skins  as  should  bo  taken  later  by  their 
])cople.     The  next  day  after  leaving  Port  Cox,  Sun- 
da  v,  June  2i)th,  the  navij^ator  sighted  a  j>reat  inlet  in 
latitude  48"  39',  reaching  its  southern  shore  and  re- 
ceiving a  visit  from  the  chief  Tatootche.    The  inlet 
was  named  for  its  "oritdnal  discoverer,  Juan  de  Puca,"' 
and  has  retained  the  name.    ]\Ieares  coolly  assumes 
the  honor  of  rediscovering  this  strait,  knowing  of  no 
oilier  navigator  "said  to  have  been  this  way"  except 
( 'ook  and  Maurelle,  and  i<jfnorinf>'  Barclay's  discovcrv, 
of  wliich  he  was  perfectly  aware.^^    The  boat  was  sent 
out  to  explore  the  island  which  still  bears  the  name 
of  Tatoucho.    A  near  view  was  had  of  Classet  village 
on  a  high  steep  rock;  and  there  were  also  seen,  on 
-luly  2d,  Capo  Plattery,  (^>ucenhithc  river  and  island, 
(jUceuuitett  village,   Saddle    Hill,    and    Destruclioa 
bland.    On  the  4tli  they  named  Mount  Olympus,  in 
latitude  47^  10';  and  next  day  Shoalwater  Pay,  with 
the  capes  Low  Point  and  Shoalwa.ter  at  its  entrance. 

'" ITo  several  times  speaks  of  Barclay's  voyage  in  his  narrative;  and  in  Jiii 
<i'is<'rv(tlioii.<i,  p.  Iv.,  lu!  says:  'The  boats  crew,  however,  was  dcspa'ahcd,  anil 
iliscovt  red  tho  extraordinary  straits  of  John  do  Fnca,  ami  also  tlie  coast  t.3 
f.irasQueenhytho.'    Moarea  gives  iu  a  large  engraving  ii  view  of  tho  eutraiicc. 


19S 


FAPLORATION  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  COAST. 


1/  i 


On  Siiiidiiy,  the  Htli,  tlicy  rounded  a  jironioiitory  in 
about  Ijititudu  4G°  10',  with  j^Tcat  ]i()j)cs  that  it  would 
prove  the  Ca})e  San  lloque  of  Heceta;  and  so,  indeed, 
it  was,  the  bay  beyond  beini^  the  mouth  of  the  great 
river  of  the  west.  But  ISIeares  found  breakers  ex- 
tending completely  across  the  bay,  which  he  named 
])ecei)tion,  and  the  ca[)c  Disappointment,  and  wrote: 
"We  can  now  with  safety  assert,  that  no  such  river 
as  that  of  Saint  Hoc  exists,  as  laid  down  in  the 
Spanish  chart."  Farther  south  he  named  Quicksand 
]iay,  which  was  ])robably  Tillamook,  called  ]\Iurder- 
ers'  Haibor  by  Gray  a  little  later,  though  jMeares 
describes  it  as  entirely  closed  by  a  low  sandy  beach. 
The  adjacent  headland  was  named  Point  Grenville, 
and  a  .southern  one,  in  latitude  45°  30',  Cape  Look- 
out. The  name  is  still  applied  to  a  cape  farther 
south,  in  latitude  4o°  20',  the  original  being  still 
known  l)y  the  name  of  La  ]\Iesa,  which  Heceta  gave 
it  in  1775,  and  sometimes  by  that  of  Cape  Meares.''"^ 

Having  "  met  with  nothing  but  discouragement," 
JMeares  now  abandoned  his  southern  ex]  derations, 
nuich  against  his  inclinations,^''  and  on  July  lltli 
arrived  at  Barclay  Sound,  whicli,  or  part  of  which, 
he  renamed  Port  Effingham,  the  eastern  headland 
of  whicli  he  called  Cape  Beale.  While  trade  was 
in  progress  here,  Mr  Duffin  was  sent  with  thirteen 
men  in  the  long-boat  to  explore  the  strait  of  Puca, 
and,  if  possible,  the  country  farther  south.  Ho 
started  on  the  loth,  and  was  absent  a  week.  He  fol- 
lowed the   northern  shore    of  the  s'rait  for   about 

''Point  Grenville  has  no  name  on  motlcm  maps,  miless  it  was  sontli  of  t!io 
bay,  as  is  implied.  The  identity  of  these  dhiercnt  points,  as  I  ha\o  yiveu 
them,  in  aecdi'tlaiice  with  Davidson,  Dircrf.  of  I'w.  Cua^t,  K7-S,  is  not  (luito 
clear.  It  is  not  impossililc  that  Mearcs'  latitude  was  wron;^';  that  he  misseil 
Tillamook  altogether;  that  (.Irenville  was  La.  Mesa;  (^uieksaiul  liay,  Xatahjts 
La,!,'oon  (or  even  Tillamook,  aa  before);  and  Lookout,  the  point  still  ko  calkil; 
nevertheless,  a  group  of  roeks,  one  of  them  arehetl,  as  deserihed  by  ^leaiis, 
found  according  to  Davidson  olF  La  !Mesa,  and  not  oil'  Lookout,  shouhl  be  on- 
elusive,  (ireenhow,  Or.  and  C'al.,  177,  is  wrong  in  identifying  Lookout  wi;h 
the  Falcon  of  the  Spaniards,  M'hieli  was  False  Tillamook,  and  he  cites  the 
latitude  as4.V  .S7',  as  indeed  Meares  gives  it  in  one  ])laee. 

^•'lle  liad  hoped  to  reach  4'2",  wliere  'it  is  said  Captain  Caxon  found  Oi 
good  harbour.'    1  do  not  know  the  nieauuig  of  tliij  ulliTsiou. 


MEARES'  l^IENDACITY. 


109 


great 


still 


found  a 


twelve  mile.;,  perhaps  to  the  San  Juan  of  nuxlei-n 
nia])s,  neither  diarv  nor  nia]>  being  <|iiite  intelli- 
gible, and  in  what  he  called  Jlostility  ]>ay,  perhap^^ 
False  Nitinat,  was  attacked  by  the  savages,  who 
wounded  him  and  several  of  his  men,  l)ut  were  re[)ulsed 
after  a  hard  ii<dit."^  Thouuh  Duiiiu's  journal  is  <>:eo- 
graj)hically  somewhat  vague  to  us,  it  presented  no 
dilHculties  whatever  to  the  captain,  who  coolly  says: 
1'he  boat  "  had  sailed  near  thirty  leagues  u\)  the 
strait,  and  at  that  distance  from  the  sea  it  was  about 
lifteen  leagues  broad,  with  a  clear  horizon  stretching  to 
the  east  for  15  leagues  niore.^ — -Such  an  extraordinary 
circumstance  idled  us  viith  strauLje  conjectures  as  to 
the  extremity  of  this  strait,  which  we  concluded,  at 
all  events,  could  not  be  at  any  great  distance  from 
] ludson's  Jiay,"  He  also  writes :  ''  We  took  ])ossession 
of  the  straits  of  John  de  Fuca,  in  the  name  of  the 
King  of  J>ritain,"  though  Dufiin  mentions  no  such  act; 
and  in  his  memorial  of  later  date  he  claims  to  have 
ol)tLiined  from  Wicananish  on  this  tri[)  "the  promise 
of  a  free  and  exclusive  trade  with  the  natives  of  the 
district,  and  also  his  permission  to  build  any  store- 
houses, or  other  edifices,  which  he  might  judge  neces- 
sary; that  he  also  accjuired  the  same  privilege  of 
exclusi\e  trade  from  Tatootcho,  the  chief  of  the 
country  bordering  on  the  straits  of  John  de  Fuca, 
and  purchased  I'rom  him  a  tract  of  land  within  the 

■"'  Duiiiu's  Jnnrtiul  i.s  givon  in  !Mc:iros'  appendix,  as  also  his  instructions. 
'i"lu'  followiu^' are  tlic  points  licaiin;,' ou  go(i;,'nipliy :  July  l.'Uli,  small  sandy 
liay;  I4l1i,  village  of  Attali  on  sandy  l)ay;  course  K.  and  j;.  N.  E.  aloni^  shore; 
Xittee  Natt  |NitiuatJ  village  ;  Point  I'hitrancu  at  noon  ))ore  i;.  ))y  s.  4  leagues, 
'rutoMtehc  Tiiland,  s.  E.  ])y  K.  10  leagues;  ir)th,  small  sandy  hay  ;  Xittee  Natt, 
rivulet  and  har  with  surf;  I'oint  Kntianee  hore  s.  l)y  e.  [supposahly  IJonilla 
riiiiit|;  Kith,  sandy  cove  and  village;  passed  I'ciint  lluti'anee  ;  steered  east  into 
t  lie  strait;  at  noon  entered  a  deep  hay,  a  good  harhor  for  vessels  of  U)0  or  l/iO 
tons  I  Hostility  IJay,  or  False  Xitinat?];  17th,  light  with  Indians;  'tmiiod 
eut  of  the  hay'  and  'stood  over  to  the  other  shore'  [of  the  hay  or  s' ;  i  .r  i; 
jilaet'  called  I'ort  llawkeshury,  'J'atootche  bearing  s.  \v.  [which  ii;  ■■  ■  s 
San  .hian,  hut  how  did  he  get  tlure?! ;  ISih,  'wind  s.  s.  w. ;  at  4  I'.M.  tackeil  oil' 
tiio  soucli  shore  four  miles,  and  stood  over  to  th(^  north  shove  of  the  stiaits; 
at  7  tacked  again  oil'  sbore  half  a  mile;  at  sunset  the  entrance  of  I'ort 
Ihiwkeshury  n.  by  E. ;  Tatootchc  Island,  s. ;  I'oint  Entrance,  w.  s.  w.,  oir  the 
latter  (•(  leagues,  and  from  the  former  3  leagues;  sailed  .v.  w.  hy  w.,'  and 
)•<  turned  to  ship.  Mearcs  says  the  return  was  on  the  2Uth.  See,  Meai-ea'  map 
later. 


200 


EXPLORATION  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  COAST. 


I 


said  strait,  wliidi  one  of  your  Mcmoriiilist's  officers 
took  ])ossessi()ii  of  in  the  Kiiii4'.s  naiiu',  calliiiu;'  tlio 
same  Tatootcho."  Avoidinj^  a  harsher  term,  we  ma}' 
call  these  statements  <;;ross  exai^u'eratioiis. 

Jietui-nin!""  to  Xookta  on  Julv  L'dth,  it  Mas  learned 
that  all  had  heen  I'easonahly  prosperous  duriiiL;'  the 
Fvl iiv s  absence;  but  when  she  was  ready  to  sail  again 
for  Port  Cox  a  mutiny  occurred  to  })revent  embark- 
ini:;.  The  nmtineers,  headed  1)V  the  l)oatswain,  who 
had  been  disyraced  for  [)revious  insubordination,  were 
bai'ely  [)revented  from  seizing  the  vessel;  but  all  sub- 
mitted and  returned  to  duty  except  eight,  who,  rather 
than  submit  to  be  ironed,  having  their  choice,  were 
turned  on  shore  among  the  ^;avages,  who  for  a  whik! 
r.;at!e  slaves  of  them.  On  August  8th  ^leares  sailed 
I'or  l^)rt  Cox,  and  just  outside  the  harbor  met  again 
the  J^riiiccs.'i  Jidj/if/,  Captain  IJuncan,  now  nearly 
leadv  to  leave  the  coast.  After  a  successful  vovage 
he  returned  on  the  L'4th  to  I\ootka,  where,  on  the 
L'7th,  Ca[)tain  J)ouglas  arrived  in  the  Ipliiijcnla  from 
tile  northern  coast. 

Coming  i'rom  the  Alaskan  waters,  it  was  on  Angus 
L'Oth  that  JJouglas  I'ound  himself  in  Dixon,  or,  as 
he  chose  to  rename  it,  JJouglas  entrance;  and  thence 
he  j)roceeded  through  the  strait  between  Queen  Char- 
lotte Islands  anil  the  main,  as  Duncan  had  done  belbre 
him,  though  ISIeares  has  the  assurance  to  claim  the 
honor  for  his  associate.'*^  The  only  other  namo  ap- 
plied, so  lar  as  the  journal  shows,  was  that  of  Point 
J  lose;  but  Douglas  returned  through  the  strait  the 
next  year,  as  we  shall  see.  Meares'  map,  which  I  I'e- 
})r()duce  here,  shows  the  route  and  names  given  for 
both  tri[)s,  and  also  the  supposed  ti'ack  of  the  Ameri- 
can sloop  round  another  great  islantl  hi  1789,  of  which 
1  shall  speak  elsewhere.*'*' 

■"Douglas'  Journal  of  this  part  of  liis  voyage  is  found  in  Meares'  Voij., 
3'29  ft  .se(].  Tor  Meares'  remarks  sec  /(/.,  Ixiii.-v.  ami  ■_*!  1-12.  lie  knew  per- 
fectly well  tliat  Diiucau  hail  prece(le<l  l)oiiglas  in  the  strait. 

*'-  On  the  original  map,  not  cojiied,  is  an  inscription  t()  the  effect  that  Queen 
Charlotte  Island  ■was  named  by  Dixou  in  17b7,  though  discovered  by  Lowrie 


as 

IICIK'O 

liar- 
i'oro 
the 
ai>- 
oint 
the 

I'C- 

lor 
leri- 
licli 


\Voy., 
I'  per- 

kucen 
bwiie 


202 


EXPLORATION  OF  THE  XORTHWEST  COAST. 


Tlie  two  vessels  being  now  reunited,  every  effort 
was  made  to  fit  die  Felice  fur  lier  trip  to  China  with 
the  vahiable  citrgo  of  furs  tiiat  had  been  collected. 
The  exiled  mutineers  were  received  back  for  duty, 
except  the  boatswain,  who  was  conlined  in  the  houst\ 
and  soon  escaped.  Work  on  the  new  and  old  vessels 
progressed  ra])idh'. 

On  September  I7tli  the  Ladu  WasJiiurjton,  Cnidaiu 
(^Iray,  made  her  appearance,  as  already  related,  in 
time  to  witness,  on  the  IDtli  or  20th,  the  launch  of 
the  new  schooner,  which  was  named  the  Xorth  West 
America,  the  first  vessel  ever  built  on  the  coast. 
The  launching  was  an  event  of  much  interest  to 
English  and  American  spectators,  as  well  as  to  the 
Chinese  builders,  and  one  of  great  wonder  to  the 
natives.  It  's  made  the  subject  of  an  engraving  in 
;Meares'  book." 

A  few  days  later  the  Felice,  taking  on  board  the 
Jphigenia's  furs,"  and  a  lot  of  spars  for  the  China 
market,  sailed  from  Nootka.  She  touched  at  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  and  early  in  December  anchoretl 
at  jNIacao. 

The  Iphif/enia  remained  about  a  month  at  Nooilca 
after  the  Felice's  departure,  the  time  being  spent  in 
j)reparing  the  North  ]Vest  America  for  a  trip  to  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  Avhere  the  two  vessels  were  to 
winter.  The  (Jobunhia  arrived  on  September  22d  or 
23d,  the  day  after  Meaics'  departure,  and  the  Ameri- 
cans, eager  to  get  rid  of  their  rivals  in  trade,  gladly 
aided  in  the  preparations  for  departure.  The  house 
on  shoi'i!,  if  we  may  credit  Gray  and  Ingraham,  \vas 
demolislied,  i)art  of  the  material  being  put  on  board 

jind  ("!uis(^  in  17S().  And  in  Mojircs' iiistruotions  to  DoughiH  for  tlio  second 
trip  tliroii;;!!  tlu^  striiit.  in  .•qijicndix,  wc  luad:  '  Vou  iiav(!  tli'^  credit  of  di.s- 
covring  the  tifcat  Island,  tin;  iiortii-wcst  si<lc  of  wliich,  (oniprehendin.; 
ueai'ly  fonr  dej;reeH  of  latitude,  is  entirely  nncliscovered.' 

^•'.l/cfr/vi'  !'.)//.,  "J'-M.  Jn  tiie  enyravinit  and  text  the  En<;;lish  flat;  is  rejire- 
Hented  as  llyini^  over  both  seliooner  and  the  house  on  Hhoro.  Uaswell  says 
notliin.i  of  tliis. 

^'  Meares'  solemn  assertion  to  Tlray  that  not  over  ")!)  skins  in  all  had  hein 
ol)tained,  as  also  his  mean  trick  of  refusing  to  carry  letters  for  the  ibncrican-, 
has  already  been  noticed. 


WINTERING  AT  NOOTKA.  20S 

tho  Enijlish  vessels  and  the  rest  o-ivcn  to  Cai.tain 
Xendnek;  and  on  October  2Gth  or  27th  the  two 
vessels  set  sail,  being  towed  out  of  the  harbor  by 

On.ttnT'T-f'^  '"''V^^  ^^''  ''^^''^'  i"  December. 


CHAPTER  YII. 

THE    NOOTKA    CONTROVERSY. 
1789-1790. 

Voyages  of  1789 — Movements  of  Kekdrick  axd  Ghat — Cruise  of  the 
'Lady  Washington' — End  of  HLvswell's  Dlvry — The  'CoLrMiuA' 
Goes  to  China  and  Boston — Kendrick  in  the  Sticvit— T/iauim! 
Trip  of  DoroLAS  and  Fintek— Meares  in  China — A Xew  Partner- 
siiir — Voyage  of  Colnett  and  Hidsost — Plans  fob  a  Perjianent 

EsTAIiLISIIMENT  —  MeTCALF'S    VoYAGE — SPAMSH    EXPEDITION    INIiER 

Martinez  AND  Haro— Seizire  of  the  'Iphi(;enia' — Motives  of  Cap- 

TI-RE    AND    IvELEASi: — A   SPANISH    FoRT    AT    SaNTA    CrIZ    DE   XlTTKA — 

Seizure  of  the  'North  West  America — Taking  of  the  'Argo- 
naut' AND  'Princess  Royal' — Colnett  versus  Martinez — Prizes 
Sent  to  San  Blas — Restoration  isy  the  Viceroy — The  Spaniarhs 
Qi  IT  NooTKA  —  American  Policy — Mkuits  of  the  Controversy  — 
The  Nkws  in  Europe — Spain  and  England — Diplomacy  and  Im- 
pending War — Spain  Yields — The  Nootka  Treaty. 


Northwestern  annals  of  1789  oifer  little  of  inter- 
est outside  of  certain  aoinewliat  startling  events  at 
Nootka;  but  before  recording  those  events  it  will 
1)e  well  to  name  the  ditferent  vessels  that  visited  tlnj 
coast,  and  to  follow  their  movements  independenll* 
of  the  Nootka  troubles,  in  which  all  were  directly  or 
indirectly  inv( tlved. 

Kendrick  and  Gray,  as  wo  have  seen,  had  passed  the 
winter  at  Nootka,  and  were  therefore  lirst  in  th  >  iiel  I 
for  the  spring  trade.  On  March  IGth  the  LaJi/Was/t- 
iiKjtoii  sailed  for  ('layojiuot,  where  she  arrived  next 
dav,  and  where  she  lay  j'or  ten  days,  the  men  eni>age(l 
Hi  trading,  hunting,  and  making  a  survey  of  what 
they  called  Hancock  Harbor.  *'  I  really  think,"  writes 
Haswell,  "there  is  a  great  inland  communicatiou  by 

(204) 


MOVEMENTS  OF  VESSELS, 


205 


rivers.  The  whole  land  %vc  could  sec  I  have  reason 
to  suppose  to  be  islands."^  Then  they  sailed  down 
the  c(mst,  noting  Company  Bay,  or  Barclay  Sound, 
])assing  Nitinat  village  and  Patchenat,  or  Poverty 
Cove,  and  entering  wliat  tliev  were  sure  was  the 
strait  of  Fuca,  probably  to  about  the  same  point 
reached  by  !Meares'  boat,  where  on  April  1st  they 
"saw  the  sun  rise  clear  from  the  horizon  up  the 
straits."^  It  is  evident  that  Meares  had  told  them 
notliing  of  his  own  or  of  Barclay's  discoveries.  Noting 
Tato(^c]io  Island,  or  Chandee,  they  were  tossed  by 
the  winds  below  Cape  Flattery  for  several  days,  and 
returned  to  Clayoquot  on  the  l)th,  joining  Wicananish 
ill  a  successful  whale-hunt.  Subsequently  Captain 
(:lray  repeated  his  southern  trip,  exploring  Cechasht 
Cove  and  Company  Bay  by  means  of  his  boat,  and 
returning  on  A])ril  2*2d  to  Nootka,  where  he  found 
Captain  Douglas  and  the  IpliiijCHki.  The  American 
vissels  were  anchored  seven  miles  up  the  sound,  at 
]\lawinah,  Moweena,  or  Kendiick  Cove;  and  the  ofli- 
cers  made  some  explorations  in  the  inland  channels. 
Kcturning  to  Friendly  Cove  ready  for  sea.  Captain 
(hay  learned  that  the  iVor/A  WcsiAhicr'wii  had  ii,Lx'ived 
jind  departed  for  northern  wati  rs.  Leaving  the  sound 
on  tile  3d  of  ]May,  he  met  the  Frincfsa,  connnanded 
hy  iMartinez.  Gray  was  bound  north,  but  for  a  week 
the  winds  prevented  his  <>'ettin^'  bc'vond  Ifoiie  l^.n  ; ' 
and  before  his  departure  on  tlie  10th  he  sighU'd 
another  vessel  under  S})anish  colors,  the  San  Cdrlo.^. 
This  tri[)  of  tlie  Lmhi  Was/u'nrjton  to  the  north  is  not 
so  flearlv  described  bv  Haswell  as  would  l)e  desirable,  it 
lienig  in-possible  lo  iix  all  tlie  positions.    They  passed, 

'  //ii.s'i/v //"s  I'm/.,  ^rS.,  4I{  c't  soq.  Tlic  author  introduces  quite  a  long 
(l('sr"i|itii)n  <if  Nootka  .ind  its  people. 

-II. ill  J.  Kclli'y,  Jlinriif.  y('rl/iiir.<t  Const,  claiuii  to  liavo  seen  (Jray'rt  1"'^ 
mill  MiKskins' journal  in  1S'2!(;  but  lii.s  hiiif  remarks  contain  so  nii'ny  lilinider.s 
alniiit  the  voyaj,'e  that  wc  can  have  no  confiilcnce  in  st.'itcnieiits  that  ciiniiot 
he  provc'u  errunoou.s.  lie  nay.s  that  (i ray  entered  l''uea  Strait  (iO  miles  in  I7>>'S; 
and  also  that  (irays  journal  mentions  'the  lai'j;e  river,  called  ))y  the  Inclians 
TaiiMitche,  llowing  into  tiio  eastern  part  of  this  [FucaJ  sea,  in  latitude  4 J 
degrees;'  that  is,  Frasi'r  Itiver. 

■'  The  wcsteniniost  iulet  of  the  Lay  he  says  was  called  Chieklcsset. 


2oa 


THE  MOOTKA  CONTROVERSY. 


however,  between  the  continent  and  the  groat  island, 
and  penetrated  the  maze  of  iskinds  and  channels 
beyond  as  far  as  oa^  4.']'.*  To  Queen  Charlotte,  Gray 
o'ave  the  name  of  Washinjj^ton,  apparently  not  aware 
that  any  other  navigator  had  discovx'rcd  its  separation 
IVom  the  niainlniid.  "  Had  we  not  met  with  the  mis- 
fortune of  running  ashore  in  the  storm  our  discov'eries 
would  have  been  verv  intt.'restinof.  As  it  was,  wo  dis- 
covered  that  the  straits  of  Admiral  do  Font  actually 
exist.  As  far  north  as  we  went  is  a  vast  chain  of 
islands,  and  the  entrances  between  them  may  be  taki-ri 
i'or  guH's  and  straits;  but  when  explored  large  rivers 
and  lakes  may  be  found.  This  coast  can  never  be 
thoroughly  surveyed  until  it  is  done  at  some  national 
expense,  whose  commanders  are  interested  by  com- 
merce.""  Commercially  the  trip  was  successful,  large 
numbers  of  skins  being  obtained,  especially  on  the 
western  side  of  Queen  C/harlotte  Isles,  on  the  ivturn. 
jVt  one  place  the  unsophisticated  savages  gave  two 

*]M;iy  .111  to  1511),  from  Hope  Bay  pfisscd  between  C.ipe  Ingrahnin  and  a 
pi'oiipof  isl:inilH;  iiovoss  to  opposite  i^liuve  fourteen  leagues  ;  a  large  liay  with  a 
tiangerous  reef  on  west ;  fartlier  west,  eoast  craggy,  with  low  detached  island^; 
latitude  52'  ;i7'  |ui)  datej ;  good  open  liay  in  ij'J"  aU',  with  a  renia'kablo  liilge  nf 
barren  niountainn  on  x.  shore  ;  Sivw  land  s.  w.  by  s.,  far  away.  May  Kitli,  land 
{);)  niilcs  in  extent  and  six  miles  from  coast,  x.  N.  i;.  to  continent;  waitcil 
iMitil  lUtli  for  Indians  who  promised  fui's;  this  >ay  fprobaldy  that  in  52'  i')'.i\ 
iir.nied  ])erl)y  Sound,  for  oneof  the  owners.  May  '21st,  'Alargc  inlet  trending 
to  the  westward,  2)rol)idjly  the  entrance  of  Admiral  do  Font's  Strait.s;'  giiki 
juid  c(ini]ilicated  movements;  the  great  island  estimated  to  extend  170  nnles, 
fi'oni  52''  to  5-1'  ;i()'.  M:!y  22d,  x.  w.  and  w.,  'edging  into  the  continent;'  lati- 
tude r>y  ',H)'.  May  '24t!i,  a  terrililo  g;de,  which  so  strained  the  sloo]>  that  it 
vas  rcsolveil  to  return  to  Xootka;  place  named  Distress  Cove,  in  55'.  M;iy 
'25tli  and  27lh,  ne:u-  Distress  Cove, generally  in  55"  10'.  May'JSth,  latitude  at 
IKHUX  ,').y  4.")';  a  cjiain  of  islands,  which  eould  not  bo  explored;  returned  to 
\\'asliingtiin  Island;  Ciista,  a  villigo  on  a  sandy  bay  [not  far  from  ])ixon"s 
Cloak  I'ayl  under  chief  Cuneali;  estimated  latituile  54^  15';  entrance  of  the 
titrait  I  Di\on  l]nti'ance|  in  .">4'  "20';  passed  soutii  in  foggy  weather.  <lun<!  .'■fth, 
latituile  :\:V  \'>i ':\  S'.  dune  10th,  hititmhi  o.T  :W.  June  11th,  in  an  inlet 
and  goi)d  iinrlior,  in  52  12',  named  ISiirrell  Sound,  for  one.  of  tiu^  owners;  eu 
8h(i!'e  fo'.uid  a  very  curious  fortilied  roik,  called  Touts,  with  llat  to]>  and  per- 
pendicular sides  40  I'lct  hig!i.  'J'liene<'  [no  more  dates  givenj  to  the  i.-Iauils 
oil'  Cape  Ingiahaiii;  and  to  Xootka. 

''Duncan  and  ])oug]as  had  preceded  Cr.iy  in  the  fitraits,  as  we  have  seen, 
ilreenhow,  Or.  ((ml  <'ul.,  100,  says:  '  (Jray  explored  the  vliole  east  coast  of 
(,hleei\  Ciiarlotte's  Island,  which  Innl  never  Ijcfore  been  visited  by  tlie  people 
of  any  civilizeil  nation,  though  Duncan. ..  had  ...  sailed  through  the  pc.t, 
sepaniting  it  from  the  main  land;'  and  then  claims  tliat  Doughis  did  ii'it 
]irccede  (Jray.  All  this  is  wrong,  to  say  nothing  of  tlie  fact  tliat  (iray's 
exploration  was  of  the  main  rather  than  the  islunil  ouast. 


VOYAGE  OF  THE  COLUMBIA. 


207 


luiiulrod  sea-f)ttor  skins,  worth  about  eicrlit  thousand 


doll; 


\Y. 


for  an  ( 


dd 


11 -on  0 


hi  sol. 


C'a[)tain  (h-ay  arrived  at  Nootka  shortly  after  Juno 
1 4th,  and  as  ho  sailed  up  the  sound  to  rcioin  Kendrick 


at  ]\Iawinali,  he  saw  the  two  Spanish  vessels  at  anchor, 
with  the  Princess  lloijal,  Captain  Hudson,  and  noted 
tluit  Martinez  had  fortiiied  Hog  Island  near  Friendly 
Cove.  Hero,  after  relating  brielly  wliat  had  occurred 
at  Xootka  during  the  absence  of  the  Ladtj  Washinr/ton, 
Haswell's  diary  comes  to  an  end.  ]]ef<jre  either  of  the 
vessels  sailed  again,  the  writer,  with  Cai)tain  Gray, 
was  transferred  to  the  Cohirnhia.  After  witnessing 
tlie  transactions  between  the  English  and  Spaniards, 
a;:d  perhaps  taking  some  part  indirectly  in  them,  to 
be  noted  presently,  the  Americans  decided  to  send  the 
ship  to  China  with  the  furs  collected  under  command 
of  (h'ay,  while  Kendrick  was  to  remain  and  continue 
trading  operations  with  the  sloop.  The  crew  of  the 
Xoi'fh  West  America,  a  Spanish  prize,  was  put  on 
board  the  Columhia,  as  is  subse(|uently  related,  to 
be  carried  to  Cliina,  and  also  a  (juantity  of  sup[)lies, 
osteiisil)ly  for  their  support,  wliich  enabled  Kendrick 
to  reinforce  advantageously  the  crew  and  rei)lenisli  tlu; 
stores  of  the  LaJi/  WasIiii}(j'ton.  Soon  after  the  middle 
of  -Inly  the  two  vessels  left  Nootka  and  went  down 
t;)  (  layoquot,"  where  the  transfer  of  skins  and  supplies 
Vvos  made,  and  the  Culnmhia  sailed  for  Cliina.  We 
liave  no  details  of  the  voyage, except  that  they  reached 
Canton  early  in  December,  and  loading  with  tea,  pro- 
ceeded on  tlieir  voyage  round  the  world,  the  first  undi-r 
the  Hag  of  tlic  United  States,  and  arrived  at  Boston 
in  Au^-ust   1790.     Thougli  a  large  (luantitv  of  furs 

"  Possil)ly  the  Lndif  ]Va>iJiiiiiitoi)  loft  Xootkii  first,  nml  after  a  poutlicrn  trip 
Tlict  till,"  ('<ilii,i<li'«(  at  ('!:iy(MHi()t.  ( lit'('uli()\^".  Dr.  mnl  Ciif.,  !!)!)-_'!)!),  .su  uui'.i  r- 
i-l;iii(l-(  it,  and  tiiiiiks  tluit  it  v,as  on  this  tri|)  that  (iray.as  hi'  toM  Vaiu'diiviT 
liitiT,  saili'd  ,")()  mill's  into  the  strait  <if  Ftica.  ami  t'oiuiil  tht'  ]i:'.ssa:xi'  live  1c:il,'I1L'< 
wide.  Had  (Jiay  iiiado  (hi:t  trip,  hciwcvci'.  it  sccmM  lliat  Ma-v.ill  wuidd  have 
L'Nttnih'd  his  diary  tn  incliuh:  it;  in  one  cif  tin'  clofiiincnts  attaihnl  tn  MmrtM'' 
Ml  liKin  il  it  is  stated  that  tin;  vossols  lift  XootUa  toiicthi'i';  ami  L  am  inc'.inul 
ti)  think  that  (irays  re])' rt  to  Vant'ouver,  Vn'i.,  i.  -14.  may  liavi;  lieeii  nieii'ly 
till  exaggeration  of  lii^  visit  to  tho  btrait  in  ITsi'J.    Sco  p.  "JO.)  of  this  volume. 


208 


THE  XOOTKA  CONTROVERSY. 


luicl  boon  obtained,  the  expoditioii  is  said  to  have  re- 
sulted ill  Jio  prolit  to  the  owners,  some  of  whom  sold 
out  their  interest,  while  the  otliers  fitted  out  the  shij) 
for  a  new  voyaj^e,  to  be  described  in  ii  later  chapter.'' 
After  Gray's  departure  we  know  ncjthinij^  in  detail  of 
Kendvick's  operations  on  the  coast.  In  Meares'  map, 
copied  in  the  prceedini^  cliapter,  we  find  laid  down 
the  "track  of  the  Ladij  Wa.sliiii^jton  in  the  autunm 
of  178!),"  throu^jfh  a  strait  wliose  soutliern  entrance 
is  that  of  Fuca,  and  the  northern  above  (^ueoi 
Charlotte  Island,  thus  making  a  oTeat  island  of  the 
Nootka  region.  When  A^ancouver  met  Gray  in  171)2, 
and  was  told  bv  him  that  lie  made  no  such  vovaijo, 
the  inaccuracy  of  ]\Ieares'  statement  was  believed  to 
be  established;  l)ut  it  subsequently  appeared  that 
Meares  got  liis  information  from  a  man  who  jiad 
obtained  it  from  Kendrick  after  his  return  to  China 
at  the  end  of  1789,^  and  therefore  it  was  plausibly 
concluded  by  Greenhow  and  others  that  the  Lcuf;/ 
WashiiHjfon  had  made  the  trip  through  the  strait 
under  Kendrick's  command  after  tlie  departure  of  the 
Coltimbia.  I  cannot  say  that  such  was  not  the  fact; 
but  from  the  extreme  inaccuracy  of  ]\Ieares'  chart, 
from  the  narrowness  of  the  real  channel,  and  from 
the  fact  that  Kendrick  is  not  known  to  have  made 
.subsequently  any  claims  to  a  discovery  so  important, 
I  am  .strongly  of  the  opinion  that  the  cliart  was  made 
from  second-hand  reports  of  Kendrick's  conjectures, 
founded  on  Gray's  explorations  of  the  north  and 
south,  already  described,  and  supplemented  by  his 
own  possible  observations  after  Gray's  departure,  as 
well  as  by  reports  of  the  natives,  which,  according  to 
Haswell,  indicated  a  channel  back  of  Nootka.  It  is 
not  difiicult,  without  imputing  any  intentional  deceji- 
tion  to  the  American  connnander,  to  suppose  this  to 

'  Bulfinch'a  statoment,  U.  S.  Gov.  Doc. ,  2oth  Conq. ,  3d  S'e.ts. ,  //.  Prpt.  Xo.  I'll, 
p.  50;  ilreeiibow'n  Or.  ami  CuL,  200,  2'2o-(j.  It  was  Derby  and  Tin  turd  wlio 
sold  out  to  IJarrcll  and  IJrowii. 

^Mcarca'  Answer  to  Mr  Veorye  Dixon,  London,  1791.  A  reply  to  D'u-oii'^ 
llemarks. 


THE  IPHIGEXIA. 


20a 


llij^  to 


.Xo.l'il, 
tiuil  who 

o  Dixon' ^ 


have  been  the  origin  of  the  report,  which  was  carried 
to  London  by  a  man  who  had  talked  with  Kendrick 
and  had  not  liiniself  visited  the  coast.  At  any  rate 
the  evideix'e  is  not  sufficient  to  give  Kendrick  the 
honor  of  liaving  been  the  first  to  sail  round  A'^an- 
couvcr  Island.  Somewhere,  however,  during  the 
autunui,  Captain  Kendrick  obtained  a  valuable  cjirgo 
of  furs,  and  at  the  end  of  the  season  went  to  China  to 
sell  tlieni,  not  returning  the  next  season  at  all,  but 
niaking  his  appearance  in  1791,  as  we  shall  see." 

The  IpJiigcnia,  under  Douglas  or  Viana  according 
to  circumstances,  and  the  native-built  Xorth  West 
America,  Captain  Robert  Funter,  had  wintered  at  the 
Sandwicli  Islands,  in  accordance  with  Meares'  instruc- 
tions. The  plan  for  this  season  was  for  these  two 
vessels  to  occupy  the  field  north  of  Nootka,  the  snow 
trading  on  the  western  side  of  Queen  Charlotte  Isles 
chiclly,  and  the  schooner  on  the  eastern  shore  and 
mainland,  while  Meares  in  the  Feliee  was  to  return 
and  confine  his  operations  to  the  south.  Douglas  and 
Funter  left  the  Islands  on  March  18th  and  arrived 
at  Nootka,  the  former  on  April  20th  and  the  latter 
on  tlio  24th.  Five  days  later  the  schooner  sailed  for 
her  noitliern  trading  cruise,  soon  followed,  as  we  have 
seen,  by  tlic'  Lad/fWas/iington.  Then  came  Lieutenant 
]\Iaitiiicz  from  San  Bias,  as  is  more  fully  desci-ilxsd 
licrtai'tc)',  and  about  the  middle  of  ]May  seized  the 
Ij)/ii(/eiii(i  as  a  j)rize.  She  was  subsequently  released, 
furnislied  with  some  needed  supplies,  and  permitted 
to  s;iil  on  tlie  2(1  or  :5d  of  June,  ostensiblv  for  tlio 
Sandwit'b  Islands;  but  no  sooner  was  Captain  Doug- 
las out  of  sight  of  ])ort  than  he  turned  northward  ior 
a  tour  of  trade,  which  was  (piiti;  successful,  tliough 
less  so,  as  was  claimed,  than  it  wuuld  have  l)een 
if  the  Spaniards  had  not  taken  some  of  the  cargo  of 
articles  for  barter.  The  course  was  up  the  straits  and 
round  tlic-  gj-eat  island,  as  shown  on  a  map  already 

•y/fio/v //".I  Loij  ii/  llic  Cohunhia  Hediviva, 
Ilisr.  N.  \V.  C0.V8T,  Vol.  I.    11 


4 


210 


THK  NOOTKA  CONTROVERSY. 


given.  Tlic  Englishmen  had  to  (hschargo  tlu^ir  guns 
once  or  twice  to  keep  off*  liostile  savages;  but  there 
was  no  otlier  adventure  worthy  of  notice.  Leaving  the 
north  end  of  the  island  on  June  27th,  the  Ij)hi<jc'nia 
reached  the  Sandwich  Islands  in  July,  and  ]\Iacao  in 
Octo1)er.*'' 

Funter's  route  on  the  North  West  America  is  not 
exactly  known,  except  that  the  natives  reported  him  to 
have  been  on  the  west  shore  t)f  the  island,  in  52^  12', 
in  ^fay;  hut  ho  obtained  over  two  hundred  skins, 
and  returning  to  Nootka  on  June  Dili,  his  vessel  was 
seized  by  the  Spaniards,  the  furs  being  transferred  to 
the  Priiteess  Ji<>)/<i/,  and  the  crew  to  the  Colitmh'm. 
She  remained  in  tlio  Spanish  service,  under  the 
name  of  (rerfradis  probably,  and  immediately  made  a 
trading  trij)  for  account  of  her  ca])tors  in  cliarge  of 
])avid  Coolidge,  mate  of  thoLcuIi/  Washiiejfoii,  obtain- 
ing souk;  seventy-five  skins.  She  was  taken  to  San 
Bias  at  the  end  of  the  year." 

Meanwhile  Captain  IMearcs,  instead  of  returning 
in  tlie  Felice  from  China,  as  he  had  intended,  formed 
a  partnership  there  in  behalf  of  hi'i  company  with 
]\Ir  l']tches,  representing  tlie  London  company  that 
had  iittcd  out  Duncan  and  C*olnett'.s  expedition  of 
1787  S,  mailing  joint-stock  of  all  the  vessels  and 
other  property.  Tlie  Prince  of  M'a/es  being  sent  to 
England,  a  new  ship  was  purchased  and  named  the 
vliynixnif,  to  ivplace  tiie  Fi'liee,  which  was  sold.  This 
sliij),  uiidei"  Captain  Colnett,  and  iXxo  Princess  Iioj/df, 
(*aptain  Thomas  Hudson,  l(;ft  China  in  A[)ril  and 
]\Iay,  not  Hying  Portuguese  colors  this  time,  because 
the    London  company  had  a  license  from  tlie  East 


'^'^ DnuiiJiiti'  Jourtial,  in  }fiorf.'<'  Vo}!..  .^!>l-9  and  tn,!)!'."!;  roc  also  map  in 
Iireccdiiiy  cliiiptor,  ji.  'JOl.  Tlie  nainfs  iqipliL'd  (i!i  thi-i  trip,  aocordin-;  t)  tlio 
JoiiriKi/,  were  ii.i  idllows:  lAn-t  I'itt,  J>;u,'L'Icngh  Sound,  C';ipc  J'^rinor,  ('iijii; 
Murray.  Pctrii?  luland.  ^[oun;  St  liazaro.  ]Iain»'.-i  Cove,  ('m;io  Irving,  Mclntyro 
r>ay,  in  ."i.S'  'I'A',  I'ox  Clianni'l,  Tataneo  viila;^^,  Jind  IVal  llail)i)r. 

".1/i'()vn'  I'o;/.,  fciMt'H  and  documents  in  appendix.  Toli.ir,  fiiformo,  snys, 
lio«cv('r,  tliat  she  was  sent  under  Narvaez  to  explore  the  strait  of  I'uca, 
C(H)lid^('  goii  ;^  as  interpreter;  uud  tiiia  may  be  coulinned  by  Navarreto, 
Viaijvs  Aink.,  114. 


FORT  riTT. 


211 


India  Company.  It  was  tlic  intention  now  to  es- 
tablish a  permanent  tni(linj^-[)ost  or  factory  on  tlie 
coast,  with  suitable  buiklinLrs  for  the  occupation  of  the 
company.  Colnett  was  authorized  to  select  the  most 
convenient  site  for  such  an  establishment,  which  was 
to  be  named  Fort  Pitt,  and  to  be  under  the  charge  of 
^fr  ])uffin.  Nootka  was  not  mentioned  in  the  in- 
structions as  the  site  of  tlio  fort,  though  it  would 
naturally  have  been  placed  there.  Nor  do  v/e  find  in 
the  instructions  as  printed  any  provision  like  tliat  of 
the  })receding  year  for  troubles  with  vessels  of  other 
natio;is.'^  Seventy  Chinamen  were  embarked  as  set- 
tlers for  the  new  fort;"  and  a  small  vessel  of  thirty 
tons  was  carried  to  be  launched  on  the  American 
coa^t. 

The  Princess  Roijal  was  the  first  to  reach  Nootka, 
on  June  14th,  and  after  a  few  days  of  the  most 
iViendly  relations  with  both  Spaniards  and  Americans 
Captain  Hudson  sailed  for  a  trading  cruise,  on  July 
'2d,  caiTvinL;  the  skins  taken  from  the  schooner  Xorfh 
West  Auiet'ica?^  Next  day  Colnett  came  in  with  the 
Ai'ijoudut,  which  on  July  4tli  was  seized  by  the  Span- 
iards as  a  prize.  Ten  days  later  the  Pn'iwess  li<>i/<il 
ri'tnnied  and  was  also  seized.  Both  vessc-ls  were 
sent  south  with  Spanish  crews  and  officers,  and  with 

'-.]f('ar<n'  Vol/.,  appendix.  Colnett  was  rccomincndeil  to  form  treaties 
Aviili  llio  native  eliiefs,  partii;ulurly  near  Xoot!;a.  'In  plaiiuin;^  a  f.ietory  (n> 
t!ie  coast  of  America,  wo  look  to  ,i  solid  cstaiilishmcnt,  and  not  one  tlia*.  is  to 
lii-^  a'.iaudoiied  at  pleasure.  We  autliori/.o  you  to  li.c  it  ut  the  mo-t  ecnveniciit 
t;t  iti<j:i,  only  to  place  your  colony  in  i)eaco  and  security,  ami  fully  protected 
from  t lie  fear  of  tlio  smallest  sinister  accident.  1'lie  ohject  of  a  jiort  of  tliis 
i<iud  is  to  draw  the  Indians  to  it,  to  lay  up  tlic  small  vessels  in  tlie  v/inti-r 
sias:)M,  to  build,  and  for  other  commercial  purposes.  ^Vlu'll  this  jioint  is 
cU'ecti'd,  dillerent  trading  lunuses  will  he  estaijlished  at  stations,  that  yoiir 
knowledge  of  the  coast  and  its  conunerce  point  out  to  he  the  most  advan- 
tiigeous.'  In  his  Mrinnriitl,  iKJWever,  Meares  .says  :  '  Mr  Colnett  was  directccl 
to  lix  his  residence  at  Nootka  Sound,  and,  with  that  view,  to  erect  a  suiistau- 
tial  liouse  on  the  spot  which  your  .Memorialist  had  purchased  iu  the  preceding 
yeai-;  as  will  appear  by  a  copy  of  his  instructi(ms.' 

'^Tlie  Chinamen,  according  to  Tobar,  Iiifunno,  complained  that  they  liad 
been  t'uticed  away  from  their  country  to  go  to  Bengal,  but  found  the  (ilan  to 
lie  to  furnish  each  with  a  Kanaka  wife  and  thus  settle  Xootka.  Tlie  l'',nglisli 
say  iu  later  documents  tiiat  the  Chinamen  were  bdicu  l)y  tlu  Spaniards  and 
put  to  work;  l>ut  what  became  of  them  does  not  ajipear. 

"In  Meares'  apiiendi.^c  is  given  Hudson's  receipt  *'or  'J0,'{  skins  from 
Funter;  it  is  dated  July  'Id,   Ho  claims  that  there  were  a  dozen  skins  missiujj. 


1 


21: 


THE  NOOTKA  COXTROVKRSY. 


Coliiott,  Hudson,  and  their  men  as  prisoners.  They 
sailed,  ilio  Ai'f/(»i<iiit  under  Jose  Tol)ar  on  July  14th, 
and  the  J*n'iicrss  on  the  27th,  arrivinu^  at  San  J^las  ou 
the  I  oth  and  27th  of  August  respectively.*^  Thus, 
for  this  year  at  least,  disastrously  came  to  an  end  the 
brilliant  connnercial  enteri)rise  of  ^learcs  and  his 
asscK-iates. 

The  only  other  trading  voyage  of  1789  was  that 
of  Ca))tain  ]\Ietealf  with  two  vessels,  the  Klcomti'd, 
in  which  he  sailed  from  New  York,  and  the  Fair 
Aincrlfo.ii,  purchased  in  China  and  commanded  by  his 
son.  He  is  said  to  have  arrived  at  Nootka  in  No- 
vember, and  to  have  had  one  of  his  vessels  seized  and 
held  lor  a  time  by  the  Spaniards;**'  but  as  there  were 
no  Spaniards  there  at  that  date,  the  arrival  must  have 
been  earlier,  or  there  was  no  seizure.  Of  Metcall's 
trading  operations  nothing  is  known;  but  his  vessels 
met  with  disaster  subsequently  at  the  Sandwicli 
Islands. 


I  have  not  been  able  to  obtain  the  original  diaries 
of  the  Spanish  exjiediticm  of  1780,  nor  has  any  pre- 
ceding writer  in  Eni»:lish  seen  them;  but  to  Nav;n- 
rete's  brief  resume,  which  was  all  that  had  been  known 
from  S[)anish  sources,  I  am  able  to  add  statements  of 
equal  importance  in  the  reports  of  Tobar,  an  officer  in 
the  expedition,  and  of  the  viceroy  Kevilla-Gigedo,'' 
besides  a  few  ijidirect  allusions  in  the  narratives  of 
later  expeditions.  The  tidings  brought  back  fr'-ni 
Alaska  in  1788  respecting  the  intentions  of  the  llus- 

'■  Tlic  (L'ltes  are  given  in  Rii'lllri-Ohicilo,  Iii/nrnu'.  Grcenhow  and  otlior 
vriteis  (Id  not  clearly  state  that  tlio  /V/'wrx.s  waa  sent  to  San  lUas  at  all. 

^*''  (Iri'i'uhoif'K  Or.  and  Cnl.,  •J24-.'>,  with  reforenees  to  Vaneouver,  Jarvis, 
Ingrahani,  ami  to  newspaper  aeeonnts. 

''Xiirurrtte,  r«(;/c.'<  A/id<\,  (il  M;  Id.,  in  Sii/H  »/  ^^p.r.,  Viiifi<\  cvi.-viii.; 
Ji'crill<i-(i'ii/('i(o,  Iiijortiw  del  I'irri/,  JJ  de  Ahrd,  /<".''•?,  l'J7-0,  in  litixfaiiiniit' . 
Sn-jili  mrnio  a  la  IliM.  .  .df  Caro,  iii. ;  Tohitr  1/  TniiviriZ,  IiiJ'onnc  Kohrf  Afiiii><  - 
riiiih nloH  da  Xidka,  J7S/f;  extracts  in  I'inncro  I'nifirnal,  xxvi.  l,")7-<>9.  This 
report  contains  (juite  a  full  statement  of  the  fur-trade  and  operations  of 
Knglish  traders,  with  a  description  of  Nootka  and  its  people;  l)ut  except  iu 
a  few  points  is  not  very  full  on  tlie  events  attending  tlio  capture  of  vessels. 
Tobar  returned  to  San  IJlas  in  conunand  of  the  A njoiuuit.  as  a  prize;  and  his 
report  WU3  tho  first  account  of  the  capture  that  reached  Mexico  and  Euro^Mj. 


PRIXCESA  AND  SAN  CAKLOS. 


21.1 


othor 
ill. 
.Jarvis, 

viii.; 

IIKIIlff, 

This 
10113   iif 

L:oj)t  ill 
^■fssclis. 
11(1  liU 
uropc. 


sians  and  English  on  tlio  Xorthwest  Coast  caused 
Viceroy  Flores  to  resolve  upon  the  oeeuj)ation  ot' 
Nootka  hel'ore  it  sliould  he  taken  possession  of  hy  any 
foreij^Mi  power.  For  this  puipose  Martinez  and  ITaio 
wei'e  sent  hack  to  the  north  on  the  l*riiiccs((  and  Sua 
CW'y/o.s  sailinsjj  from  San  Bias  on  Fehruary  17,  I7S!). 
Their  instructions  were  to  conciliate  the  natives,  i'or 
whose  conversion  friars  wore  sent;  to  erect  buildings 
for  the  colony,  and  fortifications  for  its  defence,  as  well 
as  an  indication  of  the  Spanish  sovereii^nty  in  that 
iVL^ion;  if  Russian  or  English  vessels  a})peare(l,  to  re- 
ceive them  with  all  courtesy,  but  with  a  manifestation 
of  the  right  of  Spain,  by  virtue  of  discovery,  to  this 
establishment  and  others  that  M'ere  to  be  founded; 
and  after  tlie  foundation  to  send  the  San  CVir/os  on 
an  cxi»loring  tour,  particularly  to  the  coast  between 
yU^  and  55^. 

Without  touching  in  California  the  two  vessels 
reached  the  latitude  of  Nootka  earlv  in  ^lav.  tlust 
outside  the  entrance  of  the  sound  Martinez  met  Oray 
on  the  Lcuh/  WasJiuKjtoti,  and  in  a  friendly  interview 
made  many  intjuiries  about  the  vessels  within,  an- 
nounced his  intention,  as  Haswell  says,  of  capturing 
the  EnLjlish  craft,  and  gave  a  stranjjfe  account  of  his 
own  ex})edition.^'^  It  was  on  ^lay  Gth  that  the  Princes^. 
entered  the  harbor  antl  .found  tlie  J/)/ii(/('iu'(f  under 
Portuguese  colors,  anxiously  awaiting  her  consoi-t  and 
in  considerable  distress,  as  Ca})tain  JJouglas  stated. 
Martinez  treated  Douglas  with  every  courtesy,  prom- 
ised to  relieve  his  distress,  and  went  up  the  sound  to 
spend  a  few  days  "ith  Kendrick.  During  his  absence 
Haro  arrived  with  the  S((ii  Carlos,  on  tlie  i;Hh;  nnd 
next  day  on  his  return  he  sunnnoned  Douglas  and 

^^/faxiirir.H  Vol/.,  MS.,  o6-~.  Mnrtiiio?;  saiil  his  ves.sel  M-itli  two  others 
had  hi;(.'ii  litted  out  at  Cdili/  for  discovoiii's  ;  had  touchod  on  thi;  coast  of  .\\w 
N|iaiii,  and  lo.st  most  of  Ids  J'airoiii'an  suaiiu'ii,  supplying  tludr  |)lai(.s  witli 
iKitnralizL'd  natives  of  California,  lie  had  been  to  Bering  Strait,  found  nnuii 
su.iw,  and  parted  with  hi.-i  consorts  in  a.  gak'.  Martinez  told  a  siinilai-  story 
ti'  I  )oiigi.is  a  litthi  latf'r,  and  added  that  lie  hail  met  the  Lmlii  Wonhuniliii  to  tim 
unrtli ward. and  had  supplied  her  with  things  she  needed.  JJouijlas'  Journal,  iii 
Miarcs'  Voy.,  uppeudix. 


214 


THE  NOOTKA  CONTROVERSY. 


f 


Viana  on  ])oar(l  tlie  Princesa  and  (le<larc<l  tlicni  t«»  1)0 
liis  prisoners,  sciidiii^r  a  force  to  tijvo  possession  of  the 
Jji/n';/riiiii,  on  wliieli  the;  Spanish  ih\<r  was  raised.'' 

Tile  chief  motive  of  the  seizui'e,  as  allej^ed,  wns 
tliat  clause  of  the  instructions  in  Portujji'uese  v.hicli 
require('  the  captain  to  take  Spanish  vessels  and  car»y 
their  nten  to  ^lacao  to  he  tried  for  j»iracy.  To  enter 
a  Spanisji  port  with  such  instructions  was  deemed  hy 
Martinez  sufficient  cause  for  cajjturlni^  the  vessel  as 
a  prize,  l^ouijflas  protested  that  the  instructions  were 
misinterpreted;  that  he  had  entered  the  port  in  dis- 
tress; and  that  he  woidd  depart  at  once  if  released. 
l:}ut  the  Spaniard  refused,  and  made  prepaiations  to 
send  his  prize  to  San  Bias.-"     The  Englishmen  sus- 

1)ected  that  Kendrick  had  instigated  the  seizure;  and 
[  have  little  douht  that  he  did  so,  at  least  to  the  ex- 
tent of  putting  the  IplilijciikCs  peculiar  papers  in  their 
worst  light  and  encouraging  the  S})aniard's  natmal 
suspicions.  The  vessel  was  unloaded,  to  bo  caulked 
and  otherwise  prepared  for  her  voyage,  the  officers 
and  men  being  meanwhile  detained  on  the  Spanish 
ships. 

On  reflection  Lieutenant  INIartinez  began  to  feai* 
that  he  had  gone  too  far,  and  was  made  to  undei- 
stand  that  he  had  misinterpreted  the  Portuguese  in- 
structions, in  which  the  capture  of  Spanish,  Englisli, 
or  Russian  vessels  was  made  contingent  on  a  previous 
attack  by  them;  also  that  their  aim  had  been  against 
English  rather  than  Spanish  interference.  Accord- 
ingly on  the  2Gth  of  INIay  ho  restored  the  refitted 
Iphk/eiu'a  to  her  connnander,  and  furnished  all  needed 
supplies  for  a  voyage  to  the  Sandwich  Islands,  taking 

'"  These  arc  the  <l;itos  given  in  Domjld-i'  Jonniril.  Gray  and  In';r;iIi.UM 
make  the  arrival  of  the  Snn  C'lflns  and  capture  of  the  fii/iijenia  on  .M;:y  liKli 
ami  1 1th  respectively.    Douglas'  dates  are  douhtless  correct. 

-"Martinez  at  lirst  intended  to  dismiss  with  a  warning  '  t\w  Ip/i'  inii". 
which  sailed  xuider  I'ortngaeso  flag,  passport  from  the  governor  of  M::ciii.  j'imI 
instructions  fiom  .Juan  (jarahallo  as  owner,  written  in  tlie  Portuguese  lan- 
guage; l)ut  it  seeming  to  him  that  these  pajiers  were  not  .-■//('•'/•(m,  and  ccjii- 
taineil  harsli  and  insulting  expressions,  he  made  him  prisoner,'  hut  aft .rwaid 
released  him  for  lack  of  men  to  man  the  prize,  taking  a  document,  etc. 
Jii  viila-Giijdlo,  Iiijunnv,  1-7. 


DOUfJLAS,  ORAY,  AND  IXflRAIIANf. 


915 


ill  pnvmcnt  hills  on  C'avalho  and  C(>ni])any,  the  nomi- 
nal owners, an»l  ivci'iviii;^  Captain  Dou;^las'  siLjnatnn^  to 
;v  statement  that  tlie  vesst-l  had  heen  found  at  Xookta 
in  distress,  tiiat  her  na\  i'^ation  had  not  heen  stopped, 
iind  that  she  had  heen  supplied  with  all  the  stoi'es 
needed  i'or  her  voyaiL^e.  JJoujjjlas  says  that,  notwith- 
standiuij  this  dctcument,  which  he  had  sij^ned  at  the 
entreaty  of  his  men  to  ohtain  release,  the  vessel  had 
heen  j)lundered  of  everythin;^  of  valu(>,  ineludiuiij 
articles  for  trade  and  his  own  [trivate  })roj)(rty;  an«l 
that  the  supplies  were  I'urnished  in  very  limited 
(piantity  at  excnhitant  ])rices.  There  is  every  rea- 
son to  believe  that  this  was  a  gross  exaL^u^eration, 
thoUL|;h  various  articles  may  have  been  lost  or  stolen 
in  the  tr^Misfers  of  carj^o.  Ho  docs  not  <-laim  that 
they  were  })ersonally  ill-treated.  Gray  and  In^raham 
testily  that  "they  were  treated  with  all  ima^inahlo 
kindness,  and  every  attention  paid  them,'"^'  that 
])oUL,das  and  his  officers  were  perfectly  satisiicd  with 
the  arrangement,  and  that  "the  Ij)Jii<j<'tilns  hcing  de- 
tained was  of  infinite  service  to  those  who  wei-e  con- 
cerned in  her,"  since  it  enabled  her  t<)  start  earlier 
and  in  better  condition  than  would  otherwise  have 
been  possible.^'  True,  the  Americans  were  not  im- 
pai'tial  witnesses;  yet  Douglas'  signature  to  the  docu- 
ment, his  own  admission  of  the  vessel's  distress  o\\ 
arrival,  and  the  very  fact  that  she  did  make  a  ver}'' 
successful  tradiiiLf  cruise,  go  far  to  confirm  tli:'ir  tes- 
timony.'^^ 

An  agreement  was  also  siijncd,  binding  the  owners 
to  restore  or  pay  for  the  vessel,  in  case  the  vieei-oy  of 

•''flnnj  atui  Iti'jruham's  Letter.,  in  Grppiih<>tr\i  Or.  anil  Cal.,  414-1."). 

-'-  'i;:i  liii.  k'j'is  (Ic  cxperinioiit.nr  pcrjuioio  iil^niin)  il  jia([Ucl)ot  l;i,  JJji'jnilii, 
BUS  ()!ioi;ik;t  y  tiipuliicioii  rofrcscarou  sus  vivcics,  do  (nu;  sc  liuUaliaii  liieii 
I'scasiis,  salii-'udu  lilirulucnle  ;i  naM;.:ar,  SDCdriila.s  t-iiii  yoiii'iDiiilail  tudas  tii.i 
lifuu.-i(la<li'S.'  l!ur:i!it-(!ij,d(',  /../ic/'c,  I'JT. 

-■"I'-i  V'umuir'  r'.t  V(i>i.,  i.  .Si!)-',lil,  tlici'o  is  iiii'iitiimcd  a  d:(cuim>iit  attaclicil 
to  a  letter  of  l»iMU';;ii  y  (.'na<li'a  wliieli  id  a  cci-tiliiatL-  uf  Cajit;'.!:!  \'iaiu!,  ti>  tlio 
gipiicl  trcatiiK'iit  cf  liimsc'if  aiul  fi'llow-iiiioonerrf  liy  .Mai  tiia;:,  t  >  tlic  ivs. oration 
(if  vessel  anil  eai'-o.  ;uid  to  the  fiiniisliin;^'  of  all  needed  siapiilies.  (Iroriiliow 
si  lows  that  ^'ancouVL'l■  does  iiijustico  to  Gray  and  la^'ruhiuu  in  his  vei.siuii  of 
thoLi-  tcstimouy.  ' 


21G 


THE  NOOTKA  CONTROVERSY. 


New  Spain  should  clocide  the  prize  to  have  been  law- 
fuL  Still  another  dcx'Uineiit  did  Lieutenant  ^lartint'Z 
obtain  from  the  captain,  a  letter  for  !Mr  Funter.  H(j 
desiretl  to  })urchase  the  schooner  North  West  AnK'rira 
at  a  ])rice  fixed  by  the  American  officers.  Douglas 
said  that  neither  he  nor  Funter  had  any  authority  to 
sell.  Martinez  insisted  on  having  \l  letter  for  the 
master  of  the  schooner;  and  at  the  last  moment 
Douglas  wrote  one.  Its  purport  was  tliat  Funter 
might  act  as  he  thought  best  in  the  riiatter;  but 
tliere  is  some  reason  to  believe  that  it  was  represented 
to  ^[artinez  as  the  desired  order  ft)r  sale.  Douglas 
himself  says,  "The  moment  I  had  finished  my  letter 
I  gave  orders  to  sli[)  the  hawser,  and  made  sail  out  of 
the  cove."  ^leares  says  that  in  writing  the  letter  ne 
"cautiously  avoided  any  directions  to  the  efilct  de- 
sii'ed,  availing  himself  of  Don  Martinez's  ignorai.ce 
of  the  English  language."  And  Martinez  a  little  later 
claimed  to  take  the  schooner  by  virtue  of  an  agi-ee- 
ment  with  Douglas.  On  June  2il  the  Ipliitjcnid  sailed, 
bound  homeward,  as  the  Spaniards  and  Americans 
had  been  led  to  believe;  but  at  midnight  tacked  t  > 
the  northward  and  engaged,  as  we  have  seen,  in  a 
very  successful  trade.  She  did  not,  however,  as  was 
hoped,  meet  the  schooner  consort,  which  it  was  in- 
tended to  burn  after  taking  off  the  men  and  furs. 

]\[eanwhile  the  Spanish  <'onnnander  had  taken  for- 
mal j)ossession  of  the  |)ort,  which  he  called  Santa  Cruz 
de  Xutka;  erected  barracks  for  his  men,  and  formed 
a  battery  of  six  or  ten  guns  on  Hog  Fsland,  command- 
ing till!  entrance  to  the  sound  and  the  an<-horage 
known  as  Friendlv  Cove;''^*  or  possihlv  thev  had  six- 
teen  guns  in  two  places.  On  the  arrival  oi'  the  Xnrfl 
Wist  Aiiu'ric((  on  June  9th  Martinez  took  possession, 

■•''rdliar  says  the  fonniil  act  of  ]h)8!<u 4Hi(»i  took  place  June  '.'Uli.  M:icniim 
was  .'iliiiw  11  a  edUectidii  of  llaj^s,  aixl  askcil  wliieli  lie  liail  well  lirst,  Mlri'liii,' 
tliatof  Spain.  Ho  also  deserilied  tli'^  lirst  ollieers  .-»«  r,  </i<lo<  di  n,l,,-f,  iiliiidiiiL? 
to  tlie  li'M  lace,  etc.,  of  tlie  Spaiiisli  navy;  and  tiie  men  liaii  li.iiidlkiiiliicls 
on  tin'  liciid,  'so  tint  tlie  I'hi^^disli  were  confounded,  confessiii;.;  that  .lacol'o 
Koock  liad  deceived  tlicni,  sayiuj^  in  Iii8  work  that  ho  hail  been  liio  tliscoveivr 
of  that  port.' 


SEIZURE  OF  THE  ARGONAUT. 


Hf 


by  virtue,  as  lie  claiiued,  of  liis  aijfrocinont  witli 
I)oiiL!^las,  and  sent  tlie  vusscl  oft'  on  a  trading'  voyaufe, 
])rol)al)ly  t'oi"  joint  ac-(.-ount  of  himself  and  his  Ameri- 
can iriends,  since  Mr  Coolidj^e  was  jiut  in  chari^e. 
The  crew,  as  already  related,  was  sent  to  (  Miina  on  the 
Co/miibia.  When  Ca|)tain  Hudson  ai-rived  on  the 
14th  of  .June  on  the  Princess  Rojjal  he  brought  news 
of  the  bankruptcy  of  Cavalho  and  Comi)any,  whose 
bills  to  a  c :>i:si(lerable  amount  foi-  sui)i>lies  to  the 
Ij)/u)j('nia  were  held  by  Martinez;  and  that  oiHcer 
therefore  jnst.lied  himself  in  holdinn"  tlie  schooner 
as  se  'Lirity  I'oi'  the  debt,  instead  of  paying'  for  her,  as 
he  had  before  deemed  himself  bo  ind  to  do. 

The  Ar<j(uioiif  arrived  on  Jul  '  .'>d,  si^htiuL!;'  the 
J^iu'itccss  lioifid  outside  without  speakiiii;'.  ('aj)taiii 
Coliiett  before  elitt'iini;'  leai'lied  f/olii  ^fr  Hai'liett  and 
others  who  came  olf  in  a  boat  ine  condition  <»f  thinj^s 
in  tile  liarboi',  and  was  advise<l  to  anchor  outride;  but 
Lieutenant  ^fartinez  came  <;'  board  with  most  friendly 
a'  uirances,  tin-  uikkI  faith  of  which  seemed  to  be 
nuarantetul  by  the  kind  ti'eatnuint  of  liudsjii;  and 
the  ship  was  towed  in  by  the  S|)anisli  launch.  I'ntil 
th(>  next  day  relations  continued  fric'iully:  then  the 
Vessel  was  seized  and  [)ut  under  Si)anish  colors,  otlicersj 
and  men  bein^' detained  as  prisoners.  There  is  nothiiij^ 
to  siij)[)ort  the  later  ihar,iL>e  that  AEartinez  treacher- 
ously eiitici'd  the  shij*  into  the  harbor  for  l!ie  purpose 
oi"  seizure;  but  every  reason  to  believe  that  he  intended 
to  treat  tlu^  Aiyoiaiif  as  he  had  Just  trt^ated  her  con- 
sort.-'' The  true  reason  of  the  seizure  comes  out  clearly 


-'■  III  lii.H  jmhlislicd  imiTiitivcof  a  I'ltcr  voyagf,  Cillicti,  Vtn/'nir  to  the  Sfnith 
'until'  null  riiiuiil  '  >?//<•  Ilarii  iiiln  /fir  /'iirl/ir,  LoiiiIdii.   I7!'S,  4t(i,  jip.  j.    iii., 


nml  iiiit>' 1)11  |(|>,  !((i   IdJ,  s;iy.s:   'I   liiul  no  nodiiii' ri'fcivoill  >mii  . Martini/ in  my 
ealiiii.  tli.iii  lie  pffscntcil  nil'  ii  li'ttiT  tVoiii  Mr  llililsiin  .  .  .'I'lic  (■iininiuiluc  thru 


iiifiirnicd  nu'.that  tlii'vi'ssrlsuiiiii  riii.-iiM 
.1  i.tl 


iinintiiui  well'  ill  ;,'!■(  .it  liisuvss.  troiii  tiio 


lit  lit'  |pi'()\  isiiins  ami  otliur  ni'ii'-isancs  ;  ainl  ri'^iii 


.t.'.! 


liiaiiiK  r,  to  f,' I  inti>  |M)rt,  in  I'l 


k'i-  ti>  atliiiil   liiiii   till' 


in  !i  \ci  V  ui','i'iit 


ii»arv  .>.ii|.|>!u'<. 


[ 


lu'>it;it<c|.  lici\M'vcr,  til  fiiniiily  witli  tliis  di'iiiainl.  a.s  I  rnU'i'laiiiiil  viy  ri'iiwi 


dniilits  of  till'  |irii]irii'ty  of  imltiiif,'  iiiysidf  \Midrr  tin'  fMininaiid  of  two 


^|i.iiii<li  nii'ii  ( 


if  « 


ir. 


'I'l 


11'  S|iaiiiar 


1.  ol 


(Serving'  my  iinwillin^'iirss  to  fom|ily 


V  itli  lii.s  ii'(|U('st,  assund  iiir.  on  !iis  \voi-d  and  iioiior,  in  tlie  iiaiin'  nt  tl 

of  .squill. ,  .if  i  would  guiiitu  ^)urt  uud  ruliuvu  las  wuuU,  ishuuld  iHiul  lilicity 


THE  NOOTKA  CONTROVERSY. 


enouj^li  from  tlio  testimony  and  eircmnstancos,  oven  if 
the  former  is  in  some  respects  vague  and  contradictory. 
Kichard  Howe,  the  Ameiican  supei-cargo,  and  per- 
liaps  t)tht>r  ofHcers  of  the  Co/ttiithin  accompanied  ^far- 
tinez  on  liis  first  visit  to  Cohiett;^"  and  other  American 
otHcei-s  were  present  at  subsequent  interviews.  'J  iiey 
state  that  they  heard  Cohiett  inform  tlie  Sj  anisli 
connnander  of  liis  purpose  to  take  possession,  hoist 
the  l^iiglisli  flag,  erect  a  fort,  and  settle  a  colony  at 
Nootlva.  ]\Iartinez  re[)lied  that  he  had  already  taken 
possession  for  Spain;  and  on  ])eing  [jresscd  for  a  di- 
rect statement  whetlier  he  would  prevent  the  occupa- 
tion, declared  that  he  could  ]).i'mit  notliing  moi-e  than 
the  erection  of  a  tent  for  tlie  tem[)orary  purpose  of 
obtaining  wood  and  water,  afLer  which  he  was  free 
to  depart."  Tliis  was  just  such  an  interview  as  would 
bo  natural  under  the  circumstances;  and  it  is  not 
likely  that  Colnett  would  have  persisted  in  his  pui-- 
l)ose,  tliough  in  his  disa]>pointment  he  may  have  used 
strong  lanu^ua^-e.  His  decision  would  natuially  Iiavo 
been  to  leave  Nootka  and  select  another  site  for  his 
trading-post.  In  the  afternoon  of  July  4th  Colnett 
went  on  i)oard  the  I^n'ntrsa  to  ask  permission  to  rail 
innnediately.  ISIartinez:  granted  it  at  first,  but  on 
second  thought  dt^sired  to  see  the  Englishman's 
prners.-"  ])oubtless  it  had  occurred  to  him,  or  })er- 
Laps  had  bei-n  suggvsted  by  his  American  friends,  that 
Nootlwi  WMs  not  the  only  available  site  for  a  colonv, 
ami  that  Colnett  s  desire  to  sail  so  soon  was  a  sus- 

to  sail  whenever  I  pleiisetl.'  So  ho  wont  in.  Xc\t  ii'oriiin,'?  lie  got  re;i<ly  Homo 
stor.'s  lor  tlic  Sininijird,  iiu<l  on  tiikin.i,'  I'R'ukf.ist  ,'.'.ive  liinia  liiitof  (lir  iirticlcs, 
iinnoiuicin;,'  hi  i  iiilt  iitiun  if  xiiling  l!iO  ^alllo  il:iy.  Mnrtine/.  consentcil,  iiml 
otl'crc'l  to  Mini  lii:<  1 1  iikIi  to  j^it  tlie  supiijics  iiiiil  tow  !iin  vo>'.sel  out,  Imt  sent 
iii.sti'iid  an  order  to  ooine  on  liiaid,     Ste  eontiniMtinii  in  a  lat;  r  note. 

-'•  I  Io\.  (•  ii  nanieil  in  llie  d<  jmsii  ion.<  of  the  iiieiuif  the  .\'(>r/'i  ll'i  ■-/  Aii'irira 
nnd  of  Williiini  (Jridiani,  attailied  to  Mmri  ^'  ,1/r  nuiinl.  MrDulihi,  Ih':  t  otiieer 
<if  the  Ar;i<iii(iH>,  \n  his  letter.s,  hi.,  tells  mh  that  ( 'olnett  and  hid  vi.ntoiH  had 
un  inteivi.u  in  the  enliin  at  \\lii<  li  he  was  not  iire.sint. 

'■'i.r'ii/  mill  I iiiirithiiiiiK  Liltir. 

•^ /hijilii's  l.ilUrs.  The.-^e  lettei-s,  written  iit  the  time  by  (' ihiet^'s  liist 
liuiti',  are  hy  far  tlie  nioMt  ivlial'lv-  authority  on  orrn-.n  lire  i  conn'i'U' 1  willi 
the  .seizure.  ( 'o'nett"s  o\\  n  BUiteineat  uf  lutor  jcui's  is,  un  will  be  bhowu  hero- 
after,  iiuwortiiy  of  belief. 


COLNETT  AND  ^lARTINEZ. 


210 


pici<  US  circumstance.  Colnett  wont,  liowevor,  to  liis 
own  vessel  and  returned  with  Ins  papers,  having  put 
on  the  C()ni[)any's  uniform  and  sword.  On  readiu'^'  tlie 
instructions,  and  i)erhaps  desirins^  time  to  liavc;  them 
correctly  interpreted,  Martinez  informed  the  captain 
that  he  could  not  he  permitte  .  S>  sail  that  day. 

Then  a  quarrel  ensued  hetwcen  the  conunaiiders,  in 
consequence  of  which  Colnett  was  put  under  arrest  and 
his  ships  were  seized  as  [)rizes.  The  exact  eircuin- 
stances  of  tlie  cpiarrel  are  not  accurately  known,  thoiii;'! 
1  append  some  evidence  on  the  subject.^'*     From  tiie 

**Dnffin,  LcffiTx,  writes:  'On  which  some  higli  words  cnsupil  hctwren 
them,  and  Captain  (.'uhiett  insisted  on  going  out  inimodiately,  which  he  sai.l 
lie  wouhl  do  unlesn  the  commodore  tired  a  shot  at  liim ;  if  no,  he  Wiiiihl  thcii 
haul  down  his  colours,  and  dehver  himself  up  a  prisoner:  iuirdly  hail  he 
littered  tliis,  hut  he  was  put  under  an  arrest,  and  his  swonl  taken  from  him, 
the  vessel  tieized .  . . ;  but  what  is  most  particular,  he  desired  Captain  Ivendrick 
to  loa<l  liis  guns  with  shot,  to  fcike  u  vessel  that  liud  only  two  swivels 
mounted;  so  that  it  was  impossildc  to  make  any  resisUmco . .  .  The  coiii- 
modore's  passicm  now  hei,'au  to  alKito  a  little,  and  ho  sent  for  me  from  the  St 
Carlos,  where  I  was  imprisoned:  when  I  came  to  him,  he  seemed  to  profe  ■(  a 
very  ^'reat  friendship  for  me,  and  appea"ed  to  ho  exceedingly  nony  for  w'lat, 
he  said,  his  oilicers  compelled  him  to  do.  Ho  declared  to  mo,  that  he  lia<l  given 
Captain  (,'olnett  permission  to  depart,  and  would  have  assistcil  hi;u  all  in  his 
jiowcr,  liiit  thatCaptain  Colnett  insisted  on  erectiiiga  fort  opposite  liis;  said  ho 
represented  the  King  of  (jreat  Uritain,  and  that  he  came  to  take  possession  in 
his  Ih'itannick  Majesty's  name.  The  Spaniard  (pioted  the  i.aaie,  and  sai  1  he 
wa :  representative  of  his  most  Catholic  Majestj'  the  Kin .;  of  Sjiaiii:  but  F 
have  every  reason  to  suspect  there  was  a  misunderstandiiiT  bcLween  t'ui 
two  parties,  for  the  linguist  spoke  English  very  imiierfectly,  ami  in  all  lik^-li- 
hood  interpreted  as  many  words  wrong  as  right.'  Tohar  says.  In/or, in\ 
l.")!(  Ul :  '(y'aiiitiin  Coliiet  venia  con  destino  de  <  Joi)ei'nador  dc  dicho  piu'rto  j'l 
l)oscsionarse  y  fortilicarsc  para  no  dexar  entrar  ni  .salir  eml):ircaoion  algiina  ilo 
otra  iiacion ;  y  segiiramento  soy  dc  sentir  lo  huliiera  veriiicado,  :uno  cii  .'ijiiel 
pnerto  en  lino  de  los  muehos  tjuo  tieno  aipiella  costa,  para  eiiyo  efecto  traia  ya 
la  ca-!:'.  y  el  martinete  para  la  entrada.  ,  .  a  (juien  tiivo  a  i>ie;i  el  eo:nauda:ite 
de  N'oolka  apresal'lo  iirreglado  A  la  ordenanza,  atendiendo  ;l  la  madera  do 
iniiitruccion  (pie  tniia  iV  bordo. '  Navarrete,  .s>(//V  _»/  ,)/..(•.,  eviii.,  on  t!io 
aiitliuiily  of  Martinez  states  tluit  'Captain  Colnett  iierasteiitly  refused  t) 
sliow  Martinez  his  instructions,  using  expressions  («»  inde>',)roii  (  and  lieitrcl 
tliat,  having  exiiausted  tl'.'  method  f  of  pnichnee  hitlicrlo  ein|)l  lycl,  oar 
(nniaiander  resolved  to  arrest  the  Hritish  captain  wi'diin  tlie  f!'ig,'.U;'M  eubin, 
declaring  all  the  men  of  the  Ar,;  m  ik/  jji-isoners  of  war,  an  1  t  >  s^etid  the  v»'  .sel 
t'l  Sail  IJlaa  at  the  disposition  of  the  vici'my.  Ite.illa-l  li  ;cdo"s  iicc.iu:it, 
liih.i\iii\  1_*7  ;■>:  'They  eallKi  under  orders  of  .lames  CoIiicVt  t)  t.dio  ivissessioii 
of  Nootka,  to  fortify  it,  and  establisli  a  fact ny  fir  trade  and  iijitlcmcat, 
liriiiviii;,'  f,tr  tliis  piiroose  tlu'  necessary  aids,  and  •_';(  !ian;,'leve  i  |<  "iina'!ie:i  |   if 

(hll'eicnt  trades.     Colnett  wished  to  pro 'd  at  on'C  to  tlie  f  )u;i'iiii'j  of  tlioso 

e-<t  iliiishmeiits,  pretending  that  t!ie  eou  .ly  had  been  di., covered  by  Capt.iin 
C'"'!;,  ami.  furtlier.  that  tin-  l'oitilgiies(>  had  ecd  d  to  t'le  London  triidili'/ 
1  " :ii;iany  t'le  right  of  first  discovi'ry,  if  Admiral  I'onte  had  liei  :i  t'l.'  lirst  dis- 
(  oviMir  ;  liut  the  commander  of  .iir  exjn  ditio;i  deaioust^ated  to  t  V  Ka  >isli 
eonnnauder  his  erroneous  and  iliioiuided  designs.   I'eraisting  in  tiieni,("olnett 


220 


THE  NOOTKA  CONTROVERSY. 


testimony  and  circumstances  it  clearly  appears  that 
on  Martinez  refusing'  to  i)crmit  his  instant  (le[)artine, 
for  wliich  the  Spaniard  had  tiie  best  of  reasons,  Col- 
nett  lost  liis  temper,  used  languaj^e  that  the  otlier 
deemed  insultin<;,  and  in  liis  anLi'er  insisted  on  liis 
ri^iit  and  i)urpose  to  establish  an  En;L,dish  fort,  which 
action  it  was  Martinez'  duty  as  a  S})anish  olHcer  to 
})revent  by  the  only  means  within  his  power,  the 
seizure  of  the  vessel.  That  Colnett  claimed  the  rii^iit 
or  expressed  the  intention  (jf  hoUUnj^  Nootka,  tho  11:^11 
Martinez  tiirough  iuter[)reters  may  have  so  understood 


! 


refused  to  show  liis  patents  ami  instructions,  explaining  himself  always  with 
niui'li  liiiuj,'litinc's.s;  Imt  as  he  tliou^'lit  he  couM  not  keep  it  u]i,  he  icsolveil  to 
lea\e  N'oolka,  and  net  sail.  l''or  this  piii"i)ose  he  asked  the  aid  of  a  launi  h  to 
raise  his  aneliors,  and  hen  Martinez,  fearing  that  the  Knglisli  eaptain  miu'ht 
o(t;il)lisli  himself  in  an  tiier  |H)rt  on  the  eoast,  from  which  it  would  he  dilii- 
eult  to  dislodge  him,  ag;. !n  onlered  him  to  show  his  pajjers.  ( 'olnett  eonliiiued 
liis  persistent  refusal,  aeeompanying  it  with  insulting  aetions  and  expressions, 
BO  that  Martinez,  his  little  patience  heing  exhausted,  detjiined  the  Al•^|ln,,lnt 
and  /'/•iii<'(ss  liojiiil,  sending  Itotli  vessels  to  San  JJlas.'  Colnett  himself,  I  ■.//., 
!(S,  says:  '  I  received  an  order  from  Don  Martinez,  to  eome  on  hoanl  his  ship 
and  hiing  with  me  my  papers,  'i'his  onler  appeareit  strange,  hut  1  complied 
Mitii  it,  and  went  alioard  the  /'riiicixa.  On  my  coming  into  his  cahin,  ho 
said  he  wished  to  see  my  papers:  on  my  presenting  them  to  him,  he  just 
glaiiceil  his  eyes  ever  the'M,  and  although  he  did  not  understand  a  word  of  the 
language  in  which  they  were  written,  declared  they  were  foi'ged,  and  thi-'.\v 
them  disdainfully  on  the  tahle,  sa^ying  at  the  .same  time,  I  should  not  sail  until 
he  jileased.  On  my  making  some  renumstrances  at  his  breach  of  faith,  and  his 
forgetfuluess  of  tliat  word  and  hoiuuir  which  he  had  pledged  to  me,  Iw  arose 
in  ap]iai'ent  anger,  and  went  out.  1  now  saw,  but  too  late,  the  duplicity  of 
this  Spaniai'cl,  and  was  conversing  with  the  interpreter  on  the  subject,  wlicn 
having  my  back  towards  the  cabin  door,  I  by  chance  east  my  eyes  on  a  look- 
ing-glas.--,  and  saw  an  armed  party  rushing  in  lH.Jiiii<l  me.  I  inst'intly  put  my 
hand  to  my  han''ei-,  but  ))efore  I  had  time  to  j)lace  myself  in  a  posture  of  lie- 
fenoe,  a  Violent  l)low  brought  me  to  tlu^  ground.  1  was  then  ordei'ed  into  tlio 
stocks,  and.  closely  conliued;  after  which,  they  seized  my  ship  and  cargo,  im- 
prisoned my  oiiicers,  and  put  my  men  in  irons.'  Afterward  they  'carried  me 
from  ship  to  slii[>,  like  a  criminal,  rove  a  halter  to  the  yard-arm,  ami  ire- 
queutly  ihre-atened  me  with  instant  death,  by  hanging  me  as  a.  pirate.  This 
treatnieut,  at  leiigtli,  nearly  cost  me  my  life;  and  threw  me  into  so  violent  a 
fever,  that  I  was  delirious  for  several  ilays.'  Then  follows  an  aecotint  of  iiis 
cruel  treatment  on  the  May  to  San  IJlas.  Evidently  his  'deliiiuiu"  either 
beg.in  at  a  very  early  stage  of  the  (piarrel  or  permanently  atVected  his  miml. 
Colnett's  version  t>f  the  whole  all'air  in  conversation  with  \'anci>iiver  is  also 
given  in  the  hittir's  !'<///.,  iii.  4!M  et  seip  Finally  *i ray  and  Ingridiam  .s.iy, 
Lc'ld':  '  In  conversing  on  the  subject,  afrer  the  arrival  of  the  ves.sel  in  port,  it 
seems  Captain  Colnett  iusulied  the  commodore  by  threatening  him,  and  drew 
his  swoiil  in  tin'  /'/•/'»<•( .itr.t  cabin ;  on  which  l)on  Martine/.  ordered  t'u'  vo.-el 
to  111!  sei/.ed.  \\'e  did  not  see  him  draw  his  sword,  but  were;  informed  of  the 
circumstance  by  tliose  whose  veracity  we  had  no  rea.son  to  doubt.  .  .  W'iih 
respi'ct  to  the  treatment  of  the  prisoners.  .  .\u'  presunu!  noiu'  of  th'iii  will  be 
backward  in  confessing  vhat  Don  E.  J.  Martinez  always  treated  ihcin  very 
kill Jly,  and  all  Ills  uliicuro. ' 


COLXETT  BECOMES  IN8ANE. 


221 


him,  is  very  improbaMo  antl  inooii^-istetit  with  liis  pro- 
posed tlcpai'ture;  but  tlic  niovciiKJiit  rceonmieiKlcd  in 
his  |)apers,  jxjrhaps  tliroateiicd  by  him  openly  in  his 
wi'ath,  feared  by  ^lartinez,  and  prevented  by  liim  in 
accordance  with  his  duty,  was  the  departure  to  build 
a  fort  elsewhere  on  the  coast.  Had  Cohu'tt  kr))t 
quiet  and  waited  a  few  days,  he  would  probably  l;ave 
been  required  by  Martinez,  after  consultation  wit b  bis 
Yankee  advisers,  to  give  some  guarantee  tJiat  be 
would  confine  his  efforts  to  the  fur- trade  and  cstal>- 
lish  no  fort. 

The  loss  of  their  vessel  and  of  prospective  profits 
was  very  disheartening  to  the  traders;  but  there  is  no 
reason  to  suppose  that  the  prisoners  were  in  any  way 
ill-treated  at  Nootka  or  on  the  voyage  to  the  south. 
Colnett,  according  to  his  own  othcers,  became  tem])ora- 
rily  insane  in  consequence  of  his  excitement,  requiring 
ciose  watching  and  even  confinenusnt.  He  thougbt  he 
had  l)een  condenmed  to  death,  and  once  nearly  lost 
his  life  by  jumj)ing  out  of  his  cai>in  window.**  It  is 
only  bv  charitably  taking  account  of  his  insanity  or 
delirium  that  we  can  relieve  him  of  the  charge  of 
wiiiid  misre}>resentation  in  a  statement  nuide  in  later 
years  and  already  cited.^'  The  Princess  Roijdl  re- 
turned to  Nootka  on  July  14th,  and,  belonging  to 
the  same  c(mq)any  and  engaged  in  the  same  enter})rise, 
was  also  ca})tured.  Captain  Hudson  first  enteri'd  the 
harbor  in  his  boat,  leaving  the  vessel  outside,  but  was 
taken,  with  four  men;  and  tlu-n  a  force  was  sent  to 

■"'  Tolmr,  liij'onut'.  1(!1,  who  was  in  i'lmr;,'i'  of  Colni'tt,  dosorihos  liiaattcTiipt 
at  sniciilu,  and  the  givat  dillicidty  of  ri'scuiii;,'  liini :  '  ll.'il!7\iiiliiiiii'  al  tiiiL;o  do 
tsta  pivsa,  y  uuii  ilsaiido  de  toda.s  la.s  iii'ciatU'Hiiics  j)or*il)U>s  |iara  1.I  irHLjiiiirdo 
t!r  Iks  Oiiciali'S  prisionuros,  no  jmiK'  iMiiicilii-  (jue  dicho  Colnct  hc  ai'iMJa.-c  ;;l 
a;,'tiii  dfsi'sjM'radanicnti!  ))oi'  una  ilo  his  vuntanas  d(!  hi  ifnnar.-i  rou  intcnf.o  ih' 
aho|,'iirst',  jjiR'.s  ohat'ivt''  i|Uo  aun  saliii'n<h)  nadar  no  lii/o  dlligfiicia  al^^una  jiara 
•  Ilo;  [KTo  y<>  niamhinih)  pioar  la.s  aniariMs  drl  liotf,  Idic  :'i  mis  niarincios  lu 
oii^'ii'si'n,  J- api'uas  pudicrun  hai'iilo,  sino  a^aiTiindoh;  jior  h).s  1  ahvllos,  y  dcsde 
intuni'i'M  procuru  iiHeyurarlo,  cnccrraudulu  cu  un  caniai'oto  con  una  cciitimla 
df  vista.' 

"Iiiillin,  in  his  lottiTs,  riN'ordH  (Vdnctt'.s  insfuiity,  and  loarncd  from  a  wer- 
vant  tiiiit  it  was  an  liift'ilitary  malady.  This  grwitly  oll'cndcd  Colnett,  and  ho 
olitaiiicil  ffom  Mi^aicH  a  Icttor,  ilatvd  .la.,  .iry  I,  IT'.U.  in  which  ho  contradicts 
ilic  statement  which  had  ap)>t!an'd  in  Ids  Mi  iiiDi-iul  that  tliufc  Wiw  iusuuity 
iii  !n.i  family.     This  kttur  is  publiahcd  iu  (,W/ie«'(f  Voy.,  10"2. 


222 


THE  NOOTKA  COMROVERSY. 


bring  in  the  sloop.  The  Aiyonavt  was  sent  immedi- 
ately, and  the  sloop  a  little  later,  as  a  prize  to  San 
Bias,  under  the  oonnnand  of  Tohar.  Of  the  voyage 
\ve  know  nothing  beyond  Colnett's  doubtless  exaLTijer- 
ated  (•oni[)laints  of  inhuman  treatment. 

At  San  ]^las,  Colnett  admits  the  prisoners  were 
treated  better,  though  they  had  been  i)hmdered  of  all 
they  had.  1)V  encouragement  liuil  their  detention 
■would  be  brief,  they  were  induced  to  repair  the  shi[), 
which  was  then  eni}»loyed  by  the  Spaniards  in  coast 
voyages  and  nearlv  ruined,  ^ileanwhile  the  men,  after 
several  had  died  of  fever  and  one  committed  suicide,'"'^ 
were  sent  to  Tuple  and  well  treated,  especially  after 
tlie  arrival  of  L'odega  y  C-uadra.  Colnett  went  to 
Mexico,  and  was  nuich  j)leased  with  his  treatment 
at  the  hands  of  Viceroy  Kevilla-(j!igedo,  who  finally 
gave  an  order  for  the  restoration  of  his  vessel.  On 
returning  to  San  Bias  the  <n'der  was  obeyeil,  the 
Spaniaids  settling  all  accounts,  including  the  wages 
of  the  seamen  for  the  time  of  their  detention.  Col- 
nett claims  that  he  was  outrageously  cheated  m  tl»e 
settlement,  but  was  obliged  l)y  fear  of  gr-eater  evils 
to  sign  a  paper  "ex[)rcssing  my  complete  and  entire 
satisiiiction  of  their  usage  to  me  and  my  ])eople."  In 
August  he  sailed,  with  an  order  for  the  release  of  tlie 
Princess  Iiot/al.  This  is  the  substance  of  Colnett's 
own  statemtuit.^  Bodega  y  Cuadra  stated  in  17l»2 
that  "^Iv  Colnett  was  treated  with  the  givatest  dis- 
tinction at  San  Bias,  and  his  officers  and  crew  i-eceivt'd 
tlie  wages  of  the  Spaiiisli  navy  for  the  time  of  their 
detention:  that  the  vessel  and  cargo  were  restored, 
and  that  ^Fr  Colnett  ol>tained  a  great  numl)or  of  skins 
on  his  return  to  Xootka."  Viceroy  Kevilhi-Cigedo 
confirms  this  with  some  additional  details  in  his  re- 
port of  179;5.''* 

'-'According  to  TdIkiv,  fii/nrim',  IGS,  he  cut  liia  throiit  with  a  razor  in  his 
rage  fit  tiinlin  i  liiiiisvlf  ii  pristom-r. 

•'^'f  V*/„w/".'*  Ik//.,  !»i)-HK). 

^'CiuKlra,  ill  \'inin,iu;r's  Voi/.,  i.  .ISS;  Ih'r'lht-ahinln,  Infnrmc,  127-0.  in'2. 
Tho  viceroy  say.s:  N'ioemy  Klores  urdercil  '  that  i\w  two  vessels  shouhl  he  un- 
loaded ill  the  presence  uud  with  iittcrventioii  uf  their  cuptuins,  uud  that  they 


OPIXION  OF  THE  VICEROY. 


The  viceroy  bcliuved  tluit  ^lartincz'  acts  were 
Icfifallv  iustilicd  bvtho  cireumstancos  and  l)vliis  instruc- 
tioiis,  as  well  as  l)y  various  royal  orders,  l)iit  thoiiLjht 
that  officer  had  acted  somewhat  hastily  in  hiinjj^ing 
about  a  controversy  in  which  it  would  be  difficult  to 
prove  the  exact  truth,  and  which  must  cause  consider- 
able ex[)ense  to  the  treasury.  He  permittetl  (,'olnett 
and  Hudson  to  visit  ]\Iexico  and  to  [)n'sent  their 
complaints;  and  though  he  reu^arded  those  complaints 
as  tor  the  most  part  unfounded,  he  j^ave  orders  to 
be!4'in  legal  proceedings  against  Martinez.  The  action 
was  soon  dismissed,  however,  because  the  com))lain- 
ants  preferi'ed  to  be  released  at  once  rather  than 
await  the  issue  of  what  promised  to  be  a  long  trial. 
The  alleged  reason  of  their  release  and  that  of  their 
vessels  was  the  friendly  relations  (existing  between  tho 
two  nations,  and  the  probability  that  the  traders  had 
acted  in  ifjfuorance  of  Spanish  rin'hts.  It  has  been 
generally  su[)posed  from  later  di[)l;)niatic  coirespond- 
ence  that  the  viceroy  in  restoi'ing  the  vessels  ai^ted 
on  his  own  jud-ment;  l)ut  it  a])[>ears  iVom  his  own 
statement  that  he  acted  prob;ibly  in  accordance  with 
orders  from  Spain,  dated  January  "ifJ,  17i)0,'""' 

Of  Martinc/c'  operations  at  Xootka  after  tlie  de- 
])artiiro  of  his  pri;:(-'S  we  have  noihing  in  addition  to 
the  i'ollowing  from  Navarrete :''"  "This  (piestion  being 

bIi()u!(1  si'.^i  tlu>  foi'iMiil  iiivciitorios  of  everything,  giviii-^  tliem  <xTti(leil  copies 
fur  t!i<  i'.'  iirolectiiui  ;iuil  :;:;'. i;;iai'ti(in  lit  any  tini;".  wliollioi-  llio  vosh!.'1s  iilionlil 
111'  (I'.vlarcil  <ir  not  If^JLiiiiatc  jiri::t's.  lie  al;  n  "i-ili'icil  tliat  the  fliW't;<  ami 
\ii()vi  ioi^i  li;il)lo  t.)  iliH'uy,  1  >ss.  and  daniaTc  sliniild  l)o  sulil  ist  fair  priix's,  tho 
ri:>t  1)^111 ,' (U'i)(i;-itcil  ii'para'iLly  anil  mimuiIv  in  tin:  n  yi'.l  .•  tiii-iii.jn  k  i.  Ho 
al.;.)  ili.:p<):;;'i|  that  tin:  mi'iW  anil  sloop  liciii;,'  unlo.'iilcil  :  houM  lie  ;;ivi'ii  tho 
ni'i'i.'s.^;uy  ri'pairs,  an  c'-!l.i:nato  if  I'ust  liiin','  fornit'il  in  ailv:i:n'v  with  fcrtilinl 
Ui'connts,  a  1  liuin;,'  iloiio  v.i.h  tin-  knowlcilyc  ami  ciinML'ut  of  tin'  .-•li'l  lln'rlish 
captain.  I'inally  ho  iinli.':  fl  V'ry  parti"iilar!y  that  tlu-  lattei-  ami  thiir  news 
BJiiinlil  lio  L'ft  iliili.scrcct  lilicrty,  :-!ionlil  he  giwn  [joml  tr''atuiiiiL  ami  loiljin^.-i, 
and  that  to  tach  ono  ;  lionld  ln'  ;^ivi  ii  th''  |iay  i 'iriisponiUni;  to  iiis  [iii.--itiuu 
uccnrilin;,'  to  tho  rcynlation  then  in  force  at  San  llla.i.' 

'■^■' lii  i''ln-<ii'jeiii,  liij'oriiii'.  !_'!(.     'I'his  is  not  ipiiti-  certain,  however. 

'^'''\'iii;i<.i  A/ii'i'.,  (III.  On  p.  Ill  ho  says  that  Marlincx,  reniend"  lin;^  that 
in  1771  lie  had  ween  a  wide  entrance  in  4.'->  'I'V,  sent  a  i-econd  /I'/nf'i  on  the 
Schooner  (.lirl niilli  to  explore,  and  tho  strait  w;is  foinid  '1\  miles  wide, 
in  4S  :il»'.  It  is  jiossihle.  lint  nidikely,  that  Martinez,  had  heard  nothim^  of 
the  strait  from  Americans  or  l';n;i;lish.  'I'he  nchooner  w;;s  the  captured  Xurfh 
IIVsV  Anil rira,  and  tho  trip  may  huvc  been  that  nader  Xarvae/.  and  (,'oolidge, 
already  referred  to. 


m 


THE  NOOTKA  CONTROVERSY. 


! 


disposod  of,  ^lartincz  caused  to  bo  explored  the  rciijion 
about  tlio  port  of  Santa  (Jruz,  inteiidin*^  to  extend  his 
surve}'  aloii!^  the  coast;  but  believiuLjf  tliis  to  l)e  lisky 
with  tlie  Sxn  CVti'/os,  on  account  of  her  j^n-at  (b-au^ht, 
lie  ])roposed  to  build  a  schooner  sixty  feet  long.  Then 
b\'  the  frigate  ^■irtoizaz'i^'^  ho  received  an  order  to  re- 
tui'n  to  tlio  department  of  San  l^las.  Before  doing 
HO  his  second  jtilofo  ex])lored  in  a  boat  the  western 
channel,  and  through  it  reached  the  bay  of  Buena 
Ksperanza,^"  of  which  he  took  ])ossession  in  the  namo 
of  his  majesty.  Martinez  also  tooV  the  artillery  from 
the  fort;  j)iled  up  the  timber  prepared  fn-  the  con- 
struction of  the  house;  delivered  the  small  houses 
already  built  to  Maquinna,""  chief  of  the  district;  and 
on  Octolun'  .'^st  sailed  M'ith  the  frigate  and  the  new 
schooner,''"  anch(jring  at  San  Bias  on  ])ecember  (Jth." 
It  has  already  been  noticed  that  throughout  tin's 
whole  affair  relations  between  the  Spaniards  and 
Amei'icans  were  so  i'riendly  as  to  suggest  a  secret 
understanding.  There  was  not  the  slightest  interier- 
ence  with  the  C(>/>imhia  or  L<uli/  WdshliH/foi),  though 
JMartinez  could  hardly  have  been  unaware  of  the  orders 
issued  in  Mexico  for  the  seizure  of  those  very  vessels  if 
they  should  enter  a  Sj)anish  port.  It  was  afterward 
stated  by  Spanish  oflicials  that  the  Coliinihia  was  de- 
tained until  some  doubtfnl  expressions  in  her  })ajK'rs 
had  been  ex})la!ned,  but  there  is  no  other  evidence  that 
such  was  the  caso.*^     Martinez'  interview  with  (Iray 

^' Xotliinj;  inoro  is  known  of  thia  trip  of  the  A  raiisnzii,  ■which  vessel  was 
often  in  (.'alit'ornia. 

■'■''Still  i-allod  Ksperanza  Inlet,  jiiat  north  of  Xootka  Tslun<l. 

•'■"rill!  SfKinianLs  wrote  Iiis  name  Macuina,  the  I'higliMli  and  Am'-'rieaim 
AIa(|uiniia,  or  sometimes  Maiiuilla.  Mearcs,  I'd;/.,  IIS,  states  that  C'allicimi, 
the  otiier  t  liief,  was  miinleveil  liy  one  of  .Martiii>:z"  ollicers  in  .FniK!. 

^"  Nothing;  is  said  of  the  Saii  C'lir'oi  and  Arniiznzii,  hut  it  does  not  appear 
that  any  vt>ssel.-i  were  left. 

"  l{eviIla-< livedo,  /ii/nniie,  l'J7,  says:  'Martinez  reconocio  los  pnsaportes 
de  los  hiiipies  aineiieanos,  y  no  Imllando  motivos  justos  (pie  le  ol>li;,'aKen  a 
(li'tenrrlos,  riMpiiriii  ;'i  sus  eiipitanes  iiara  ((Ue  no  volvi<!scn  a  los  mares  y  eostas 
del  dominio  es[ianoI,  sin  permiso  de  nnestro  soherani.'     'Mais  Ic  I'.atinu'iit 

Iwrtujjais,  mais  les  deux  Hatimens  de  Jiontmi ;  eomment  (''chapiient-iis  a  l.-' 
oi?  comnifiit  nc  sont-ils  pas  aussi  di's  interlojjes?  Jx-s  lettres  dii  Mia-'ki'ii' 
no  sexpliijuent  |»as  sur  le  motif  de  eette  dillerenee  dans  les  proe(''d»''8;  et,  sans 
doute,  on  lie  voudra  pas  udniettro  rexplieatiuu  *pie  les  Anglais  en  unt  duiiuee : 


IXTERNATIOXAL  COMPLICATIOX.S. 


and  visit  to  Kciidrick  just  l)t'f(>i'c  tlio  soizuro  of  the 
Jj)/iH/('iii(i,  as  I  liavi'  said,  caused  Dou,i,das  to  susju'ct 
very  naturally  that  the  Anieric-ans  had  instigated  tlie 
act,  though  Captain  Kendrick  denied  it.  Subse- 
quently a  close  intimacy  c(jntiiuied;  interviews  were 


fi 


re(|Uen 


t;    Ai 


nierican    officers    weri'    coinpainons    an( 


I 


M 


itnesses  lor  the  Spaniards  in  all  theii-  tr.msactions 
with  the  JMiglish;  ^Ir  Coolidge  took  chaige  of  one 
of  the  })i'izes  for  a  t::'ading  cruise,  presuniahly  on  joint 
account.  ('a[)tain  (Jlray  willingly  carried  the  ca})tivo 
nit-'U  and  stores  to  China;  and  the  Americans  became 
later  most  friendly  witnesses  in  defi-nce  of  ^lartim-z' 
acts.  It  by  no  means  follows,  however,  tliat  the 
Americans  toc^k  any  dishonorable  advantage  of  the 
(juarrel.  Their  own  interests  and  duty  to  their 
owners  re(|uired  them  to  get  rid  of  I'ival  traders  and 
to  secui'e  S[>anish  protection  for  their  own  enterprise; 
legiilly,  tlie  Spaniards  wei'o  j>n'iiia j'<t(i>'  in  the  )ight, 
and  their  o[)ponents  in  the  wrong;  and  I  know  of  no 
reason  why  imder  the  circumstances  svmpathv  should 
have  been  contrary  to  interest.  Individually,  and  in 
the  disposition  of  pro})erty,  thei-e  may  have  been 
instances  of  dishonorabhi  action  on  the  j)art  of  both 
Americans  and  Spaniards;  but  the  testimony  is  not 
sufficient  for  a  conclusion  on  that  point. 

Having'  thus  narrated  in  full  occurroncoa  at  Nootka 
in  ITSI),  it  is  well,  before  considering  the  international 
<i implications  that  ri'stdted,  to  glance  briefly  at  the 
rcsjiective  rights  and  wrongs  of  Spain  and  l^ngland 
ill  this  connection,  Portugal  and  the  Ignited  States 
ncvei-  having  claimed  either.  Iii'esj)i'ctive  of  her  pre- 
tended exclusive  claims,  S[)ain  had  an  un(|uestioned 
riglit  to  Ibund  a  settlement  at  anv  noint  on  the  coast 
not  previously  occuj»ied  by  another  nation.     Xootka 

"Ml  111'  iT;ii;,'ii()it  i>iis,  (lisent-ils,  la  foiicniTi'iu'e  »lu  ri)rtuf.'iii.s ;  sa  iinlHtc  lo 
NUivii:  i[uaiit  aiix  Haiiiiioiis  l)()stoiiiL'us,  k's  IvsjiayiKjls.criiign-iit'iit  (^()!i'l•ll^;l.■^ 
l(  s  /■.'/iils-('n!s  y  ila  iiu  jmiivoiciit  pa.s  ouIjUlt  (jiic  cia  Ktats  Koiit  liicii  voisiiis 
'li'^  iiilif.4  !'i)ss('ssi()iis  lie  la  ('ouniiiin;  iVK'^jftiiiue  dans  VAniirr/'it'  i\\\  Xar'l.' 
J'''  iifii  II,  in  Miifi-hitiiil,  l'(iii.,i.  clxx  i.,  witli  ivfcruuce  io Dulrijinidi',  Ike Siiuiilah 
M(.iuui-ial  i<i' .liiiif  .',ili  ('oiis'tili ml,  London,  17SH). 
lllsi.  N.W.  CoAHT,  Vol.  I.    15 


220 


THE  XOOTKA  CONTROVERSY. 


was  such  a  point  when  ^fartincz  took  possession  in 
]\[ay  l7Hi>.  EnLjhuul  liad  no  shadow  of  a  riij;ht  to 
make  ohjeotions."  In  sei/inj^  the  I^thi<j('iiia  Maitinez 
jifavc  no  cause  of  offence  to  England.  If  the  pecu- 
liarity of  her  papers  did  not  justily  her  sei/.uri',  the 
Spaniard  gave  ample  satisfaction  for  liis  eiror  to  all 
conceriK;d,  England  not  being  in  any  sense  a  ]>aity, 
and  took  fonnal  certificates  to  that  effect.  Latei- 
the  AiyoiKtHf  and  Princess  Jlo)/al  arrived  and  were 
kindly  received  by  the  commander  of  a  S[)anish  ])oit. 
In  not  ])ermitting  Colnett  to  establish  his  colony 
at  Xootka,  ^lartinez  mu  .t  be  justified  even  from  an 
lOnglish  point  of  view;  and  he  had  a  peri'ect  i-ight  to 
seize  the  vessels  if  Colnett  persisted  in  his  puri)ose." 
The  vessels  were  actually  seized  because  Colnett  in- 
sisted, with  violent  and  insulting  language  as  was 
alleged,  on  carrying  out  his  instructions  to  found  an 
English  post  eitlier  at  Nootka  or  elsewhere  on  the 
coast.  If  it  was  elsewhere,  as  I  have  no  doubt 
it  wa-^,  though  other  writers  have  not  taken  tliat 
view  of  it,  then  Martinez  still  did  his  duty  as  a 
Spanish  officer.  To  have  permitted  the  erection  of 
an  English  fort  above  or  below  Nootka  would  have 


^-Mcaros  in  17S8  had,  with  chief  Maqninna's  permission,  built  a  honso  (m 
shore  for  temporary  purposes,  wliicii  was  toni  down  on  his  <k'i):ii-turc'.  ll:id 
lie  liought  tlic  land  in  good  ffiith,  as  he  claimed,  the  act  would  liiuilly  liavt; 
given  to  I'ortngal  any  territo  ial  rights,  antl  eertiiinly  it  could  have  given 
none  to  Knglan<l.  At  the  most,  if  Mearea  could  have  proved  that  he  jiail 
hought  the  land  in  yood  faith  as  a  private  individual,  ho  might  as  a  Jiritisji 
8id)ject  have  claimed  the  protection  of  his  government.  As  a  niiitter  of  fact 
the  weight  of  testiuKmy  and  jirolwibility  is  that  he  bought  no  laml;  auil  in 
any  case  the  theory  that  his  acts  gave  England  a  claim  to  N'jotka  is  too  absurd 
for  serious  consideration.  The  only  evidence  of  any  weight  ever  presented 
in  support  of  a  jairchase  of  the  land  and  raising  of  the  IJritish  llag  was  tl^e 
testimony  of  Mr  Ihiflin  in  1702,  ]'aiicoiirrr\i  I'oi/.,  i.  40."),  that  all  tlie  land 
forming  I'rienilly  ("ove  was  bought  in  his  presence  from  Macpiinna  and  (al- 
licuni,  in  His  lh'it;innie  Majesty's  name,  for  eight  or  ten  sheets  of  eopjier.  Tliis 
testimony  \\-ould  be  more  weighty,  though  by  no  means  eouclnsivc,  if  it  weio 
given  in  Mr  Duflin's  own  words.  Vancouver  cannot  be  trusted  to  state  fairly 
the  testimony  of  either  friends  or  foes. 

'■'  In  case  of  such  seizure  England  could  deem  herself  aggi'iovcd  only  by  -i, 
failuie  to  comply  with  the  formalities  of  international  law  and  usage:  but  on 
this  point  there  was  no  difl'erenee  of  opini(m  between  the  nations;  it  was  a 
Jnattcr  to  be  .settled  by  a  careful  weighing  of  the  testimony,  which  was  some- 
what conllieting  .is  to  the  way  in  which  the  Spaniards  had  treated  their  pris- 
oners and  disposed  of  their  property. 


SPAIN  ANP  FAT,  LAND. 


fat 


1)0011  a  oriiniiial  •lisro'L'ard  of  liis  instructions.  But 
liore  uroso  a  (juostioii  to  ha  sottlod  liitwoon  Spain 
and  En<jfland.  Spain  hud  always  claiiiiod,  l»y  virtuo 
of  prior  discovery,  the  nortli-wost  coast  as  j)art  of 
hor  domain,  on  wliicli  no  foreign  powor  had  a  ri^ht 
to  settle.  Prima  facie  she  had  this  riijfht  of  exclu- 
sivo  j)ossossion,  since  other  nations,  if  not  formally 
ackno\vled<^in<,^  had  never  successfully  disputed  its 
validitv.  Jiut  En'dand  had  uiKiuostionahlv  a  riylit  to 
dispute  the  claim  now;  and  if  l»y  arhit ration,  <liplo- 
macy,  or  war  she  couKl  obtain  Spain's  assent  to  her 
\  iews,  she  would  tlun  be  entitled  to  satisl'ac-tion  Ibr 
the  insult  to  her  ilag  at  Xootka,  and  to  insist  on 
damages  tor  the  injury  done  to  her  subjects  by  the 
seizure  of  their  vessels,  imprisoinnent  of  their  per- 
sons, and  the  breaking-up  of  their  connnereial  eiiter- 
pri 


St 


.    ii 


Jose  Tobai',  in  eonmiand  of  the  prize  Ari/onanf, 
arrivetl  at  San  Bias  in  August  and  i-eported  to  the 
viceroy,  doubtless  bringing  connnunications  from  ^[ai- 
tinez.  Those  reports  were  sent  at  ono  to  Spain, 
and  through  them  news  first  reached  Europe  of  what 
had  occurred  at  Nootka.  A  little  eai'lier,  in  eonse- 
(juencc  of  the  same  reports  that  had  caused  Martini'Z 
and  Haro  to  be  sent  to  the  north-west  coast,  Spain 
had  notitied  Russia  of  the  rumored  intention  of  her 
subjects  to  form  trading-jiosts  in  the  Si>anish  Califor- 
nian  dominion  south  of  Prince  William  Sound;   and 

■"I  cannot  agree  w-ith  Mr  Orcenliow,  Or.  fiml  dil.,  lt)8,  to  wlioin.  as  to 
most  writers,  the  real  irssue,  the  eMtiihli.-^liiiiciit  of  an  Kiiglisli  post  nc;ir  N'ocjtka, 
st'i'iiis  not  to  have  occurred  at  all,  wlieii  lic^  says:  'The  seizure  of  the  .  I /,'/"- 
Kdiit,  the  imprisonment  of  her  other  ollieers  ami  crew,  and  the  sixiliatitm  of 
her  cargo,  cannot,  however,  he  dcftiided  on  thosi!  (the  violent  l:iiigiiii;^e  of 
<'iil!iett|  or  on  any  grounds  allorded  hy  the  evideni'c  of  .■my  of  the  parties; 
for  .\hirtine/  had  no  reason  to  apprehend  an  attack  from  the  .1 /•'/())('(»/,  and  Vm 
had  heen  specially  instructed  l>y  his  iiinuediati'  supcrioi-.  the  viceroy  of  Mexico, 
to  suspend  with  regard  to  British  vess»'ls  on  t\w  north-west  coasts  tin'  <\ei;u- 
tion  of  the  general  orders  to  Spanish  comnMuidants,  foi  tlm  i-ei/ure  of  toreiLTU 
M'ssels  entering  the  ports  of  the  American  doniinions.  Still  less  cNiusahlo 
vas  the  conduct  of  ^lartinez  toward  the  sloop  /'riiirrsa  Itoijftl  on  her  Mconil 
arrival.'  This  is  all  true,  certainly,  in  the  sense  that  Martinez  had  no  right  to 
Kci/.e  the  vessels  merely  liueuuse  they  entered  a  Spanish  jKjrt  or  because  their 
captain  was  iusolcut;  but  that  was  by  no  means  uis  I'casuu. 


I 


2-28 


THK  XOOTKA  CONTIIOVEIISY. 


ilit'  Ihissinii  }j^i)Vi'i-i>iii('iit  rrj)li(.'(l  tliut  ordrrs  an'aiiist 

'd,   (Icsiriiin    the 


>SLU 


siifli  ciici'DacIiim-iits  had  bri-ii 
Spaiiisli  kiii;^-  <(>  put  a  stop  ti)  any  siicli  cstal)li.->li- 
iiu'iits  that  iiHL;"lit  Iiavc  hocii  i'ouiidrd  in  his  pos- 
M'ssioiis.^''     On    rt!<'i'ipt   (»r   tlu;   nc!\vs    iVoiii   Xoolka, 


S 


)aiii,  a 


t'tlT  1 


lavin!^'  appai't'iitly  si>ii 


it  Old 


crs  111  .Jamiaiy 


fur  thr  ivlrasc  of  tlio  cajitiiivil  vessels,  rcjxn'tcd  the 
atlair  to  the  En_i;lis]i  <;<)Vennneiit  on  Fehniary  10, 
17'.)0,  tlirou<4li  lier  amhassadors  in  Loiulon,  ut  tlio 
same  time  asking-  that  the  men  who  had  [)lanned  the 
expeditions  sliould  !•«'  jtunished,  in  ordi-r  to  deter 
<tthers  from  makiiiij^  settk-ments  in  S[)anish  territ(»ry. 
Tlie  reply  of  tho  JJritisli  minister  on  IVhruaiy  "JOlh 
Mas  very  (hllerent  t'rom  that  of  I'ussia  and  from  what 
had  heeli  expi'ctecL  It  was  to  tile  ell'ect  that  notliiliLj 
was  known  of  the  facts,  hut  that  the  art  of  violence 
iiu'iitioned  hy  the  S[)anish  anih.i ssador  must  neces- 
sarily susjH'jid  all  tliscnssioii  ot'  the  claims  made  until 
the  seized  vessel  should  he  restored  and  an  ade(juatu 
atoneine!it  mad"  ior  a  pr()ceeding  .-o  injurious  to 
(Jrt'at  Ih'itain. 

"  The  harsh  and  laconic  stylo  in  which  this  answer 
was  given,"  to  use  the  words  of  tho  S[)anish  min- 
ister, "made  the  court  of  ^Fadrid  suspect  that  tin; 
Iving  of  (Jreat  J  Britain's  ministers  were  forming"  other 
plans;"  and  the  suspicion  was  strentjfthened  hy  rejjorts 
«)!'  Ileets  heini;'  fitted  «»ut  for  the  Mediterranean  and 
iJaltic.  The  reply  meant  war  indeed,  and  was  so  in- 
terpreted hy  Spain,  wIukso  government  at  once  began 
to  make  warlike  preparations.  Spain,  however,  did 
not  desire  war,  and  she  soon  sent  anotluu'  mem<»- 
rial,  setting  forth  that  although  her  right  to  the 
Northwest  Coast,  founded  on  treaties  and  imme- 
morial possession,  could  not  he  (juestioned,  yet,  the 
vicerov  havin<>'  i-estored  the  vessels,  the  king  was 
willing  to  look  upon  the  all'air  as  coiicluded  without 

'"'Tliisia  the  Spanish  voi-sioii  in  corrosjunKlenco  to  l.e  noticed  presontly. 
It  i-i  nut  iirolKihk'.  howt'ver,  t!iut  Itiis^iii  cuutinittod  heruuif  to  uccupt  tho  pi'o- 
po^icJ  boimdiiiy  of  I'liucf  \V'jiliaiii. 


TRK  MR  ARES  MOIOniAL. 


229 


onterinj:^  upon  discussions  or  clisputos  witli  n  friendly 
I   would    \)c   coiitcnt    with   jui    oi'dor    that 


)0\VC1* 


un< 


Iritish    suhjorts    should    iu   futuro    ivspcct    Spanish 


[ 

lights  on  the  coast  in  (lucstion.  Ihit  J'jiuland  \va.^ 
by  no  means  ready  to  issue  such  an  oi'di'r  or  to  rcLjard 
the  ailair  as  concluded.  Her  answer  was  dated  May 
r)th,  and  was  a  renewal  of  her  remonstrances  a^i^ainst 
the  act  of  violence,  juid  of  hi-r  nliisal  to  consider  the 
(jUestion  of  ri^'ht  until  satisfaction  should  he  j;i\en: 
hut  to  it  was  joined  the  declaration  that  the  govern- 
ment "cannot  at  ])resent  accede  to  the  pretensions  of 
absolute  sovereignty,  commerce,  and  navinatio)!,  which 
appeared  to  he  the  p'.incipal  object  of  the  memorials 
of  till'  ambassador;"  and  that  the  hin;^  would  protei  t 
his  .'Uibjects  in  the  riL;ht  of  continuing  their  iislierirs 
i:i  the  l^iciiic.  ^leanwhile  prt'parations  for  war  wei'e 
hastened  in  l']iigland,  and  on  ^Fay  Kith  a  formal  de- 
mand was  pi-esented  j'or  the  restitution  of  vessels  and 
other  property  at  Xootka,  indemiiiiication  for  losses 
susu'iined  bv  ICu'dish  subjects,  ;ind  an  acknowledu- 
ment  of  tin  ir  riu'lit  to  free  navi'j'ation,  trade,  and 
lishery,  and  to  the  j)ossession  of  sucli  establishments 
it  be  fornu'd,  with  consent  of  the  natives,  \n 


as  miTi 


jilaces  not  previously  occujtied  l>y  other  .Luroj)eaii 
nations.  A  re(|Uest  was  also  made  for  a  suspeii;  ioii 
of  armament,  tii  whicli  the  Sj)aiiish  court  amiouuced 
its  V.  illiiif^ness  to  accede,  but  only  on  princi[>les  of 
reciprocity.*" 

Cnptaiu  ^Jenros  reaclu'd  Tiondon  from  China  at 
tills  juncture,  readv  of  course  to  furnish  anv  evidence 
tluit  mi'^fht  be  re(juired  of  his  wrongs  at  the  hands  of 
the  Spaniards.  His  memorial  was  dated  A[)ril  l]()\\\, 
and  was  j^roseiitod  to  the  house  of  commons  on  ^lay 
l:)th.  I  have  already  had  occasion  to  refer  to  this 
document,  which  was,  like  most  others  of  its  class  iu 
all  countries  and  times,  full  of  misrepresentations  and 

*"V[i  to  this  point  till'  onrro'^jMtiiiloiu'o  is  not,  so  far  as  T  know,  extant  iu 
its  o'i;inal  form,  but  is  ouly  Unuwii  from  citations  and  rcfi'ivuci's  iu  later 
documcuta. 


230 


THE  XOOTKA  COXTROVERSY. 


exaijf'r'orations,  \n  wliicli  ovorvtliinj^  is  clainied  in  tlio 
liopo  that  sonu'tliiujjf  may  l)e  olitaincd;  l)iit  it  con- 
tained anii»le  material  for  the  national  usi;  that  it  mus 
intended  to  serve.  His  claim  for  'actual  and  )>rol»- 
al)le  losses'  was  $05^,4:?/]  and  more/^  On  May  'JJth 
(JreoriDje  III.  made  tlu;  whole  aifair  kn<)\vn  in  outline 
to  jtarliamejit,  it  havinuf  been  hitherto  kept  a  .secret, 
and  next  day  was  duly  thanked  for  his  messaij^c  hy  the 
lords  .spiritual  and  temporal,  who  offei'ed  the  most 
zealous  and  eifective  support  lor  his  majesty's  warlike 
measures.^"*  Mr  Alleyne  Fitzherbert  was  sent  as  am- 
bassa<lor  to  IMadiid,  and  in  tJune  and  Ju'y  a  corre- 
spondence was  cai-ried  on  between  him  and  Count 
Florida  ]-51anca,  the  Spanish  minister.*" 

In  the  n('L';otiations  referred  to,  th<!  tone  (»f  Spain 
was  that  of  a  nation  whose  interest,  and  therei'.ire 
desire,  it  was  to  a\'oid  a  war.  Profe.ssinL;'  a  wish  f»»r 
peace,  she  was  willinj^'  to  L,nve  satisi'action  for  any  iii- 
sidt  or  ]>ay  a!iy  loss(>s;  and  she  would  make'  no  claim 
to  territory  that  did  not  justly  beloni;'  to  her;  but  it 
was  her  ri<''ht  to  claim  tiiat  the  nature  of  the  satis- 
faclion,  the  amount  (»{'  the  losses,  and  pai'ticulaily  llie 
justice'  of  her  teiritoiial  claims,  on  the  invalidity  of 
v.hich  alone  depended  tlieoH'ence  complained  '>f,slioiil  I 
tlrst  be  setth'd  by  arbitration  or  otherwise,     Jler  posi- 


tion was   altou'et  liel'  a   just  one 

1    >  if 


It 


was  hunnlial  111'. 


to  Spanish  pride  that  the  n.vtion  was  foi.-ed  in  her 

*''  Mirirrs'  Mtninrinl .  .  .mi  Cn/itiirr  of  n  iixrln  of  .Voo^/.vf,  7',"'",  \v;r)  ]>   'ili-In'il 
\n   l.oiul^  II,  Hi'|iiiiiitrly,  ill  iliifc   cilitidiis  of    I7II0  iiiul  I^'^IO,  Iwhidus  l«iiij; 

lUtlU'llC  1  to  .1/.  (,;•., -i'    I'd//. 

^"i  !ri'iiil>iiw ,  <h\  (iii'l  Cdl.,  '20.1-4,  lirioneoUMly  iiiakirt  tin-  <IiiU'  of  llio  im.i- 
Biigo  Miiy  .".til. 

•^.\  (Hi/itvf,  l')i-i/'.t/i  Shifi  /'iqurn  on  Ihf  Cniilntn  (••'II  (>/'  /,*'"'.  Tlii.s  tltlr  I 
f'iv(!  to  11  fillrction  (if  ilin'iiiiiciit^  |iiilili.slici|  in  liu"  Aiiniinl  /,'< i/iKlir,  x'  :,ii. 
■,';,'». '{0(1,  M'lfit  of  tliiiii  nil'  ic|iii.itti|  ill  (I'lii  iilniir's  (h'.niul  <'(il.,4\h  .'!'•. 
'i'lu'  ilinimiciits  ari'  ii><  fMllow*:  Miyjiili,  kin;,''M  iik'ssjij^o  »o  imi'li.iJiHlit ;  May 
'Jdtli.  iHJilrcKM  of  tiic  lords  ill  n  ply ;  |M,iy  l,'Uli|,  Niilistiiiii'i  of  Minrii'  Minm 
rill:  .liiiM'  nil,  ili't  i.'iiiilioii  of  kill;,' of  Si  1,1  ill  to;ill  (In?  Ki'ropi'iiii  coiiits;  ,liiii" 
IHtli.  I'loiiija  li!iiiic"i.  iiiiliiorial  to  I'it/in  ilifit  ;  |,lr.iii'  Mi|,  I'lt/lnlltfi  !'.< 
iiimv.it;  .liiiic  IStli,  l''lo -ida  niain'a'.s  it'ply;  .Inly  'JJlli,  dfrlar.i.tioii  and 
<  .Mii;r;-d('<'!ai;itiiiii  of  tlic  ,)artir-;  .liiiif  liiiii,  litter  of  < 'oiiiit  I'ciii.iii  N'lim/ 
to  M.  Moiitiiioriii,  m'crrtai y  of  I'l'iiiU'c ;  |.\iit;iHt  (itli  or  •Jl)t!i|.  iU'ctcc  "\ 
l.ati'.n.d  as.Mciiilily  of  l''raiiiv ;  (K'toliiT  'JS(!i,  Nootka  loiiviiitioii ;  '.  .vcintur 
'JUii.addiv.s.i  of  lord  mayor  I'tal.  of  Luiuloii  tu  kiii^j  on  the  Nuotkiu  jiim'JUioU. 


mem  IS  RiG^T. 


231 


weakness  tt)  appeal  in  humility  to  justice  instead 
«»f  li;iU''litilv  assei'tiniT  lier  iiower.  CVulos  J\'.  e\- 
plained  jiis  position,  his  ri;^hts,  and  especially  his  un- 
willinL!,'iiess  to  break  the  peace,  in  a  declaration  {<>  the 
Eiiroj)t'an  courts  dated  Juno  4th;  he  continueil  the 
preparations  hejjfun  lor  war,  and  on  June  Klt'i  called 
n[)oii  Fiance  for  the  aid  to  which,  under  the  laniily 
compact,  Spain  was  ei 


ititled 


lui'jland.ctn  the  other  hand,  readv  tor  war  and  con- 
hdeiit  that  her  rival  must  yield,  maintained  the  atti- 
tude assumed  at  first;  demanded  satisi'action  i"<»r  an 
oulra'^'e  on  tlu;  Jiritish  lla^';  i-eiti-jd  to  discuss  the 
(lUcstion  whether  or  not  any  outraLfo  had  heen  com- 
niittel;  claimed  the  ri^ht  of  her  suhjects  to  tiade  or 
settle  on  the  Xorthwest  (>N)ast;  and  declined  to  admit 
any  investii^Mtion,  discussion,  or  aihitrati  >n  of  S|i:ini>li 
ri;;hts.  Of  course  there  was  no  t'lement  of  jnsiicc  or 
rii^ht  in  t!i(!  i>osition  a.-sumed:  l)ut  a  i»owerful  nation 
in  tiiose  times  needed  n<t  such  element.  Jlad  the 
conditions  (»f  [)ower  Ikhmi  I'l'versed,  a  correspondiii;^ 
ch;i;i;jfe  in  tln'  resj)ectiv(.'  position  and  tone  of  the  ctm- 
lesl;nits  wonid  havtj  heisn  noted:  Sjtain  liai!^!»tily 
as-ertiii4'  hei"  rii^dit  and  imj)atient  of  ;dl  ari^imient  ; 
I'ji  ^land  lniml)ly  htit  lirmly  ui'^in^'  hei- e<}nitie-,  point  • 
iii.,^  to  the  expl<»i'ations  <»f  Drake,  Cook,  and  otlur 
Ihitish  na,vi;jfatoi's,  protestinLf  ^reat  anxiety  Wn  tin/ 
tran<|;iillity  of  lOujope,  dwellin<;'  elocjuently  «>!i  i\\r. 
iiiterv'sts  of  oth  'V  nations  in  a  free  fur-trade,  and 
showing;'  liie  ^veaUu-ss  of  a  mei'e  discoverer's  claim  to 
e\(  lusive  possession  of  tei'i'itories  which  S|)ain  had 
made  no  altempt  t<>  occnpy  or  nlili/,e.  On  the  real 
merits  of  the  case  tlh-j'e  wi-re  sti-on^"  arjj^unients  to  Im 
proented  nil  hotli  sides;  hut  in  this  coiiirov  eisv  tlu; 


JIK 


•It; 


liad  no  plact 


On  June  l<!th  Mr  l"'it/hei'l)ert  presented  ;\<  ;\  Kind 
<»f  ultimatum  the  wi!linu,'ness  df  his  ;^i>veniiiie!it  to 
n<'c(pf,  as  a  I'estoration  of  matters  to  their  orii^inal 
state  and  a  iieci-ssary  precedent  to  friendly  neL;''»t  ialion, 
ill!  oifer  of  the  Spanish  kiiiL,^  Ut  yisc  due  satisfacliou 


•  ' 


;  t 


Till!:  yOOTKA  CONTROVERSY. 


for  tlu'  insult,  to  restore  tliu  vcsst'ls,  and  to  Indonniifv 
the  o'vners.  Tin;  (juestion  niiij^Iit  also  l)e  lel't  open 
whetlier  i,lu'  fp/ni/nii"  ajid  Xorf/t  West  Airn'rivd  were 
justly  entitlt'<l  to  the  j)i'ot('ction  of  the  I'ritisli  lla;.^^ 
J^^loi'ida  Blanea  in  his  rej)ly  of  June  IKth,  while  jtro- 
testin:^'  a'j^ainst  the  i»rinei[»l{!s  assei'ted,  consented  to 
\\\v  tcfuis  pro] )osed  on  either  of  threi' coiiditioHs:  that 
the  insult  and  satisfaction  sliould  be  settled  hv  aihi- 
tration,  I'^ni^land  choosiiiiL;  any  European  kin;^  as  ai-hi- 
trator;  that  in  the  ne^^-otiations  no  facts  should  he 
admitted  except  such  as  could  he  oroved  ;   (ti-  that  fi 


•oni 

the  satisfaction  no  inf 'i-cnce  sliould  he  drawn  lo  alfect 
the  rii;-hts  of  Spain,  including-  thi'  I'i^lit  to  demand 
coimtci'-satislaction  if  it  sliould  he  I'ound  that  I]ii;^laiid 
liad  eiK-roacluHl  on  Spaiiisli  territory  in  violiiti<)n  of 
oxistin;,>;  treaties.  Tlie  IJritish  amhassadoi-  accepted  a 
niodilied  f  »rm  of  the  last  condition;  and  hy  a  deelar.i- 
tion  and  counter-declaration  siL;ne(l  on  July  'J4th  the 
r<'(|uii'ed  promises  were  'L>i veil  and  ri'ceived  hy  I'deiida 
JMaiica  and  Fitzherhert,  with  the  condition  that  these 
documents  were  not  to  affect  the  rights  ol'  either  power 
to  an  <'stahlisliiiiciit  at  Nootka.'"'*' 

It  is  stated  i>y  Calvo  that  this  atj^n^enient  was  vo- 
jected  hy  the  Ihitisli  cahliiet,  and  tliat  prejtaratioiis 
for  war  were  continued.'''      From  a  reference  in  later 


nt'Li'o 


iatioiis  to  tlie  document  as  still  in  force  I  c( 


m- 


•lude  (hat  such  was  not  the  case,  lait  that  liciotialloiis 


m   ac( 


ordanc<'  with   the  dedaratiiMis  weii-   he 


!>un  lt»r 


t!u'  settlement  of  the  I'eal  (|uestioii  at   issue.      Says 
AFr  (h'ei'iihow:  they  wen;  "coiitiiiue(l  at  Madrid  lor 


'i'wisH,  0/\  i^hiint..  Ill    l-J,  jiinfly  I'l-itici.si's  .Mr  <in'i'iiliii\\ 'h  virsiMii.  to 


tlifi'ilcil  tliiil  th 


.l.vl 


iriilioii'i  wcr,'  sciUlv  imt  t 


to  ililir)    lin' 


Vhuri'as  tile  rcMcrvjttiiiii  \\;is  iM|ii;illy  ill  f.ivnr  i>f  luitii  )ii 


/.'. 


;/  (• 


contiiiii . 


.1 


"/' 


-v  ,/.  y, 


I't.'..  I' 


IIOJ. 


111. 


,iit. 


!>.   wlii.li 


lUlit   ill  S|iaais!i  (if  t!lr  li(';,'(itiatii'll:A  aini  rfsi'.ll.-i.  ilirhhiilij^ 


HotlU!  of  tllO  <liK'UliHIit>i  ;ii\i'll    ill    t!lc  .1; 


ll    l.'r'/'is/li 


iiUvi  otlicrs  not  III 


t!iat 
t.f  .lati 


i|!fi'tioii.      Till'  lattir  ilirlmlr  two  li!  ivato  liott's  of  lloiiila   l.iaiu.'.'i,  i 


'(Kli  to  Count  Muiitnioiiii  in 


one 


re,  iiMil  the  otlnT  of  .\|i,il  (iili  to 


Count  I'l'iiiaii  XiiMt/,  iiotli  cNiilainiii.;  tiif  liilliiiiltiis  of  Siiain'.-i  ))o.-^iLion  iiml 
the  iijipari  !it  inipoi-isiliility  of  talviii.;  a  livni  stand  a;.;.iinst  l!ii;;li.sli  jin  t^■n■ion^^. 
'l'!u''c  i  :<  also  a  '  jilan  of  \\  liat  slioiiM  lir  done  ill  tin'  acliial  iiiviini,^tanii'.<  of 
Spain  w  itii  llii^lainl.'  wliicli  treats  of  military  ami  ilijilonialio  i.if.isuivs  of  .-i  If- 
luxjtfctiuti ;  uUu  uiiotitur  iiiiiiorttint  ducuinuat,  to  Imt  lacutioiii. '  1  u  liltlc  lutiT. 


IMPKXDTNT,  WAR. 


2r>3 


throo  months  jifnT  tlic  iiccrptaneo  of  tho  Spanish 
(le<'lar.ition;  (hnin.;^'  whidi  iicriod  coiirirrs  wt-rr  con- 
stantly Hyin;^'  hftwccn  that  city  and  Fiondon,  and  tho 
uholc  civihzod  world  was  k('j)t  in  snspcnsi'  and  anxicly 
as  to  the  i-osult."'^^  Mr  Fit/Ju-rlK'i-t  claimed  for  I'nij^- 
lishnu-n  the  right  to  trade  and  settle  on  any  pait  of 


iro- 


tho  coast  not  actually  occupied;   J'lorlda  IManca  ] 
j)osed  to  admit  tlie  rii^iit  ahove  nl    and  for  a  di:;{anco 
of  twenty    lea-'Ues    into    the    intei'ior.     I'hen    other 


loundaries  wel-e   sUi 


rLfestcd,  tl  o  l]nLdi.;]i  ambassador 


linrliy  consenting-  to  the  line  of  40',  from  the  Paeilic 
to  t!u'  Missouii,  beyond  which  line  the  teiiitoi-y 
shouhl  he  free  to  l)oth  nations,  the  suljects  of  each 
hayin;.:^  access  to  settlements  of  the  other;  hut  tin; 
S[)anini-(ls  declined  the  proi)ositi(  n. 

Alread\',  it  will  he  ohsei'N'ed,  ( Ireat  Ih-itain  had  con- 
siderahly  modiiied  the  spirit  of  hei-  di'inands,  because 
in  the  ever  chan^in^^  dewlojiments  of  t!ie  Kumpeau 
situation  war  seemed  l(\ss  and  less  to  be  desired  as 
the  (lavs  and  wet-ks  i)ass(.>d  on.  It  is  not  necrs.  ai-y 
to  de(i'il)e  tlujsi'  develo'inn'iits;   biit    the  atliti 


1- 


I'ance  was  a  coi 


itroll 


in-'-  ileuK^n 


t.     1 


)U1 


XVI 


la-   <)| 
V,a;' 


re.-idy  enf'U<>-h  to  accede  to  the  demands  oi'  S[)ain  for 
aid,  but  i-eferred  tln^  matter  on  AuLiUst  1st  to  tho 
national  assembly/''  which  body  on  the  2'')th  de- 
cided to  yreatly  increasi'  t];e  I'l-en**!!  armament,  and 
while  promisiuL!,'  to  obsei-ve  the  defensive  and  com- 
nicrcial  stij)idations  of  the  Ibrnu-r  treaty,  clearly  ini- 
pfu'd  that  l''i"ance  desired  pi-aceand  could  not  be  relied 
ell  foi"  aid  in  an  oifensi\e  wai-.     Tlii  -  action  made  it 


the  intc^rest  of  I'^n'-land  nov. 


;is 


it    h.id    1 


icell 


K! 


in  from  the  tii-st.  to  avoid  v,;;r.      With  l''ra 


l!i;;f   of 
nee  ell- 


lli'elv  neutral,  l''n';land  would  pi-obably  havi'  insisted 

:ld 


"11  a   ru;)ture;  with    i'h'ai 


ice 


as  an   a 


lb 


>;!m    Wo! 


'!r< I  ,iliinf',i  (>i:  mil/  fill.,  "JllT  ;   Suriiii. 


•il'  t/ii   ,V. ;/( 


t'/ilt.  a/i.s'    {t'-f'fMmtl  it 


I'll  Uii     ll'sii'ilv  Inlii'i'ii  Emiliiiiil  ilinl  Siiiiiii    in   Jl'.HI,   Ijoli.toll   O"'-").  ''V'S   vi. 


<';ilvo,  .'US,  Bii\s  the  (IriiiiiU'l  if  SjiMiii  Will  iiiaili'  fiftcr  t 


!<•  ii"n'('iiuii 


f  uf 


•'i:ly  -Ijli  li;i  1  liecn  njcrttil  liy  i;ii,^!.i!iil.  Ariniiliii ,'  t"  I'lc  dmuiiu  iil  lu  lliii 
.r  H,ii,l  /;,■/  ,',,•  it  \\;i.s  il.itiil  .hiiio  llitU.  (.ircciiliow  makuh  tliu  Ualu  ul  tlio 
iLNSLiiiljly  (lutii'u  August  (itii. 


Ij 


234 


THE  NOOTKA  CONTROVERSY. 


jirobably  not  luivo  yielded  without  a  .striij^glo  licr 
cliiiiiis  to  oxclusivo  sovereignty  in  the  nortli-west; 
hut  with  France  insisting  on  })eace,  an  aniicahle  set- 
tlement scorned  desirable  to  both  disputants."* 

Fit/.]ici"bcrt  ac(n»rdingly  subniitteil  a  neM  i)roposi- 
tion,  which  aCtcr  discission  and  niodilicalions  was 
agrci'd  upon  l>y  both  plenipotentiaries.  iJel'ore  sign- 
ing it,  however,  Florida  Blanca  submitted  it  to  a 
junta  of  high  Spanish  officials,  together  with  a  long 
argununt  in  lavor  of  its  adojjtion."'*  There  was  a 
bittci"  op[)osition,  for  the  concessions  were  humiliating 
to  Spunisji  pride;  but  it  was  necessary  to  sul)mit, 
choosing  the  lesser  of  two  evils,  and  on  ()cto))cr  "JStli 
was  signed  the  *  Nootka  c<Mivention,'  the  sn))stance 
of  which  I  ap])end  in  a  note.*'     By  this  treaty  Eng- 

"' ( { ronnliow,  oitinij  Tomlhir'.'^  Lif<'  of  Pilf,  (lescrilios  ^Il•  I'itt's  suoict  I'll'oits 
ti>  aoimil  till!  intciiliiiii.sof  tliu  Frt'iicli  Assi'Uilily  ;  ami  »ay:s  that  it  \\i.s  tiiri)ii;jrli 
tlio  iiu'diiitiim  (f  iiit'iiilnTs  of  tliat  liixly  tliat  now  lU'jrotiatimiH  wcic  ojiciud. 
f'alvo,  JiWiail,  ;t4i),  tells  ua  that  the  proposition  came;  fi-oiii  tliu  ijik'uu  nf 
I'ortiigal. 

'■■"•'I  111!  iloctimciit  is  j.'iv<^ii  ill  full  in  Cu'rn,  I'cciiiil,  IIM-'k  nnd  is  a  vtiy 
iiit(  ivsti!i'4  oiii^  'I'ht!  author  paints  tho  contlition  of  his  loinitry  in  vi  ry  iLiik 
iMiloi-.-:,  CAplaiiiin;^  tliat  it  has  ni'itht't'  money  noi'  ciidit  fur  a  fuivi;,'ii  \\:iv. 
lio  takcM  uji  tho  otlirr  jiowtTs  one  hy  one  in  (irtler  to  ishow  the  pro.peets  of 
uaiiiiMH  foreiun  alliaiiee ;  solium  are  hostile  or  liounil  to  the  foe  ;  houk'  are  williim 
lint.  iHit  \\niih  t'lc  liaviiig;  otiiel'H  wonhl  demand  too  gnat  a  [iliee.  lU'.siii 
i<  the  most  proiiii^ii!;;  ally.  'I'he  I'nitt'd  States  has  lieen  Houm'.ed  aiid  i  ■  \m11 
diNjiofied,  laituoiild  insist  on  tiie  free  navigation  of  the  Mis>ii.ssi|ipi  a:iil  lu 
!\  lafe  [.art  of  I'loiida.  The  I'eply  of  I'l'anei!  siiows  that  she  i.i  ^ct  he  >\v- 
))eiidiM|  on.  as  there  are  a  thousand  definitions  of  a  'di'fensive' alliaiiee;  and 
eviii  if  well  dia|M)s»d  her  strenj,'th  is  nnmanaf,'eahle  hy  reason  of  Inteinal 
coiiiiiliralioiis.     'J'he  eoiint  admits  that  to  yield  will  greatly  wi'aUen  Siiaui-li 

ijowir  in  America,  and  eneourago  the  pretensions  of  other  powirs  l)esi<les 
Miylaiiil. 

^"'Thi  ir  ISritannic  and  C'atholie  majesties,  lieing  desirous  of  t  'rmiiiatiii;.', 
liy  a  speedy  and  solid  af,'reemeiit,  the  dil.'erenees  w  iiieli  liaxc  lati  ly  aii.eii  1»- 
tween  tlie  two  crowns,  ha\e  adjudgeil  that  the  hest  way  of  ohtainiUL;  thi  (  s;iln- 
tary  olijeet  would  l)e  that  of  an  amiealile  arrangement,  whith,  hjettiu^'  a.^de 
ull  retro^;pectivo  discussion  of  the  rights  and  iiretensions  of  the  two  parties, 
should  tix  their  respective  situation  for  the  future  on  a  liasis  eiiiiforiuahle  to 
their  tine  interests,  as  well  as  to  the  mntnal  desire  with  which  their  sii'l 
niaji'sties  are  animati'd,  of  establishing  with  each  other,  in  eveiything  and  in 
nil  ]ilai'es,  the  most  perfect  friendship,  harmony,  and  good  correspoiidi  nee.  iu 
this  view  they  have  mimi'd. .  .who. . .  liaveagreid  npon  tiie  follow! ii  particles: 

'  Aktici.i-,  I.  It  is  agreed  that  tin?  liuildiiig.i  and  tracts  of  laiul,  hiliiated  on 
the  north  west  coast  of  the  continc;)t  of  North  America,  or  on  i;  lands  ad- 
jacent to  that  continent,  of  which  tlie  Sidijeets  of  His  ISritannie  m.i,;csty  veii: 
disp<iss(Msed,  ahoiit  the  month  oi  April  1781),  by  a  Spanish  otlicer,  shall  he  n- 
Btoiiil  to  the  said  Mritisli  sulijects. 

'Aur.  "J.  Ami  fiiither.  a  just  reparation  shall  he  nia<le,  according  toiiic 
nature  of  the  ease,  lor  all  acts  of  \iukiice  or  hostility,  which  may  have  bicu 


THE  TREATY. 


2,15 


land  scoured,  and  Sjtain  retained,  tlie  riifhts  of  com- 
nierce,  havigatitjn,  and  settlenient  on  the  Paeiiie  ccuist 
abovi'  San  Kranei.seo.  Eaeli  nation  was  to  luive  IVee 
access  to  the  establishments  of  the  other  in  tho.ic 
]('L;ions.  Jn  retui-n  for  the  rights  conceded,  England 
pledged  herself  to  [)revent  her  subjects  from  cai  i  yliig 
on  an  illicit  tra<le  with  the  Spanish  settlements,  or 


a  \\;iv. 

iiccts  iif 

v.illiim 

i  ■  w.ll 
:i:i>l  ''II 
1.0  .!>•■ 
icc;  mid 
iiU'iiiiil 
;Uli<li 
liL'siiluS 


;  ii.Milt! 

ir  ^aiil 
^iinl  ill 
ire.    Ill 

itt'il  I'll 
Jills  fill- 

ir  lio  II- 


to  tll<^ 


nmimittcil  suliscfjucnt  to  the  inniitli  of  April  17>S{),  liy  tlic  «iil»jirts  of  litlicr 
of  till'  iDiitractiiig  [Kirties  a^'jiiiiHt  tlir  Hiibjccts  of  tiiu  otlicr;  and  tiiat,  in  ciiM- 
any  <f  the  Maid  rcsnoctive  suljji'cts  Hliall,  silicr  tlu:  isaiiir-  jniIimI,  liavi;  lii'cn 
fdi'cilily  dis|M)s.si'HSL'il  of  their  lauds,  Itiiildili^'.",  vi^wscls,  iiicrchuiidisf,  ami  otlit  r 
jiiojiorly  wiiati!V»:i',  on  the  said  coiitiiifiit,  oi- on  Iho  seas  or  isluiid.s  adjai'int, 
tiny  xliall  Ik)  ri'-estiil)lishu<l  in  thu  itosxcssioii  tiuTviif,  or  a  just  i.'oiin>L'U.s.itii>u 
hIiuII  1)1'  iiiadi!  to  tlu'iii  for  the  losses  wliioii  tluy  have  sustained. 

'  AiiT.  .'{.  And,  in  order  to  streugtheii  the  Iionds  of  frieiidship,  iind  to  pre- 
)<(fve  in  future  a  jHirfect  liarniouy,  ete.  .  .it  is  a^ieed,  tiiat  tl. -ir  ri'sjHetivo 
siiiijcets  i^liall  not  he  disturhed  or  molested,  either  in  iie  .igatin;,' or  eairyiu:,' 
oil  llieir  lisiuiies  in  the  I'aeilic  Oiean,  or  in  the  Sonlii  Suas,  or  in  landliii^  on 
the  eoasts  of  tliiwe  seas,  in  jilaces  not  already  oecupied,  for  the  purpose^  uf 
eiiiryiii'4  on  tluur  eoniineiei;  with  the  natives  of  the  country,  or  of  niakiiii.; 
settleiiit  iits  there;  the  whole  siihjeet,  neverthel  ,'ss,  to  the  restrietionsspicilitil 
ill  tlie  three  following;  articles: 

'Ai;T.  4.  Jlis  Hritaniiie  majesty  engages  to  take  the  m'wt  effectual  meas- 
ures to  prevent  the  navi;,'ation  ami  li.^hery  of  hLs  suhjectsiu  the  I'aoilie  Oeiaii, 
or  i"  l!ie  South  Seas,  fi'om  heiiig  made  a  pretext  for  illicit  tridr  witli  tiie 
Sl<aiiish  settlements;  and,  with  this  view,  it  is  moreover  expri-ssly  stipulated, 
that  llrilish  suhji'Cts  shall  not  navigate,  or  carry  on  their  lisheiy  in  the  said 
Kens,  witiiin  tlie  sjiaee  of  tell  sea  leagues  from  any  iwirt  of  the  couutei  already 
occiijiicd  liy  Spain. 

'.\i;r.  .">.  U  is  aijreed,  that  as  Mill  in  the  places  which  are  to  he  reston  il 
to  the  Jiiitish  hulijccls,  liy  virtue  of  the  first  article,  as  in  all  otln  i  parts  of 
the  nortii-wcHtiin  coa.'^ts  of  North  America,  or  of  the  islands  adjacent,  situ- 
ateil  to  the  north  of  the  parts  of  the  said  coast  already  oc<u pied  hy  ^paiii, 
V  lierever  the  suhjectsof  either  of  the  two  Jioweis  sh.ill  liave  made  settle- 
ments since  the  month  of  April  IT'^!*,  or  shall  lieriat't.er  make  any,  the  sulijei  ,h 
of  till'  other  shall  have  fiei  access,  and  shall  eairy  en  their  trade  '.viilioul  any 
distuilialiee  or  molestation.' 

Akt.  li.  No  .setthnieiits  ti)  he  iiuulc  by  Huhjeets  of  either  jpower  on  eoasts 
and  islands  of  .South  America  south  of  parts  alreaily  oeciipietf  liy  Spain  ;  \et 
siilijccts  of  hi'tli  powers  may  land  foi-  pnipuses  uf  lisliery  and  of  erecting 
tempi ir;iry  luiildings  serving  only  for  those  purposes. 

.\i!r.  7.  In  all  casi  s  of  complaint  or  infiai ! ion  of  the  articles  of  t!ie  pres- 
ent con\ention,  the  ollicers  of  either  party,  Mlthoiit  iicr-mittiiiL;  thcnisilMs 
l>ic\  ii)u.-!y  to  comniit  any  violence  or-  act  of  fmc  •.  ?-hall  lie  ImiiiihI  to  ih.'.'im'  an 
i'\:ict  i-eiiur  t  of  the  alliiii',  and  of  its  liiciini'tanri-i,  to  tin  ir  respective  courts, 
mIi'i  will  terniiriate  such  dilU  ii'iices  in  an  amicaMe  niaiuiei', 

Ai;r.  S.  < 'onveiition  to  he  ratilicd  in  si.\  weeks  or  BiNiner  frinn  ilate  ol 
hiLrniilni'e,  I'tc. 

Sieiit  .\rticli'.  [Unknown  to  li|-eenho\\,  Twiss,  et  ill.  I  .\rticle  it  is  to 
iii'iiiiii  in  force  oidy  as  long  as  no  setlleiinnt  is  made  on  tlio.se  coasts  li\  the 
nilijicts  of  any  thir'd  power'. 

To  lie  found  in  Ca/m,  Ifi.ni  il.  .Vtd  !•;  Annniil  Iti 'jiuli  r,  xxxii.  .'{().".  .">;  '■'('n  //- 
hiir'!^  (J,:  null  ('ill.,  47<>-7;  '/'"/'.is'  >)i-.  tjn.^i..  II,'!  17;  md  in  many  otler 
^*  "rl;s.   .\  'opy  was  sent  at  once  to  California,  and  ia  found  in  Arch.  Cal.,  MS., 

J'njf.s/.  i'uj,,,i\.  aoy  13. 


Tlli.  \OOTKA  CONTROVERSY. 


i 


If 


c'ViMi  fiv»in  npju'oacliiiiLj  witliiii  tt'U  leaj^ucs  of  tlu)so 
(•••jisis  uhviuly  ()C('ii|>"k'(l  l>y  Spuiii;  also  to  f(niiMl  no 
[icruKiML'iit  c'stablishiiR'iits  below  the  Si)a!iish  ])osscs- 
.sioiis  in  South  Anu'rica.  Lands  and  buildings  taken 
from  JJtiti.ili  subjects  in  the  Xootka  region,  that  is 
if  any  had  been  taken,  were  to  be  ri'stored.  The 
ratiiieations  were  iinally  exchanged  on  N»)Veniber 'Ji'd, 
in  ^ladiid.  In  December  the  matter  came  up  in  the 
Englisii  ]»arliament,  wheiv  the  o(»|)ositi(»n  icgai'ded 
the  treaty  very  much  as  it  had  been  regar<led  by  the 
Spani-;h  junta,  as  a  cul})able  concession  to  a  foreig;i 
jn)W(.r.  In  Madrid  it  st-emed  sim])ly  that  tlie  ((in- 
vention opened  to  ICnglish  settlement  a  porii(»n  of 
Spanish  territory  in  let  urn  foi-  concssions  whicli 
were  but  njere  acknowledgments  of  well  known  Sj>an- 
i>h  jiglits;  but  thi;  London  view  of  it  was  that  by 
the  ;;ai;ic  convention  an  ]']iiglishman's  undoubted  right 
to  trade  and  settle  in  any  jiar^  of  America  h;id  bicn 
unjustL'  ;:nd  needlessly  restricti'd.  The  average  i'Jig- 
li-!i  n;;:id  coid<l  ne\-er  comj)i'ehend  that.  Spaniards 
had  aiiv  rights  v/orthv  of  considei-ation.  The  oiiMosi- 
tion  in  j);)rliament  amounted  })ractically  to  nothing; 
for  llie  ministry  had  so  lai'ge  a  majoiity  th;it  it  va.-> 
j>ot  deemed  necessary  v\v\i  to  explain  the  diiliculties 
sngg'estcd  by  the  op[)osition.''''' 

\/hile  the  Nootka  onxention  was  in  one  sense  a 
1riui;![)h  for  CJreat  Britain,  since  ^lu-  gained  llr  jM»int, 
at  is  iue,  the  rii-ht  to  trade  and  scltk  on  tl;e  Xortli- 
\vest  Coast,  an<l  a  liiimiliation  and  defeat  for  Spain, 


K'(  au-i.' 


le  Wi 


•r<  ( (I  to  give  up 


her  ch 


ums  ti»  exclu- 


sive I'ights  in  that  i-egion.  yet  it  was  practically  a  fail- 
iirrangemeut,  anil   not  h  ss  favoiable  to  S[>a!:i  than 

■'''  f/enisdrif'x  Ptirfliiniftitari/  Thf»if<'y,  xxviii.;  >:rifnhnir^H  Or.  "»</  ''"'., 
•Jll  I.").  Till"  \Ksi<  of  tin-  <l:itl-  .\|.nl  ITS!*  iimt.fii.l  id  Muy  iar  i\w  NiM.tk:i 
tvriit.i  Wiiy  liuturall.s  at  tlu'  tiiiua  sii?-;nciiMis  riiciiiimtiliut  in  .(imicftiiiuw  li 
tlif  pn  .  '  A\  <>f  Arlii'lr  *_',  tliat  pruiH  'ry  taki-ii  huliMi|iU'iiTl\  tn  .\]i?il  slmuM 
Ik'  I'l-dto-  -l  itf  jyiihl  /or:  yi't,  alllioiiiiii  caii'li-HsiicsM  in  sinli  a  mattrr  wnuM 
tAcm  iKilikoly,  it  is  im|iiissil)li>  tn  ilisiovcr  any  liidilcn  |)in|>i)«i'  in  tlu'  <Mfiii  tn 
favoi-ciJior  party  a.s  au'aiiit*t  tlicotlii  r.  >h'  Kox's  iil>|ci'tii)ii  that  tlir  tvity  li'tt 
niiini  I  11  Kcvoral  iioiiits  tor  ililleiciit  iiiturpi'i!t5*tiou8  auil  coum-ipicnt  truiiliKs 
WHO  of  mure  weight. 


is. 


SPAIN  RETTRES. 


'IV 


It  i)y 

right 


lilies 


:si>  a 
|i(iint 
|(.rlli- 
^jKiiii, 
■\rlu- 
|i  tail" 
than 

1/  Cnl., 
N<>iitk:ii 
■ill  w  .  Ii 
|slii>u''l 

\Vli\ll<l 

friiii  t" 
|,ty  li't't 


Eiig'l;in(l.  Sjiniii's  coiicrsslDii  was  to  licr,  cxc^ciit  as  a 
matter  of  j)ri<l(',  a  sliglit  one,  since  slu-  had  ii<»  use  fur 
iioi-tlx'ni  jtossi'ssions  except  as  a  means  of  j»r(»tectioii 
ngaiiist  foreign  encroaoliment^;  while  (tn  i\u'  other 
liand  the  concessions  of  her  rival,  if  faithfully  canie  I 
out,  would  1)0  of  great  practical  a(lvantag(!  t(»  her. 
S[)aiii  might  properly  have  made  a  similar  treaty,  not 
including  the  satisfaction  for  Martinez' acts  at  Xootka 
h(>we\'ei',  if  she  had  Imu'U  in  c(»ndition  for  wai':  thoug'i 
jiiideand  i)o[)ular  sentiment  wouM  prohahly  have  pre- 
vented it. 

l>y  tlu»  tn^atv  Sj)ain  must  he  deemed  to  have  relin- 
quislicd  forevei"  all  her  claims  to  sovei'eigntv  on  the 
noi'th -western  coasts  as  founded  on  discovei'v.  'i'lie 
rt'gion  was  restored  to  what  may  he  termed  a  state  of 
nature,  with  the  exception  of  Nootka,  which  was 
already  a  legitimate  Spanish  possession,  though  siih- 

Withln  it  eilhei* 

s " 


jueiitly  ahandoned,  as  we  sh. 

pain    or    I'Jigland    might    form    settlements    at    any 
])oints  not  pre\iously  occupied,  and  l>y  this  act  might 
juiri>  sovcj-eignty  over  extents  of  territory  to  In  <|e- 


termined  at  the  time  or  later  when  (|Uestiiins  ef 
honndary  should  arise.  I  cannot  accept  the  theoiies 
a(lvocate<l  to  some  extent  in  later  years  that  Spain, 
retaining  the  sovei-eignty,  Nim|tly  conceded  to  Iv.igli-!) 
suhjects  the  pri\ilegt-  i-^'  forming  settlements  within 
her  territory  for  special  pm  ptwcs;  that  the  settK'inent  s 
|>io\ided  for  w«  re  meiH'  ti.-hling-posts  lor  temiiorary 
tise:  oi-  that,  as  ^Fr  (Jreeuliow  [>uts  it,  "hoth  parties 
le  liv  the  coiiMiition  e(|ua!ly  exchidt'il .  .  .froniexer- 
that  juri>dicti(tn  which  is  essi-ntial  to  political 


\\( 


cl-^lU'l 


sovereignty,  over  any  Spot  north  of  the  most  norihern 
Spanish  settleim-nt  on  th      racitic."'*''     It  is  not    Uii- 

•''*'*  il'fcnhow's  hKsi  is  tlmt  tin'  frcr  iHrcssdl'  nuli  to  tlif  (itlin-'s  Hcttlciiiiiit-* 
wniilil  (listjiiy  tlu'  sc>v«Ti,'i;,'iity.  wlii'  li  siiiiis  all  iil)>ui'ilits .  Me  JiN'i  woU't- 
'Tlic  riiiiM'iitioii,  ill  liiu'.  «'st.il)li'-liril  111  «  liiisi  >  t'nr  the  iiii\  I  ;.iiiiiii  iiinl  li  .ln'iy 
ii!  llic  'csin'itixr  |iiirtu's,  ami  tin  ir  •  hIi'  v  iili  tlii  iiitivo  <iii  tlif  iiimiTiijiic  I 
iiKist.s  nf  AiiH'iii"!  ;  I'Ut  it  (tttiTiiiMii 'l  iinlliiii^  n  ,r:iicliii;4  till!  rijiits  uf  ••iilii  !• 
tn  till'  .sii\isi'ii:;iity  <if  iiiiy  |Mirti'>ii  ut'  Aim  rif.i.  <  \>.'|>t  m>  tar  as  it  in:.}  iiniily 
.'III  iil>r(i;iiili<iii.  or  raliii'f  a  siis|M'iisiiiii,  nt  all  siuli  ilaiiiis.  mi  Ikitli  siil"s.  tn  a:;y 
I't  t'liisc  t'liasts."  It  «.is  iii.li'i'il  ail  alii'i(,'ali  xiof  all  existing  clailU:^,  Imi  ii"!  uf 
t'u:  I'i^iit  tu  cfitulilish  uuw  uucs  by  lii lUuiacut. 


2:)8 


THE  NOOTKA  CONTROVERSY. 


likely  that  Spain  niijjflit  in  later  years,  had  it  socniod 
for  her  iutorost  to  do  so,  have  claimed  that  she  had 
j^Manteil  nothin<^  more  than  a  privilejuje  of  estahlishiiii^ 
tei!i[)orary  tradinj^-posts;  and  indeed  there  is  some 
evi(len<*e  tliat  even  now  she  lia<l  a  vai^ue  hope  of  maiii- 
taiiiiii!^  that  tlie  whole  territory  in  (juestion  had  hem 
so  iully  'oceiipied'  as  to  preelude  any  Enijjlish  scttlt- 
nieiits  under  tlu;  treaty;  or  at  least  of  insistinLj  on  thu 
Xoi»tka  settlement  as  tlie  southern  limit  of  the  rcniou 
free  to  the  J^ritish  traders/"  But  the  meaning,'  of  the 
tre;ity  is  dear,  and  Sj)ain  could  not  justly  ohject  to  iin 
KiiLflish  establishment  anywhere  ahove  Cape  Men(l<t- 
ciiio  at  the  highest.  No  controversy  ever  arose,  how- 
ever, hetween  tlie  two  i)owers;  and  indeed  it  is  not 
ini]>()ssihle  that  the  secret  treaty  of  alliance,  generally 
helieved  to  have  heen  signed  ahout  this  time,  <'ontaiiied 
a  iiiiitual  agreement  not  to  found  any  permanent  set- 
tlements on  the  coast. 

Tliis  matter  of  sovereignty  in  the  north-west  under 
t]]r  convention  of  October  171)0,  nhout  which  Spain 
mid  lOiiglaiid  never  foinid  h^isure  to  (juai'i'el,  or  excn 
to  interfeie  with  the  ti'ading  operations  of  a  thiid 
party,  the  Americans,  assunuul  some  importanci>  in 
later  discussions  rcisptjcting  the  (piality  of  the  title 
transmitted  by  Sj)ain  to  the  United  States;  and 
another  (piestion  of  interest  in  the  same  connection 
was  whether  the  Nootka  treaty  was  of  such  a  nature 
as  to  1)0  nullifitsl  by  subserpient  war  between  the 
contracting  parties.  These  phases  of  the  to[)ic  will 
reciiive  attention  in  their  proper  place. 


M 


"■'Viooroy  Rovillii  fJij^'cilo.  In/orme  12  <!<>  Ahr'd  t79.T,  i;M-.'>,  kcciiis  ti> 
linvi'  III)  suspi('i<;ii  tliiit  till'  Ndvtiiwost  Coa^t  wan  tlirnwu  oju'ii  tu  Mii'.'lisli 
tradiTs  mill  Hcttlcrs.  He  ri';.'an!s  Artii'k's  H  iinil  4  of  tlio  treaty  "f  littlo  iin 
jcirtiilicc,  lierausf  tlicro  ai'c  'fi'W  or  no  iliioccnintMl  Hpots.  .  .  w  liifli  ari3  imt 
Kiilijirt  to  Siiaiii.sli  iloniiiiion.'  Ami  lie  ineiitioiisii  royal  order  of  1  KtiiiiIu'i- "J"), 
\~'.M,  to  tin;  t'll'cct  that  tiic  English  conld  only  setth;  north  of  Xootk^i,  'tiii 
dividiiif,'  line  lictwwMi  our  loi,'itiinute  iio.ssessions  and  the  regions  open  for  thi: 
reciprocal  use  iind  trade  of  hotli  nations  lieiug  lixed  at  4S'.' 

'■"Se])teinlier  ((,  ITS!).  The  viceroy  writes  to  the  governor  of  Cidifornia  that 
liy  the  king's  order  llritish  trading  vesst^ls  must  not  I>m  niolestod ;  hut  if  ihiv 
iir.kc  Nettleinenta  I'ontrary  to  the  treaty  they  must  he  wjwiK'd  and  the  Uinj,' 
imorniud.  Arch.  Vat.,  MS.,  Pruv.  St.  Pap.,  xi.  3(>-40. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


EXPLORING  AND  COMMERCIAL  EXPEDITIONS. 
ITIK)   ITitt. 

Spanish  Puiotcrp atiox  op  Nootkv  nv  Ei.isv — Fidaloo's  Expi.oiiaiiov  in* 
Tilt  Nitinii— Qrnii'Ku  in  tiik  Strait  ok  IYca—Hh  (Juaui-  ('hiaktt 

ANI>  TUB  '  AutJONAIT' — No  Frit-TKAIIK  — KKNOUK'K'.S  ScHKMKS    -1-'\!'I,0- 

nAiiiNs  <iK  IT'.tl  —Tiik  'San  ('akuos' — Emsa's  Si  uvi;v  oi'  tmk  Stkaii  — 
Ills  Mat -Tiik  Nootka  Coast— Thk  Tuansi'okt  'Akanzazit' -Mai.as- 

I'lNAS   EXIM  IMTIKN    IN    TIIK  '  I>KsrrillKKTA'  AND  'AtkI'.VIDA'    -TllK    <1aII- 

nisoN — Tin:  Poston  Tkakkks — (Jkay  ani>  Haswki.i,  -Kkni'Iihk  - 
Inciiaiiam—Maiuiianii's  Visit  ami  Mai- — Fi.Kri!iKi:'s  Essvv  Vi>VAt;i;.s 
OF  1702 — Tiik  Tkahkiw  — Tiik  'Coliimiua  Ukiuviva"  P.i  ii.hinc  op 
Tin:    'AovKNTruK' —  Haswki.l's    Loo  —  Maokk,    ('ooi.iht;!:,     i'.it'iwv, 

STKWAItr,    PaKKK,    SlIKI'IIKKO,  ( 'oi.K  — PoilTIOIKSK  VlvSSKI.s      A   I'llliNilI 

TuAi>i:ii  -Spanish  Exim.ouations— CaamaSo  in  iiik  NoiiTii     (iAi.i  \n<» 

ANli  \'ALi)KS  UN    IIIK  'S|-TII.'  ANIi  'MKXirANv'    -Tlllini  .,11  TIIK  SiKAir  iiK 

Flta — Navaurkte's  Simmary — VANCOtrvKii's  Exri.(»;:iN(i  Exi'i'.i'iiinv. 

Vici:u()Y  Flokes  bad  rosolvod  to  ()('(U[>y  Xootka 
oil  liis  own  ivsponsibiiity.  Why  he  onlcix'tl  Maitiiic/i 
to  ahaiuloii  the  post  is  not  known;  [)(>ssihly  he  was 
iVi.s'htrni'il  at  thi'  prosjujctivo  results  ol'  his  sulxn-di- 
iiatc's  acts,  or  royal  orders  may  simply  ha\v  i't'([nir('d 
llu'  juvscnco  of  the  vessels  and  oilici'rs  elsewhere. 
( )ii  Oetohi'r  IH,  17H0,  however,  the  eonde  de  Hevilla 
(Ji'-edo  fsueceeded  Flores  as  viet>rov,  and  lie  at  oneo 
ti>ok  steps  to  renew  the  occupation,  (»rders  iVnm  the 
Isini^"  to  that  etlect  havini(  been  received  too  late  to 
jiievent  the  recall  of  Atartinez.  Similar  oidirs  were 
icnewed  ai'ter  the  news  of  Xootka  events  had  reacluil 
I'luiope.  The  new  expedition  was  jiut  under  the  t  oni- 
iiiand  of  Lieutenant  Francisco  Elisa,  who  sailed  on 
the  shi[»   Couci'iKioHy  with  the  snow  San    (Jdrlos,  or 


240 


KXPLOUIX*;  ANP  COMMEPCIAL  KXPRDITIOXS, 


Filiiuiio,  iindci'  liii'Uti'iiant  Salvjidor  l""'i{l;ilLC<»,  juul  tlip 
slodp  I't'iitrc.^fi  I'cal  -{\\iii  is,  tin-  faptuicd  Prtinrss 
Jioijol — niulc-r  Allurcz  M.-mucl  QuimiMi-.' 

TIi<'  time  vi'ssels  salk'd  from  San  JJlason  Frl)j-uarv 
n,  I7'.)0,  Will  litti'd  and  siijn)licd  lor  a  year,  rarryiiii;' 
also  a  conipauy  of  voIuiitciT  soldins  foi-^^aii'isoii  duty,'-' 
to,%'c(Ii(.'r  wlih  ai'tllliTy  and  all  tliu  nt'ccssary  war-stores 
lor  the  northern  pres'nho.  The  voya'^'e  was  uneventfnl, 
and  t!ie  linst  land  sighted  was  at  Woody  Point.  'I'lie 
two  Spanish  vessids  Jinelioi'ed  at  Xootka  on  Ajiril  atli, 
and  the  loss  speedy  lin^lisli  prize  arrived  two  days 
later. 


l^^ 


oil;  was  at  once  l»ej_>un  on  the  ivstoi'ation  ot 
the  old   I'oililieation   and    harraeks,     The  formal  act 
r  j)ossesHion   took  placi'  on  tlie  loth,  MJien  the  lla;. 


was  I'.nfiriled  and  saluted  hy  a  o'eneral  dischariJ'e  of 
the  nev.jy  mounted  j^ims.  I)uiinL(  tlie  rest  of  the 
year  notliin;^*  is  known  to  have  ((ceui'i'ed  to  distuil* 
the  peacei'ul  moiKitoiiy  of  i^arrison  life  at  Santa  (Vu/ 
de  Xutl;a.*  TIk  eliief  ^fafpiinna  had  retired  to  sonu; 
distance  fiom  \\\v  p(»rton  account,  of  unt-xplained  (hlll- 
eulties  with  ^lai'tinez;  but  on  heinijr  assured  that  a 


('oniniaiidi'r  I'.lisii  whs  iiiatruotiMl  ti>  fortify  the  fuit  anil  t'lvot  tlio  siinplu 


lU'l'OS:-;!'  V    lll'.l 


lll.-VS,   llwi'llill 


•1 


MCC 


thv  f) 


(if  the  Inili.ins.  t  ciiliii''  tliem  \\\ 


llislinp: 


li 


WHS   t. 


til  .1 


iscictliili,   l'l\ c,  till 


.1 


nniiU  net' ;  t:)(kfinil  tin.'  estiiljlisliiiH  n^  fioiii  cviTy  insult,  wliittlaT  fiuiii  tin: 
l!iili,ii!:i  I'l'  friim  t!i".'  siilijri'tH  of  iiiiy  fi.iii.;ii  jjowi  r;  not  to  insist  on  ii  iiiiniili^ 
fxaniiiintioii  of  tlicir  vrssfls,  or  on  nioK'stin.L,'  or  m'i/iny  tlicni,  nor  cviii  to  <lis- 
lo(l;;i"  tin!  K;:sji;in.s  from  tln-'ir  iixt'<l  I'staMislinif'ntH,  t  xctpt  iiflfr  ivccivin^ 


|Mit;iiiv-'  orck'i.i  froi 


th 


Ik 


M  jilso  (lircitiMl  to  (lt'>[iiiii.!i  lli.^  vtssi 


t  littiu'r  times  to  farcfully  oxplori"  tlic  coiists,  iskinils,  aii'l  portM  up  to  (is 


( 'ook  liiv 


1  tlie  straitof  Juan  de  J'uia.    /.'<  rilln  tlii/ali;  liij'uniit  tir  J  :  ilr 


Alir',1  /,.''  /.  I.'? )   1.     It  will  111'  noted  tliat  lliese  instruelion<  weic  j.'iveu  kefo 
tlic  controverKV  lu.'tween  Spain  and  J'",nHland  was  known  in  Mexico. 


I'j'i 


Alk' 


11.-5  eoiiijianv  .seems 


to  1 


lavo 


,11   under  tlie  eomuiainl  of   |)oii   Tedro 


lerni.  w"!io  n  i.iiiiied  kut  a  slmrt  time,  left  lii.s  name  attaeln  d 


peVMiallell!  .y 


to  an  inlet  in  llarclay  Sound,  lieeamu  very  ])o|)ular  witli   \\w  Indians,  and 
linaliy  .sei-ved  until  dealk  in  Calilornia.    See  7//'.v/.  Vol.,  vol.  ii,  eliap.  i.,  t! 
series. 

•'L'/ini\  SaViila  (/(.'  /o.'(  /rM  fnn/nct  piird  ynthri,  iiiio  </<'  J7!'0,  MS.  diary  fro'i 


1  Ml'iliives,  111    I'liiii.t  (I 


il  \< 


ill  ('ill.,  .\o.  7;  also  7i7(.sY(,  'I'lil.hi  ili'ifii 


i/iii:i  prim  <l  jiiii  rln  ilr  .\o(itl:ii,  n'jii,  .M.S.,  inekidiiiL;  tlie  movements 
of  nil  tliiie  vessels,  in  liL,  No,  !(.  Navarrete  Viiuji.-t  A/iOi\,  (i.'J  4 ;  Siilil 
1/  Ml. I.,  Viiiij' ,  eix.-x.  -  falls  into  errors  respeetiiij^  tlie  names  of  the  ve.i.seU 
and  the   ilati:  of  arrival. 

* '  Si'  foitilieo  el  jmerto  do  Xootka:  .se  fo 


eoiuod.i  e;i  1,>  iio.si 


OS    IIKll'lS 


ikk 


diidivus.'  ItcviUa  iiiijiUo,  liijoriiie,  lol. 


Xootka:  .se  formi'i  una  jiokkieion  einiipeteiiti', 

,l)Ie:   se  eoii»ij^iii('i  la  luiellll  eorre.->poU(lelieiii  de 

lios  del  ealiikalaeke  6  coliiereio,   y  de  alguiiaa  coriui 


FIDALOO  A\T)  QUIMrEPw'H  MOVKMnXT!?. 


2}| 


new  f()iMiiiaii(U'r  liiid  l)c't'ii  sent  to  rc'iiliuv  \\U  vuviwy 
liL'  )'(!turM('(l  and  hccaino  fVicndly." 

]']x|il(»i'ati<)iis  vrciv  ill  order  ;is  s)oii  as  ilic  fort  \va«4 
cniupleti'd,  and  oil  May  -Uli  IJi'iUciiaiit  l''idal;4o  \va^< 
<K'sj»at.oli('d  to  tlu'  iioi'lli  (Ml  till'  J''i/i))iii(i,  with  iii((  r- 
jirctors  of  liussiaii  and  l^nnlisli.  An  a<T'ouiit  n|' 
I'idal^'o's  invc'sti,i>ali()iis  on  the  .\lasl;;ui  co.ist,  mainly 
in  tlif  ivuioii  of  l*rInco  William  Sound  and  ( '<iok  lvi\(r. 
lli()tii,di  <»t' Homc  interest,  does  not  hi'loni,^  here  ili; 
ordi  IS  were  on  tlie  ivturn  to  carernlly  examine  llio 
coast  j'roiii  latitude  57  southward,  hut  had  w»;itli 'i* 
]»i\'veiited  this,  and  would  n(»t  even  permit  him  to 
enter  Nootka,  in  the  latitude  of  which  Im  was  at  the 
hc'^'uMiiiL,^  ofSeptemher.  ^Vccordiiiu'ly  he  kept  on  for 
Moiiteny,  where  he  arrived  on  the  I  .')th  ol"  Septemher, 
spent  forty  days  in  reiittill,L,^  and  on  the  I  Uli  of  Xo- 
vemher  was  back  at  San  J>las.° 

It  v.as  on  the  Mist  of  May  that  Elisa  despa*^ched 
the  I'riiiccsfi  Ju'dl  under  Allere/,  CJuimper  to  explore 
the  strait  of  Fuea,  which  had  heeii  discovered,  as  we 
ha\('  seen,  by  ]^arclay,  and  explored  i'or  a  short  dis- 
tance from  its  mouth  by  J)ui!i!i  and  (Jray,  jn-rliap; 
also  by  Jveiidrick  and  ]laro.  (^iiumjier  exjiloifd  not 
only  the  strait  ])roper,  hut  tlu;  wlileiiinn'  faitlier  east, 
which  he  called  Seiio  de  Santa  Jlosa.  J I  is  projJi'ress 
v.as  slow  and  his  examination  a  careful  one.  l>y  tlu^ 
end  of  June  lie  had  surveyed  the  iiorthei-n  shore  to 
the  region  of  the  modern  A'ictoi'ia,  and  had  discovered 
the  main  noi'thern  channel,  which  still  bears  the  nanu! 
he  ^ave  it  in  honor  of  his  sailing-master,  (anal  de 
Lopez  de  l[aro;  tlu'U  lie  crossed  over  to  the  south 
shore,  and  named  for  him  ;elf  what  is  now  Si|ui:.i 
]>ay.     lEe  surveyed  Port  JJiscoveiy,  whicii  lie  luinied 

^Qn'tn^per,  Sliiiitmlo  jvcnn.  ilc  Fin'ti,  MS, 

''Falii/i/o,    I'lVf;/!'    ill  I    P(('/i'i',ii/    ^/'i/i/iiiin'.  ,  .  ]irirn    Irn*    rrroiinr!l)li)':ltM    ill  I 

/'i;iii!/ii'  (liiiUinnii  y  rinde  Conk,  li'j'i,  MS.,  in  WmiiM  nl  Xorti  i/c  'W.,  N'o.  S; 
iilso  t'iil/i./i/o,   TiOiIh  que  Vliililjiin/ii,  vU\,  Ms.,  in  /(/.,  Nit.  1(t;   /!,'ril/  I  (Ir/nl' 


■foi-iii<;,   1H)-1;   Xm 
'wir,  tix.-  xii.     Dei 


nri'i'f. 


v 


I'l'JI-i 


A, 


(>4-('i;    /</..   ill  Siit'l  ij  Mij-iraiiii, 


rv  11,  ITilO,  tlio  vii'iTciy  lia.s  licanl  of  t! 


rrival  of 


the  Siiii  Cih-lo.i  imd  I'riiii-ma  HkiI  at  iloutcrcy.    Arch.  <'al.,  MS.,  I'roi-.  St, 
J'' J'.,  i.x.  -.M.;. 

liwr.  N.  W.  Coast,  Vol.  I.    10 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


>!•  IM    112.2 


1.8 


1.4     11.6 


Photographic 

Sciences 

Coiporation 


4n^ 


■€-^ 


f 


'^xV 


<> 


<b 


6^ 


23  WEST  !MIN  STREET 

WEBSTER, NY.  M580 

(716)  872-450?; 


1 


>> 


M2 


EXPLORING  AXD  COMMERCIAL  EXPEDITIONS. 


Boclcga  y  Cuadra;  liut  he  mistook  the  nature  of  the 
main  passaj:^e  to  southern  waters,  the  mouth  of  which 
he  named  Ensenada  de  Caamailo.  Sent  northward  in 
boats,  his  men  discovered  also  the  secondary  northern 
channel,  Boca  do  Fidalgo,  now  liosario  Strait.  The 
details  of  his  survey  arc  best  shown  on  the  appended 
copy  of  his  chart.' 


«^^ 


/ 


■9 

:9 


CO 


4.(<,      ^^  I'ur/.n        '■■■-'■ 


Ik: 


>,  Pta.de  S.Ju^nN_7.V,v,-,,^i       ' 

'^'  ,.f         ISL.D?.  UA  ROS4\^--{«/25pta.de  Mcrano  Je  la  Vl 


fi 


'it  J 


^^^^ 


'it 


_rV*^" ^O' 14 


QcjiMrER's  Mai'. 

Though  Quimperwas  the  fir  iiscoverer  of  all  this 
region,  the  names  applied  by  him  were  with  a  single 
exception  not  permanent;  Squim  Bay  should  bear  his 
name  rather  than  that  of  Budd  ov  Washington.  On 
the  18tli  of  July  he  tifrned  westward  and  followed 
the  southern  shore  of  the  strait  to  the  ocean,  talking 
formal  possession  on  the  1st  of  August  at  Port  Xuilez 
Gaona,  or  Neah  Bay,  as  he  had  at  several  points  be- 

'  Chart  mailo  by  the  jiihto,  Gonznlo  Lopez  do  Haro;  copy  obtained  l)y  tlio 
United  States  ( rovefunient  from  Madrid,  and  ptd)li.shcd  in  li'rph/  -i/  tin'  ('hUkI, 
Stairs. .  .IS7.',  in  eonnectioii  witli  the  San  .luan  boundary  dispute.  For  ein- 
venience  I  have  omitted  in  my  copy  the  ■western  portion  of  the  strait.  Tlie 
names  on  the  part  omitted  in  their  order  from  the  entrance  eastward  are  as 
follows :  North  shore,  Pla  Bonilln,  Pto  de  .S'.  Jiirtn  or  Xarvaf.,  liio  Sviuhrio, 
Pla  Maijilalvna;  south  shore,  Pta  de  Marthuz,  Pta  de  Pada,  li.  de  yuiliz 
(I'uoiin,  Edx.  de  Poxas ;  below  the  entrance  on  the  Pacific  arc  Ptn.  de  IfiJoMi 
and  ]}oca  de  --1/rtm.  Jit  Citnnelo  anil  sierr.a  of  S.  Antonio  are  in  tho  north- 
cast  uud  south-east,  just  beyond  the  limits  of  my  copy. 


rURTHER  OF  COLNETT. 


243 


fore.^  On  leaving  port  the  sloop  steered  for  Nootka, 
but  she  could  not  make  the  port,  ind  was  di'iven  south- 
ward. Finally  on  August  1 3th  she  gave  up  the  eftbrt 
and  turned  her  prow  toward  Monterey,  where  she 
anchored  on  the  2d  of  September.  Her  consort,  the 
San  Carlos,  as  we  have  seen,  arrived  at  the  same 
[)ort  on  the  15th,  and  Quimper  and  Fidalgo  reached 
San  Bias  together  in  November.* 

Only  one  vessel  besides  those  of  the  Spanish  expe- 
dition just  described  is  known  to  have  visited  the 
Northwest  Coast  in  1790;  that  one  was  the  Aiyo- 
■naut,  in  which  Captain  Colnett  after  his  release  sailed 
I'rom  San  Bias,  probably  in  August.  He  had  on  board 
the  crews  of  both  vessels,  and  an  order  for  the  de- 
livery of  the  Princess  Royal  at  Nootka,  but  on  reach- 
ing that  port  he  did  not  find  the  sloop.  He  believed 
the  Spaniards  had  deceived  him  intentionally;^"  but 
v.'c  have  seen  that  unforeseen  circumstances  had  com- 
]  )ell(j{l  Quimper  to  sail  southward  earlier  than  had  been 
intended,  and  he  had  probably  passed  Colnett  on  the 
way.  It  was  said  that  the  irate  Englislmian,  not- 
withstanding his  distress,  obtained  a  valuable  lot  of 
I'urs  before  he  left  Nootka."  However  this  may 
have  been,  Colnett  left  the  coast  and,  miraculously  as 
he  thinks,  arrived  safely  at  JMacao.  The  next  year  ho 
received  his  sloop  from  Quimper  at  the  Hawaiian 
Islands.  Thus,  though  the  Spaniards  had  obtained  a 
few  skins  in  the  course  of  their  explorations,  the  fur- 

''Tlic  full  act  of  possession  is  given  in  the  diiuy.  Xoah  Bay  is  errone- 
ously xtatcil  hy  (Ircouliow,  Daviil.iim,  iiivX  others  to  bo  tin;  Poverty  Cove  of 
the  American  traders,  Ijut  Cray's  i'overty  Cove  was  on  the  northern  shore. 
See  last  ehapter ;  also  JiosirclC-i  L<i;f,  !MS.,  03.  Creenhow,  Or.  mid  ( ''(/.,  also 
inHilies  that  the  name  Canal  de  Guchiift  was  given  by  (,>uimper,  and  states 
that  ho  returned  to  Xootka,  tliouyh  this  author  seems  to  have  seen  the  oriy- 
iual  diary. 

'•'(Jiiliiijicr,  Sf(jundo  rcconocimkuto  di'  la  entrndd  do  I'nra  y  msfa  roinprcn- 
dida  ddro  tlla  y  la  dc  Xoot/ca,  Iwc/to  cl  cii'io  de  I'lUi),  MS.,  in  V'kvji s  (il  Nortn 
df  ('«/.,  Xo.  11,  To  this  diarj'  and  table  is  added  a  long  neeount  of  tho 
Xootka  region,  its  people,  language,  etc.,  ineluiling  an  account  translated 
from  one  prepared  by  Mr  Ingraham  of  the  Culnmbia  in  17^!'. 

^''(-'ohult'.i  Voij.,  iOl.  Ho  says  that  the  orders  of  tho  Spanish  commander 
((Juimper),  which  he  saw  when  ho  met  him  later,  showed  tliat  it  had  been  im- 
possible to  meet  him  at  Xootka;  but  this  ia  not  very  iutelligible. 

"  C«((c//«,  in  VuHCouver''s  Voy.,  i.  388. 


s^ 


EXPLORING  AXD  COMMERCIAL  EXREDITIOXS. 


trade  had  been  practically  suspended  for  the  year. 
Captain  Kendrick  might  have  reaped  a  rich  harvest 
in  the  Lady  Washington,  but  he  was  never  in  haste, 
and  lost  the  season  by  remaining  in  China  engaged 
in  other  schemes." 


Commander  Elisa  had  remained  at  Nootka  with  the 
garrison;  and  his  ship,  the  Conceijcion,  had  wintered 
there.*'  On  February  4,  1791,  the  San  Carlos  was 
despatched  from  San  Bias  under  the  command  of 
Alferez  Ramon  Antonio  Saavedra  y  Guyralda,  with 
Juan  Pantoja  y  Arriaga  as  2^iioto,  arriving  at  Nootka 
after  a  long  and  stormy  passage  late  in  ]\Iarch.  Elisa 
had  orders  to  complete  his  exploration  of  the  coast  from 
IMount  St  Elias  in  the  north  to  Trinidad  in  the  south. ^* 
He  accordingly  transferred  himself  to  the  smaller 
vessel,  left  Saavedra  in  charge  of  the  Concepcion  and 
garrison,  and  sailed  on  May  5th.  The  San  Carlos 
v/as  accompanied  by  the  schooner  >Srtuto  Saturnina,ov 
Ilovcasitas,  under  Jose  Alaria  Narvaez.^''  The  winds 
compelled  the  explorers  to  direct  their  course  south- 
ward instead  of  to  the  north,  as  they  intended.  About 
fittcen  days  were  spent  in  a  careful  examination  of 

'-'HaswcU,  Log  of  the  Cohimhkt,  5IS.,  7,  says  he  Micgan  to  make  his  vessel 
a  brig.  This  operation  being  luuler  his  directions,  took  such  a  length  of  time 
that  he  lost  his  season. '  Greenliow  tells  us  Kendrick  'had  been  engaged,  since 
1789,  in  various  speculations,  one  of  which  was  tlie  collection  and  transporta- 
tion to  China  of  the  odoriferous  wood  called  sandal,  which  grows  in  many  of 
the  tropical  islands  of  the  Pacific,  and  is  in  great  demand  tliroughout  the 
Celestial  Empire.  Vancouver  f)rononnced  the  scheme  chimerical;  but  cxpe- 
I'icnco  has  proved  that  it  was  founded  on  just  calculations.'  Kelley,  letter  of 
•Tanuarj'  1,  1810,  in  Thornton's  Or.  Ifist.,  MS.,  89,  incorrectly  states  that  Ken- 
drick had  remained  over  from  1789,  and  in  the  winter  of  1790  built  a  I'urt 
Washington  at  Mawinah,  making  a  trip  into  tho  Fuca  Sea  later.  All  this  is 
a  confused  allusion  to  earlier  and  later  events. 

'^Navarrete,  Jwo'/cs  Aydi'.,  115,  says  that  the  two  vessels  suffered  nuicli, 
until  tho  Princesa  had  to  be  sent  south  with  32  sick  men,  sutTering  with 
scurvy,  etc.  But  this  does  not  agree  at  all  with  tho  facts  as  sliown  by 
((.hiimper'a  diary,  since  it  is  hardly  possible  that  the  sloop  went  back  to 
Nootka  in  the  winter  after  reaching  San  Bias  in  Noveml)er  1790. 

**  Particularly  tho  entrada  do  Bacardi,  strait  of  Fonte,  port  Cayuela,  boca 
de  Carrasco,  strait  of  Fuca,  entrada  de  Heceta,  and  port  of  Trinidad. 

'■"'The  presence  of  this  schooner  at  Nootka  is  not  explained;  neither  is  it 
anywlierc  stated  what  had  become  of  the  North  Weft  America,  or  i!ertrHdi< 
of  1789.  Later  the  Hanta  Satiirntna  and  Ilorcasltas  are  mentioned  as  distinct 
vessels. 


MOVEMENTS  OF  ELISA. 


245 


CatLul 


il9'Sfi_ 


Boca  lie  Canarcral 

^  ;■'■>  sVarchipielago  de 
s-^-,'::/     nitinato'carrasco    ^  , 

° ''  J^--\  A         ^'Pia.de  Araus\  ^ 


>^- 


^ 


^c 


•^Pt^.deArzj 
inlluca  .(<; 


Moiuno 


ffS(iolM\ 


.    ^  J.  Jorilan 

I    \ 

/Pta'de  Sn.Eusevio 


--     Fto.AoNra.w       t.^0              ^o^     •  -  x  oVV     \            ^  ■^^' 

ra     I  -  '.*: 

.                ,    -                                                            ,       M  ^^\  t) 

NiuLAt  ■-"..vF'fi"':'."    'c^^'^?.  ■    r- 


Stiuura  tie  lol-r^,  " 


2?a.i 


K,°  "'ll\ij:~^\-^?4 


Elisa's  Map,  1791. 


9| 


246 


EXrLORIXG  AND  COMMERCIAL  EXPEDITIONS. 


Cayucla,  or  Clayoquot,  and  the  adjoining  region.^' 
Then  the  snow  entered  the  strait  of  Fuca,  and  on 
May  29th  anchored  in  Quimpcr's  port  of  Cordoba, 
while  the  schooner  first  explored  the  Boca  de  Car- 
rasco,  in  Barclay  Sound.  From  Cordoba  the  boat  was 
first  sent  out  under  the  second  ■piloto,  Josd  Verdia,  to 
survey  the  Haro  Channel;  but  the  hostile  actions  of 
the  natives,  some  of  whom  were  killed,  caused  the 
])arty  to  return.  On  June  IGth,  however,  Narvaez 
having  arrived,  the  schooner  and  launch,  prepared  for 
defence,  again  entered  the  channel,  and  continued 
their  search  in  this  and  subsequent  entrances  until 
August  7th.  What  they  accomplished  is  best  shown 
by  the  accompanj'ing  copy  of  their  chart. 

In  the  south-cast  Elisa  added  nothing  to  Quimper's 
survey  beyond  discovering  that  the  bight  of  Caamano 
was  the  entrance  to  an  unexplored  southern  channel; 
but  eastward  and  north-westward  a  very  complete 
examination  was  made  of  the  complicated  maze  of 
].4ands  and  channels,  into  the  great  gulf  of  Georgia, 
which  was  named  the  Gran  Canal  de  Nuestra  Sehora 
del  Rosario  la  jSIarinera,  and  up  that  channel  jiast 
Tejada  Island  to  50°.'^  Several  inlets  extending  east- 
ward and  north-eastward  into  the  interior  were  dis- 
covered, which  might  afford  the  desired  passage  to 
the  Atlantic,  but  their  exploration  had  to  be  post- 
poned for  a  later  expedition.  Several  names,  such  as 
San  Juan,  Giiemes,  Tejada  Island,  and  Port  Los 
x\ngeles,  are  retained  on  modern  maps  as  applied  by 
Elisa,  while  others  given  by  him  and  Quimper,  such 
as  Rosario,  Caamano,  Fidalgo,  and  Cordoba,  are  still 


'Tnntoja,  with  the  launch,  from  the  11th  to  the  lOtli,  explored  what  is 
callud  the  luu'th-west  mouth  (-i  the  port.  The  names  apjilied  were  boca.s  de 
Sdiircilra,  gulf  of  San  Jioni  BnuHnld,  canal  de  San  Antonio,  port  >«/*  laitiro, 
island  San.  I'cilro,  bay  Nan  Jlii/ai;/,  canal  do  San  Francisco,  Iwcas  de  San 
Siifurnino,  canal  de  San  Juan  Xciioinnccno,  and  the  great  jiorts  of  Gi'ichia 
and  Ctiraldc.  Tlie  schooner  had  meanwhile  explored  the  northern  mouth 
ami  several  branches,  but  no  names  are  given. 

''On  Vancouver's  map  the  name  was  applied  to  the  channel  between 
Tejada  Island  and  the  main,  why  is  not  known ;  and  for  some  equally  niys- 
terious  I'eason  the  name  was  again  transferred  in  later  years  by  English  geog- 
raphers to  the  narrow  southern  strait  that  still  bears  it. 


ELISA'S  NOMENCLATURE. 


847 


it  i.s 

s  ,1c 

Si  HI. 


Elisa's  Mai*  of  Nootka  Coast,  1791. 


248 


EXPLORING  AKD  COMMERCIAL  EXPEDITIONS. 


in  use,  but  not  as  originally  applied.  The  expedition 
left  tlie  strait  in  August,  on  account  of  prevalent 
scurvy  among  the  men.  It  is  not  strange  that  on  lii.s 
return  to  Nootka  from  the  labyrinth,  Elisa  wrote  to 
the  viceroy:  "It  appears  that  the  oceanic  passage  so 
zealously  sought  by  foreigners,  if  there  is  one,  cannot 
be  elsewhere  than  by  this  great  channel."  I  append 
here  another  part  of  Elisa's  map,  showing  the  outer 
coast  from  above  Nootka  down  to  the  entrance  of  the 
strait.  It  includes  not  only  his  own  surveys  but  those 
of  earlier  Spanish  voyagers.^^ 

In  Elisa's  absence,  perhaps  before  his  departure, 
the  Aranzazu,  commanded  by  Juan  B.  Matute,  ar- 
rived at  Nootka  from  San  Bias,  presumably  v»ith 
.supplies  for  the  garrison.  There  was,  however,  a 
])ressing  need  of  certain  articles  which  she  had  not 
brouglit,  and  to  get  these  and  also  the  men  who  liad 
been  left  sick  in  California,  the  vessel  made  a  trip 
to  Monterey  and  back,  Matute  leaving  some  of  his 
mechanics  in  the  north  temporarily.  He  sailed  about 
May  i^Gth,  was  at  Monterey  June  r2th  to  28tl), 
and  was  back  again  in  California  before  the  end  of 
August. 

All  that  I  know  of  this  trip  is  derived  from  frag- 
mentary correspondence  in  the  California  archives  of 
tlie  year,  showing  Matute's  presence  and  the  nature 
of  his  mission.  He  brought  from  the  north  despatches 
which  were  sent  to  Mexico  overland;  and  he  seems 

*^  The  only  sources  of  infoi-mation  about  this  voyage,  wholly  nnkno^\^l  to 
Greenhow  aivl  oMier  writers  on  north-west  discovery,  are  a  resume  of  Pautoj;r.'j 
original  diai'y  in  Nararrete,  Vkujes  Ap6c.,  11-1-'21,  and  an  extract  from  tiio 
same  diary  in  Rcpl'i  of  the.  United  Slates,  97-101,  from  a  cei-tified  copy  of  the 
original  in  the  Hydrographic  Bureau  in  Madrid.  The  map  wliich  I  liavu 
copied  is  from  the  same  source.  The  parts  not  copied  are  the  southern  bhorc  ct 
the  strait  and  for  a  short  distance  below  Cape  Flattery,  or  Point  Martinez,  on 
tlie  Pacific  shore  (as  in  Quimper'a  map, already  described);  also  sketch  charts 
of  Clayocuat,  Los  Angeles,  IJuena  Esperanza,  Nuca,  and  San  Rafael.  Tlie 
only  name  in  the  extract  from  the  diary  not  on  the  map  is  Zayas  Island. 
See  also  mention  of  the  expedition  in  lieviUa  G'kjkIo,  In/orme,  141:  'En  el 
tercero  (reconocimiento)  practicado  el  aflo  de  91,  se  interno  la  goleta  Satuniiua 
(jue  llevii  en  su  conserva  el  Teniente  de  navio  D.  Francisco  PJliza,  maudaiulo 
el  paquebot  S.  Cdiios  hasta  el  gran  canal  que  Uamaron  de  Nuestra  Seftora  dil 
Kosario.'  A  mention  in  the  diary  of  Kendrick's  arrival  at  Nootka  on  J  uly  l-tli 
may  indicate  that  cue  of  Elisa's  vessels  returned  before  August. 


MALASPINA'S  VOYAGE. 


219 


to 

t;!0 

10 
IVO 

f 

on 

l!0 

ul. 
el 
I.  a 
\o 
lei 
■2th 


also  to  have  brought  despatches  of  some  inipurtanco 
from  Mexico  to  the  northern  comnuinder." 

Still  another  Spanish  exi)edition  arrived  at  Xootka, 
on  the  13th  of  August,  or  just  about  the  time  of 
Elisa's  return  from  the  strait  of  Fuca.  The  corvettes 
Uescubierta  and  Atrevida,  under  the  connnand  of 
Akyandro  Malaspina,  engaged  in  a  scientilic  exploring 
voyage  round  the  world,  arrived  at  Acapulco  at  thu 
end  of  I7t)0  or  beginning  of  1791.  Whether  Malaspina 
had  intended  to  visit  the  Northwest  Coast  or  not 
does  not  appear,  but  here  he  received  from  the  Span- 
ish government  a  copy  of  the  memoir  in  which  ^,1. 
Buaehe  of  Paris  had  lately  attempted  to  support  the 
genuineness  of  Maldonado's  discoveries,  with  ordei-s 
to  verify  the  existence  or  non-existence  of  tlie  strait 
which  Maldonado  pretended  to  have  found.  The  two 
vessels  sailed  from  Acapulco  on  the  1st  of  May,  the 
Atrevida  being  under  the  command  of  Jose  de  Busta- 
mante  y  Guerra;  and  land  was  first  sighted  on  the 
23d  of  June,  in  the  region  of  Mount  Edgecomlx;. 
(Jf  their  explorations  on  the  Alaskan  coast  !j>ulfice  it 
to  say  that  no  strait  was  found;  and  when  about  the 
1st  of  August  they  entered  the  waters  of  the  Xorth- 
west  Coast,  the  weather  permitted  no  observations 
until  on  August  13th  tliey  anchored  at  Xootka. 

The  observatory  was  at  once  set  up  on  shore,  and 
fifteen  days  were  spent  in  a  scientific  survey  of  the 
adjoining  region.  The  only  narrative  extant  contains 
not  a  word  about  the  Spanish  garrison  or  its  com- 
mander, or  any  vessels  except  those  of  the  expedition. 
The  diaries  and  scientific  observations  of  Ma]asj)ina's 
voyage  have,  however,  not  been  published,  and  wo 
have  only  one  account  by  an  officer  of  the  expedition.'" 

'MrcA.  Cat.,  MS.,  Prov.  St.  Pap.,  x.  1-2,  9,  22,  .32,  .39,  45-G,  140.  Elisa's 
letters  are  dated  April  20th,  and  Saavedra's  ilay  20th,  so  that  the  Antiizcr.it 
sailed  from  Nootka,  if  she  did  not  arrive  there,  after  Elisa's  departure  for  Lia 
exploring  trip.  September  ijtli.  The  viceroy  orders  the  governor  of  California 
to  supply  all  demands  from  Nootka. 

'^"MakLyiina,  Viage  17D1,  in  Xuvarrete,  V'iar;es  Apdc,  2G8-.320.  It  is  an 
abridged  diary  by  one  of  the  oliicers,  and  so  far  as  Alaska  is  concerned  con- 
tains infonnatiou  that  is  tolerably  complete.    In  Id.,  Uo-8,  is  an  account  of 


2.')0 


EXPLORING  AND  COMMERCIAL  EXPEDITIONS. 


If  wc  may  credit  Scilor  Navarreto,  tlic  ori;:final  raan- 
us('ri}tt,s  Avcrc  very  coinplute,  uiid  their  publication 
would  have  l)ccn  a  credit  to  the  goveriniieut;  still  it 
is  certain  that  their  chief  value  would  not  have  been 
in  connection  with  what  wc  term  here  the  Northwest 
Coast.  Malaspina  sailed  on  the  28th  of  August,  and 
he  made  no  observations  of  interest  or  importance 
until  he  icached  California.^* 

Of  Elisa  and  his  garrison  and  vessels  for  the  rest 
of  the  year  nothing  appears  in  the  records,  except 
that  the  San  Carlos  and  Santa  Satarnina  returned  to 
San  ]-]las.  Viceroy  Revilla-Gigedo  says:  "Although 
various  craft  of  England  and  the  American  colonies 
frequented  the  adjacent  coasts  and  ports,  some  of  them 
entering  Nootka,  nothing  occurred  to  cause  unpleas- 
antness or  damage;  and  our  new  establishment  was 
always  respected  by  them,  and  provided  with  all  that 
was  needed  by  the  other  San  Bias  vessels,  which 
brought  at  the  same  time  the  sup[)lies  for  the  pre- 
sidios and  missions  of  Alta  California.  "'^^ 


Some  of  the  Boston  owners  wore  not  yet  discour- 
aged at  the  comparative  failure  of  their  first  fur- 
trading  enterprise;  and  the  Columbia  Redlciva  was 
fitted  out  for  a  new  voyage,  still  under  the  command 
of  Captain  Gray,  with  Mr  Haswell  as  first  mate.  The 
Columhia  sailed  from  Boston  on  the  28th  of  Septem- 
ber 1790,  and  after  an  uneventful  trip  anchored  at 
Cla3"oquot  on  the  5tli  of  June  1701.  ''Thence  she 
proceeded,"  says  Greenhow,  "  in  a  few  days  to  the 
eastern  side  of  Queen  Charlotte's  Island,  on  which,  and 
on  the  coasts  of  the  continent  and  islands  in  its  vicin- 

the  original  MSS.,  maps,  plates,  etc.,  and  the  reasons  of  their  non-pnblica- 
tion.  Malaspina  fell  into  disgrace  ■with  the  government  in  some  political 
matters,  and  this  caused  a  suspension  of  publication  until  it  was  deemed  too 
late.  All  that  was  known  to  Greenhow  and  other  writers  on  the  subject 
came  from  a  brief  account  by  Navan-etc,  in  Sr  til  n  Mp.i:,  Viaf/e,  cxiii.-xxiii.,  in 
Avhich  Malaspina's  name  was  not  mentioned.  On  a  map  in  Id. ,  atlas,  No.  .'}, 
Malas])ina's  course  abovo  Nootka  is  laid  down. 

-']"V)r  Malaspina's  visit  to  Monterey,  where  he  arrived  the  13th  of  Septem- 
ber, see  Jl'ist.  (!dl.,  i.  chap,  xxiii..  this  series. 

*'-  IiLviila  Oiijfdo,  LiJ'onne,  131. 


^As^^'ELL^s  loo. 


Ijlica- 
itical 
lI  too 
bjout 

io.  3, 

itcm- 


ity,  she  remained  until  Soptoniber,  engac^ed  in  trading 
and  ox})l()ring.  During  this  time,  Gray  cx])l(^red  many 
of  the  inlets  and  passages  between  the  54th  and  the 
oGth  parallels,  in  one  of  which — most  probai)ly  the 
name  afterwards  called  by  Vancouver  the  Portland 
Canal — he  penetrated  from  its  entrance,  in  the  lati- 
tude of  54  degrees  33  minutes,  to  the  distance  of  a 
hundred  miles  north-eastward,  without  reaching  its 
termination.  This  inlet  he  supposed  to  be  the  llio  tie 
lieycs  of  Admiral  Fonte;  a  part  of  it  was  named  by 
him  Massacre  Cove,  in  commemoration  of  the  murder 
of  Caswell,  the  second  mate,  and  two  seamen  of  his 
vessel,  by  the  natives,  on  its  shore."*^ 

My  co])y  of  Mr  Haswell's  log  begins  on  the  14th 
of  August  1701,  just  before  the  shi[)  arrived  at  what 
was  called  Hancock  River,  an  indentation  on  the 
northern  end  of  Queen  Charlotte,  or  Washington 
Island.-*  Here  he  met  the  Ilancoclc,  Crowell  master, 
iVom  Boston.-^  The  Culiimhki  sailed  on  the  IDtli,  and 
touching  at  a  few  points  for  skins,  direcited  her  course 
southward  between  the  great  island  and  the  main 
without  noticeable  adventure,^''  except  uiceting  the 
Hope,  Captain  Ingraham,  from  Boston,  on  the  22d  in 
53^^  2',  and  arrived  at  Clayoquot  on  the  29tli.  As 
they  entered,  two  Spanish  vessels  were  seen  passing 
southward,  doubtless  Malaspina's  corvettes,  which  had 

"^  Crcenhmd'a  Or.  and  Cah,  229-30.  Ho  cites  the  log  of  the  Calnmhia  from 
September  28,  1790,  to  February  20,  1792.  He  suya  the  disaster  luippenecl  on 
,Vuj;nst  22(1,  but  it  must  liave  been  earlier. 

'^^JlatficeU's  Log  of  the  Coliinifiia  I'cdivivo  andAdv.nture,  1701-17,  JIS.  This 
eornpauion  diary  to  the  same  officer's  voyage  of  the  Ijcuhj  Wa.thbKjinn.  in  1788-9 
■\vas  obtained  from  the  same  .source  ;  sec  page  187  of  this  volume.  The  lirst  part 
of  the  log  is  missing,  the  entries  beginning  with  August  14,  1791.  It  extends 
t)  tlie  arrival  of  the  Columhia  in  China  tlio  7th  of  December  1792,  but  a  part 
is  devoted  to  the  movements  of  the  Adventure,  under  Haswell's  conunand. 
It  i-i  a  document  of  great  interest  and  value,  and  includes  a  number  of  eliarts. 
The  original  contains  also  views  of  several  places,  the  author  having  uuich 
skill  with  the  pencil. 

'■■Kelley,  Jjiscov.  N.  }Y.  Coaxt,  3,  calls  her  the  Hannah,  and  says  sho 
arrived  at  lirown  Sound,  in  itTt"  18',  on  August  13th. 

^"  The  names  used  arc  as  follows:  Port  Tempest;  MaxsaereCove;  ^Furdrrers' 
Cape,  'A"  43';  Waxhlnijtoii  Island,  54^  o';  Ilnneuek  H'lvr,  54^  5';  <  'ape  IfnnrorL; 
04'  18';  Cape  LooJcout,  ai'  'H';  t'o;;,'s«crt  village ;  Tuoeheoud'Jth,  .^J' 37';  and 
Cojie  llaswe.ll,  52"  5'.  All  arc  on  or  about  the  north-eastern  part  of  the 
island. 


8S8 


EXPLORING  AXD  COMMERCIAL  EXPEDITIONS. 


wiilcd  from  Nootka  tlio  day  before;  aiul  within  tlie 
souiul  they  found  Captain  Kench'ick,  their  former 
connnander,  leisurely  cnga;Lijed  in  repairing  his  sloop 
at  a  place  he  liad  named  Fort  Washington. 

A  week  later  Gra}''  sailed  again  ibr  a  cruise  to 
winter  quarters,  which  it  was  intended  to  establish 
at  liulfinch  Sound,  the  year's  trade  having  proved 
only  moderately  successful,  because  at  the  best  places 
he  had  been  preceded  by  Kendrick,  or  Ingraham,  or 
Crowell.  After  being  carried  south  by  adverse  winds, 
and  narrowly  escaping  shipwreck  near  Capo  Flattery, 
they  returned  to  Clayoquoton  the  18th  of  September, 
and  resolved  to  winter  there  instead  of  making  new 
attempts  to  reach  a  harbor  farther  north."  Kendrick 
was  still  there,  but  soon  departed.  A  spot  near  the 
native  village  of  Opitseta  was  selected  for  winter- 
quarters;  and  before  the  end  of  September  a  house  was 
built,  cannon  were  mounted,  and  the  frame  of  a  small 
sloop  was  landed  from  the  ship.  The  keel  was  laid 
on  the  3d  of  October,  and  from  that  time  the  work 
was  carried  on  as  rapidly  as  the  short  dark  daj's  ami 
i-ainy  weather  would  perniit.  The  natives  w^ere  very 
friendly;  there  was  good  shooting  of  geese  and  ducks 
for  the  officers,  plenty  of  hard  work  for  all  in  felling 
trees  and  sawing  planks,  and  vo  special  excitement  in 
camp  until  after  the  end  of  tl ■.  year. 

Joseph  Ingraham,  formerly  mate  of  the  Lach/  TF^.s^- 
ii}gton,lci^t  Boston  in  command  of  the  hr'igllope'^^  before 
Gray,  on  September  IG,  1790.  "On  the  1st  of  June, 
Ingraham  left  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  on  the  29th 
of  the  same  month  he  dropped  anchor  in  a  harbor  on 
the  south-east  side  of  Queen  Charlotte's  or  Washing- 
ton's Island,  to  which  he  gave  tlie  name  of  jMagce's 
Sound,  in  honor  of  one  of  the  owners  of  his  vessel. 
On  the  coasts  of  this  island,  and  of  the  other  islands, 

"  Kclley  says  ho  returned  on  the  20th,  and  that  on  the  15tli  he  had  anchored 
at  the  village  of  Ahshewat,  on  the  north  shore  of  Fuca  Strait. 

■■"*  Fittcii  out  by  Thomas  H.  Perking  of  Boston,  who  had  been  in  Canton 
in  1787.  Ijoxtoiiin  Novth  West,  MS.,  5.  Perkins  was  also  interested  with  Maguo 
in  building  the  Manjartt. 


KEXDRICK  ON  THE  COAST. 


sss 


and  the  continent  adjacent  on  tlic  north  and  east,  ho 
s])cnt  tlie  Hiunmcr  in  tradin.uf,  and  colk'ctini^  intonna- 
tion  as  to  the  geography  and  natural  history,  and  tho 
languages,  n^ainiers,  and  customs,  of  the  inhahitants, 
on  all  which  suhjects  his  journal  contains  minute  and 
interesting  details;  and  at  tho  end  of  the  season  ho 
took  his  departure"  witli  lifteen  hundred  shins  "for 
China,  where  he  arrived  on   tho    l.st  of  December, 

Captain  Kendrick,  on  the  Lady  Washington  trans- 
formed into  a  brig,  arrived  on  the  coast  from  China*^ 
on  the  loth  of  June.  His  landing  was  at  Barrel 
Sound,  where  the  natives  attempted  to  c  .;  *:ure  him, 
but  were  repulsed  and  many  of  them  killed.  Not 
bointr  very  successful  in  trade  in  the  north,  tho 
captain  turned  his  course  down  tl'  coast  on  iho 
12th  of  July  and  entered  Nootka.  TiiO  Span- 
iards .tided  in  towing  the  brig  into  ])ot,  and  were 
most  hospitable  in  every  way,  but  the  Yimkee  com- 
mander was  suspicious,  went  on  up  to  his  old  an- 
chorage of  Mawinah,  and  having  oljtainod  about 
eiijiht  hundred  sea-otter  skins,  left  the  sound  by 
the  northern  passage,  preferring  not  to  risk  a  second 
exposure  to  the  guns  of  the  fort.''^  He  next  Avent 
down  to  Clayoquot,  where  he  was  also  fortunate 
in  obtaining  many  furs  before  Gray's  arrival.  After 
some  repairs,  conducted,  according  to  Has'vel!,  in  his 
usual  leisurely  manner,  Kendrick  sailed  for  China  on 
the  29tli  of  September. ^^     During  this  visit  the  caj)- 

^  Grcenhoio^s  Or.  and  CaL,  22G-7.  He  cites  Ingraham'a  MS.  journal  and 
an  extract  from  it  in  the  Maanachuffelta  J  list.  Co/.,  179.3.  Kcllcy,  iJUcor. 
X.  W.  Vnast,  3,  says  Ingraham  arrived,  apparently  at  Clayoqiiot,  on  July 
ZV\.  Haswell,  Log,  MS.,  5,  says  that  the  Hope  was  almost  ready  to  leave  tho 
(■  last  when  her  boat,  with  ilr  Cru]),  was  mot  on  August  '22d.  Cnip  liinted 
tiiut  they  had  been  very  successful  in  getting  furs,  ilarchand,  Voij.,  ii.  3S3, 
Wet  Ingraliam  at  Macao.     Ho  mentions  the  1500  skins. 

'"'  Delano,  Narrative,  43,  aided  Kendrick  in  fitting  out  hia  vessel  at  Lark 
Bay,  near  Macao,  in  March. 

^'  This  was  Kendrick's  version.  In  an  extract  from  the  diary  of  Elisa's  voy- 
age, livpJy  of  the  United  States,  100-1,  it  is  said  that  Kendrick  entei'cd  'with 
lighted  linstocks;'  could  not  understand  when  hailed ;  but  later,  wlion  lie  had 
reached  his  anchorage,  and  was  ordered  no>  to  trade  or  anch.or  in  Spanish 
ports,  he  obeyed,  and  departed  next  day  by  tiio  northern  passage. 

^■llasivelVs  Loij  of  the  Columbia,  MS.,  7-10,  14,  IG. 


2.-)4 


KXPLORIXG  AXD  COMMERCIAL  EXPEDITIOXS. 


tiiiii  sooins  to  liitv'o  purchased  largo  tracts  of  land  in 
tliu  N(jotka  rci^doH,  i'l-oui  tlio  chiefs  Ma([uiniia  and 
\Vi(!ananish,  ohtainint^  their  marks  on  his  decds.^'  I 
shall  speak  a_!jja in  of  these  land  titles.  Greenliow  and 
others  were  })ei'liaps  in  error,  as  wc  shall  see,  in 
statinLj  tliat  Keudrick  never  returned  to  America 
after  this  year."'* 

'''Kondiii.'k's  deeds  aro  given  literally  hy  ITall  J.  Kelley,  J)!scov.  A^.  W. 
('i)iinf,  anil  uvi:  wortli  reprodiicin,!,',  as  follows;  July  "iCt,  1701.  Deed  to  Jolin 
Keiidiick.  { I ).  'A  certain  Harhor  in  said  Xootka  Sound,  called  <JhaKliirt(iiL<, 
ill  wliirli  tlio  brigantinc  jiikIij  WdxhiiKjtuu  lay  at  anchor  on  the  "JOth  .Inly 
17!>l,  \\\l\\  all  the  land,  rivers,  creeks,  harbors,  islanils,  etc.,  with  all  the  jmo- 
duee  of  both  sea  and  land  a[)i)ertailiiiig  thereto.  Oidy  the  said  J.  Kendiiek 
does  '^\"M\t  and  allow  the  said  .M,i(|uinnah  to  live  and  lish  on  the  said  trrri- 
tory,  as  usual.  The  above  named  territory  known  by  tiie  Indian  name  ( 'lin.t- 
tai'tooa,  but  now  by  the  iiiime  of  Snfc  Itctrcitt  llurlxif.  [Si^^'nedJ  Maijuiunah, 
his  X  mark  |i..  .s.];  Warclasm;in,  his  x  niai'k  |i,.  s.],' tand  four  other  natives. 
'Witnesses,  .)ohn  Williams,  .Tohn  lledman,'  and  eh^vcui  other.s.  'A  tnie  copy 
fi'oni  the  orii^'inal  deed.  Attest,  . I.  Jlowell.'  (•_*).  Au;!^ust  5,  1701,  'Acertiin 
Harbor  in  said  .Vluisset,  called  by  the  natives  ( '/>ciifrkiiitini,ui  which  the  bri'^ 
J.iuhi  \y<i<li'nfitr)it  lay  at  anchor  August  5,  1701,  which  is  situated  in  latitude 
4',>  dc;^'.  .■>()  ni.  N.  and  loni^.  I"J7  <le;,'.  8  m.  w.,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Sound 
Ahasset,  bein,<^  a  territorial  distance  of  eij,diteen  miles  square,  of  whicii  tliJ 
harbor  of  ( 'lienerkintau  is  the  icntre,  with  all  the  lands,  minerals,  etc. 
[Si^'ned|  N'ory-Vouk,  his  x  mark  [i,.  s.  |,' and  three  others.  Witnesses  as  be- 
fore. (;!).  A\i^'ust.">,  1701,  'A  certain  Harbor  in  New  Chattel,  called  by  the 
natives  Ilootsee-ess.but  iiowcalliil  Port  Montgomery.  .  .in40deg.  4(!  m.  x.  .  . 
on  tlu^  south  side  of  the  Soimd  of  Ahasset, now  called  Massachu.sctts  Somal.  .  . 
eighteen  miles  square,  of  which  tiie  harbor  of  Hoot.sce-es3 . . . is  the  centre, 
etc.  [Signed]  Tarasson,  his  <  mark  |i..  .s.],' and  three  others.  Witnesses  as 
above.  (I).  August  (!.  1701,  ''i'he  head  of  Nootka  Sound,  called  by  the  na- 
tives T(in/iir.<:.  .  .with  the  land  nine  mih^s  round  said  lashec.s,  etc.  |SiL.'ned| 
(Jaarshucornook,  his  x  mark  [i,.  s.J,  and  Hamiopy.'  {.'>).  August  11,  1701, 
'A  territorial  distance  of  eighteen  miles  north,' south,  cast,  and  west  from  tlie 
village  iif  Opiii/iir  as  ;i. centre,  in  40'  10'.  'The  above  territory  known  by  the 
name  of  ('lyoi[not.'  Signed  by  Wicananish  and  live  others.  Boston,  October 
;{(),  ISIiS.  Sworn  eertilicates  of  Samuel  Vendell  and  James  Tremerc,  sailor  i  on 
the  ''ohiiiih'iit  ;inil  Jcjfcrsoii  in  1701,  to  the  ell'eetthat  they  knew  personally  of 
the  purchases  of  lands.  June  "JO,  IS;!."),  sworn  eertilieato  of  John  Young  at 
lliiwaii,  that  he  had  often  heard  Keudrick  speak  of  hi.s  purchase,  and  had 
seen  his  deeds.  Witnessed  by  Henry  A.  Peirce  and  Hall  J.  Kelley.  May  1 1, 
nOo,  to  .M,i3''JS,  I70S,  extracts  from  letters  of  J.  Howell,  Ca))tain  Kcndrirk's 
clerk,  transmitting  and  menliouing  the  deeds,  ilareh  I,  170;t,  l(!tter  of  Kin- 
drick  from  the  island  of  King  Kong  to  Thomas  Jellcrson.  He  mentions  the 
imrehase,  ami  incloses  copies  of  the  deeds  to  renuiin   in  the  department  d 


state.    111!  says 


titl 


e  was  recfjijui/ei 


I  by  the  Spaniards,  by  being  excepted 


in  a  ( 


Iced  of  lands  at  Nootka  from  Maiiuina  to  Cuadra.    He  thinks  the  , 


ie;|Ul- 


sition  a  most  important  one  for  the  Cnited  States.    Kelley  say.s another  la 
tract  between  47' and  .")()' ^^•as  purchased  by  Kendrick  for  his  company,  all 


th. 


le  purchases  ex 


tending  some  "J)-'.)  miles.  The  company's  territory  embiaecd, 
according  to  Kelley,  all  of  Cuadra's  Island  not  .sold  to  Kendrick  and  to  Sjiain. 
Of  course  Kelley  deems  this  purchase  tlie  strongest  possible  foundation  fir 
a  title  in  the  I'uited  States.  In  a  letter  of  .Fanuary  I,  1S70,  in  Thornton's 
Or.  ili.<l,,  MS..  Kelley  writes  on  ilw  same  subject.    Ho  says  the  original  deeds 


are  in  lugraham's  Jo 


tl,  in  the  I'nited  States  Department  of  State,  and  f  )r 


Pi 


ited 


refers  to  U.  .V.  (.' 


Ih, 


pari 
ICilh  Coii'i.,  Ixt  Si.-:t.,  If.  n,jtt.  X 


'  trV(  iii/ioir'ti  Or.  and  L  'id.,  'J'JS-O ;  Sturgis,  iu  Jliiitl's  JIcrcliuiits^Muij.,  xiv.  mo. 


A  FRENCH  VESSEL. 


Ill 


,a... 

'iitri'. 
.scs  ad 
10  na- 
iLTiieill 

17i>l, 
mi  tlio 

y  tlio 

hiri  1)11 

;illy  of 

)Uii;^  ab 

nil  liatl 

■Slav  II, 

f  Ken- 

ilirt  t'.lO 

IK'Ut   llf 

Cl.'lltl.'il 

i  aL;|iii- 
urlarL;!-' 
my,  nil 
liracril, 

Sjiaiii. 
tioii  I'm- 
)nii:iiu"s 
111  ili'i'ild 

;iai'"r 
,.V ..  ,'  [. 

iv.oiio. 


Two  otlior  American  tradinj^- vessels  arc  named 
by  Greenhow  as  luiviiig  visited  the  coast  this  year, 
the  Jefferson,  Roberts,  from  Boston,  and  the  Mar- 
l/a n't,  ^lagee,  ircMU  New  York;  but  the  latter  was  a 
Boston  ship  of  the  next  year,  and  wc  have  no  details 
of  the  othei''s  voyage.^'  It  is  probaljle  that  Eni^land 
was  represented  in  the  fleet  of  1791^"  l)y  the  Grace, 
Captain  William  Douglas.  And  now,  for  the  first  time 
since  La  Perouse's  advent,  the  French  appeared  on  the 
scene,  in  the  person  of  Etienne  Marchand,  who  sailed 
from  ]\Iarseilles  on  December  14,  1790,  on  the  SoUde. 
lor  purposes  of  trade;  first  sighted  the  Northwest 
Coast  in  the  vicinity  of  57^  on  the  7th  of  August,  and 
on  the  '21st  reached  the  northern  parts  of  Queen 
Charlotte  Islands.  A  careful  survey  and  map  of 
Cloak  Bay  and  Cox  Channel  was  made  in  the  ship's 
boat  by  Captain  Chanal;  and  by  tlie  same  officer, 
aided  by  the  surgeon  Boblet,  material  was  obtained 
i'or  a  long  description  of  the  natives  and  their  customs. 
Success  in  trade  was  very  slight,  tlie  Americans 
having  left  but  few  furs.  A  brig  and  boat  Avere  seen 
on  the  2Gth,  showing  no  colors,  but  thought  to  be  Eng- 
lish.='^  From  the  28th  to  the  3 1st  Chanal  made  in 
the  shallop  an  oxj)loration  of  the  coast  farther  south 
as  far  as  llennell  Sound,  as  shown  with  the  northern 
survey  in  the  appended  copy  of  his  map.  (Jbtaining 
few  skins,  Marchand  sail,  d  for  Barclay  Sound,  where 
he  arrived  on  the  Gtli  of  September;  but  before  he 
could  enter  he  saw  a  ship,  doubtless  the  Columhio, 

'•■'(irccnliow,  Or.  and  Oil.,  ?-2C,,  cites  the  Mn'<.vtrhiisrff.i  Iflsf.  Col,  170."), 
.•IS  ccmtaiiiinLC  a  ilcscription  df  liolnits'  visit  to  certain  islands  in  the  Sunlii 
I'aciilc.  In  183H  .Jiiincs  Tronioro  ccrtilicd  that  he  was  on  ihu, hil'cr.ion,  I  'aptaiu 
Jtolnnson,  which  sailed  from  Boston  in  Xovcuiber  1780,  and  M'ns  at  J^ootku 
in  1701. 

'•^" J >(kuio\i  iVnr.,  4.1.  The  antlior'.s  hrothcr  accompanied  Donj^las.  Has- 
wcll  tells  ns  that  I'ouglas  sailed  from  China  in  company  with  I\(?iidriek,  hat 
that  they  afterward  aoparateil,  so  that  he  may  posHihly^  have  vi'^iteil  the  coast. 
Tlie  Indians  at  (Jlayoouot  told  I'.lisa  in  ^lay  that  Kendviek  ami  Douglas  li.id 
lately  left  the  sound,  l)ut  this  could  not  liavc  been  true.  Marchand,  !''>//.,  ii. 
•VM\  was  told  hy  Ingraham  at  ilacno  that  ho  had  left  on  the  coast  two  liriija 
and  a  srhooner,  the  latter  having  had  two  of  her  men  killed  hy  natives  of 
the  Sandwich  Islands.  Thcj^  had  left  a  boat  to  collect  likius  on  the  >  oast 
during  the  winter,  and  were  to  return  in  the  spring. 

''  i'robably  the  Ameiican  brig  JJo^je, 


SoO 


EXrLORIXG  AXD  COMMERCIAL  EXl'EDITIOXS. 


in  whose  log  the  sight  of  a  ship  in  the  south-west  is 
noted,  bound  apparently  down  the  coast,  and  was  dis- 
couraged from  further  efforts  to  trade.     He  resolved 


^ 


"J 


/I.DU  NORD 


■^■«irv.. 


i-V-- 


J; 


o 
^ 


'~\^OrU3Ue  d'Otari 


o3"J0' 


I.DU  HIPPA'^^^^^^P)^ 


):iU' 


Marciiaxd's  Map,  1701. 

to  make  haste  to  China  and  sell  his  few  skins  for 
as  much  as  the  rival  traders  coming  later  would  get 
for  a  larger  quantity;  and  he  turned  from  the  coast 


MARCHAXD'S  VOYAGE. 


257 


the  night  of  tlic  8th,  arriving  at  Macao  by  way  of 
the  Saiuhvicli  Islands  in  November,  and  finding  no 
market  for  his  furs  after  all. 

The  fruit  of  Marchand's  unsuccessful  trading  voy- 
age, so  far  as  my  present  topic  is  concerned,  was  a 
deseri|)ti()n  of  the  north-western  portions  of  Queen 
Charlotte  Islands  by  Chanal  and  Roblet,  considerably 
more  complete  and  extensive  than  that  of  Dixon  or 
any  otlier  earlier  navigator,  particularly  in  its  presen- 
tation of  the  natives  and  their  institutions.  Tlie  on<f- 
iiial  log  and  narratives  were  developed,  however,  into 
a  ponderous  work  of  six  volumes,  covering  a  broad 
scope  of  South  Sea  discovery.  Count  C.  P.  Claret 
Fleinieu,  the  French  scientist  and  geographer,  was 
the  editor  of  the  work.  As  an  introduction  he  gave 
a  sunnnary  of  explorations  on  the  Northwest  Coast 
of  America  down  to  the  time  of  Marchand.  It  was 
a  })aper  read  before  the  National  Institute  of  Sciences 
and  Arts  in  1798;  and  although  not  free  from  errors, 
was  wortliy  of  mucli  praise  as  one  of  tlie  earliest  and 
most  complete  essays  on  the  subject.  Then  the  editor 
presented  the  relation  of  JMarchand's  voyage — that 
is,  the  diaries  of  Chanal  and  lloblet,  for  he  did  not 
liave  access  to  Marchand's  own  narrative  at  all  — 
not  literally,  but  in  the  tliird  person,  a  very  slight 
foundation  of  the  original  with  a  vast  superstructure 
of  editorial  conuncnt.  There  is  infinitely  more  of 
Fleurieu  than  of  the  naviii-ators,  the  voyao'c  beinsj:  in 
fact  but  a  i)retext  for  a  work  on  South  Sea  discovery 
and  geograj)liy.  The  editor  was  an  able  man  and  a 
l)]illiant  writer;  but  he  often  wrote  carelessly  and 
fell  into  occasional  errors.  At  tlie  time  of  its  pub- 
lication the  vroi'k  had  considerable  value  on  account 
of  its  compreliensive  treatment  of  various  subjects; 
but  now,  so  far  at  least  as  j)resent  matters  are  con- 
cerned, it  adds  nothing  to  the  information  obtainable 
from  better  sources. '"* 

'^^Mairhdiiil,  ]'ot/iifii'  tnitoiir  (hi  J/o/k/c,  jx'iiilir^if  leu  (iniit'di  17Di),  }7:>/,  ct 


17'J.:,  par  i:t 


M'.rcl.uiid,  inrvvdr  d'uKti  i  id  rod  actio  a  hUlvrdpiv  ;  ampid  (/ii 


IllBT.  N.  ^Y.  Coast,  Vol.  I.    17 


258 


EXPLORIXG  AND  COMMERCIAL  EXPEDITIOXS. 


Not  less  than  twenty-eight  vessels,  and  [)rohalily 
a  few  more,  visited  the  north-west  coast  in  1792. 
More  than  half  of  the  number  were  engaged  in  the 
fur-trade,  under  the  flags  of  France,  Portugal,  Eng- 
land, and  the  United  States.^  Five  of  ihem  came 
cxi)rcssly  to  make  geographical  explorations.  The 
rest  brought  government  commissioners  on  diplomatic 
missions,  or  supplies  for  garrison  and  national  vessels, 
or  despatches  to  commanders.  Let  us  first  follow  the 
movements  of  the  traders: 

We  loft  Captain  Gray  with  the  Columbia  in  winter 
quarters  at  Clayoquot,  hard  at  work  on  a  now  .sloop, 
the  material  for  which  had  been  brought  in  })art  fi-om 
Boston.  Fort  Defence  and  Adventure  Cove  were 
the  local  names  applied,  most  of  the  men  living  in 
the  house  on  shore.  In  February  a  plot  of  the 
Indians  to  seize  the  ship  was  discovered,  and  kept 
the  Americans  in  great  anxiety  for  man}'  days. 
Months  of  friendly  intercourse  had  removed  all  fear 
of  native  treachery,  and  the  plot  might  have  been 
succcssiul  had  the  Indians  not  attem^jted  to  bribe  an 
Hawaii  n  servant  to  wet  the  primings  of  all  fire-arms 
on  a  certain  niglit.  All  but  this  boy  were  to  be  killed, 
was  his  story.  By  moving  the  ship  to  a  less  exposed 
])osition,  strengfthenin<]f  the  defences,  and  a  ixeneral 
discharge  of  the  cannon  into  the  woods  at  random, 
the  attack  was  prevented  on  the  night  apj)ointed;  and 

a  joint  iffs  rrrhfrches  .s»r  Ics  tfrros  am' rales  de  Drake,  etc.  Paris,  an  vi.-viii. 
(IT'.tS-KSOD),  Svo  5  vols.,  4to  1  vol.  The  Intniiluctiou  is  in  vol.  i.  ]<ii.  i.-cci.; 
Voj'agu  of  Murciiand,  i.  1-'J!)4,  ami  ii.;  (ieograpliioal  obst'iviitious  tunl 
notfs,  iii.  1-318;  Tables  of  latitiulo,  longitiKk;,  etc.,  iii.  319— lOH;  AiUliticui.s 
to  the  relation  notes,  etc.,  iii.  40r)-74;  Xiitural  history,  iv.  1-4J)4;  vi.  ;{l(i; 
Kesearclu's  on  IJrake'a  Diseoveries  (i:.i  Southern  I'acitic),  v.  .317-74;  Exaiuiua- 
tion  of  Koggeweeii's  voyage,  v.  37.V499 ;  List  of  voyagers  anil  authors  cited,  v. 
COl-lS;  Index,  v.  SIO-.VJ;  Proposed  changes  in  the  hydrograpiiio  nomencla- 
ture of  the  world,  vi.  1-8:2;  Metric  decimal  system  applied  to  navigation,  vi. 
H5-14'J;  Maps  and  plates,  vi.  pi.  i.-xiv.  The  mutter  relating  to  the  nortli- 
west  coast  is  found  in  vol.  i.  "288;  ii.  273;  iii.  8()-(>-2,  300-.");  v.  100-88;  vi. 
pi.  i.,  general  map;  pi.  iii.,  De  ITsle's  map  of  17.'J2;  pi.  viii.,  Xorfolk  IViy; 
pi.  ix. ,  Cloak  IJay  and  Cox  Strait ;  pi.  x. ,  west  coast  of  Queen  Charlotte  islands 
(copied  on  p.  '2.")6,  this  chapter). 

'■''■'Ill  Siitil  If  Me.vira?ia,  Viage,  112,  it  is  stated  that  the  whole  numher  of 
trading  vessels  was  22,  of  which  eleven  were  English,  eight  American,  two 
Portuguese,  and  one  French ;  but  this  must  be  au  exaggeration,  so  far  as  the 
English  vessels  were  concerned. 


MEETING  OF  GRAY  AND  VANCOITV'ER. 


2:).') 


thereafter  a  strict  watch  was  kept,  tlio  friendly  rela- 
tions of  the  past  beint]^  broken  off.  On  the  2:3d  of 
February  the  new  .sloop,  named  the  Adventure,  the 
second  vessel  built  within  the  territory,  was  launched; 
and  by  the  2d  of  April  both  vessels  were  ready  to 
sail  for  their  spring  harvest  of  furs,  the  new  slooj) 
under  the  command  of  Mr  Has  well.*" 

The  vessels  parted  at  Clayoquot,  the  Cohtmhia  going 
southward.  On  the  29th  of  April,  Gray  met  Van- 
couver just  below  Cape  Flattery,  and  gave  that  com- 
mander an  account  of  his  past  discoveries,  including 
the  facts  that  he  had  not  sailed  through  Fuca  Strait 
in  the  Ladij  WasihJngton,  as  had  been  supposed  from 
^leares'  narrative  and  map,  and  that  he  had — just 
before  the  meeting  in  this  same  trip,  I  suppose — 
"been  oif  the  mouth  of  a  river,  in  the  latitude  of  4(5 
10',  where  the  outset,  or  reflux,  was  so  strong  as  t<> 
prevent  his  entciing  for  nine  days."*^  The  log  of  the 
Columbia  on  this  trip  has  been  lost,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  valuable  fragment  covering  the  time  from 
the  7tli  to  the  21st  of  May.*^  On  the  former  (.f  these 
dates  Gray  discovered  and  entered  the  port  in  l;iti- 
tude  4G°  58',  called  at  first  Bulfinch  Harbor,  but  later 
in  the  same  year  Gray  Harbor,  which  name  it  has 
retained.*'    On  the  lOtli  he  left  this  port,  where  he 


*'^Hami'elV8  Log  of  the  Colnmhih,  MS>,  2.3-.15.  Benjamin  Harding,  the 
boatswain,  died  on  Marcii  '21st. 

"  Vaiiconvcr'x  Voy.,  i.  iJl.'i-IG.  Here  also  is  mentioned  the  plot  of  the  In- 
dians at  Clayoquot,  under  Wicunanish.  Haswell,  Lo(j,  MS.,  (i(i-7,  in"ntinns 
the  meeting  with  Vancuuver  as  told  liini  ))y  Gray  at  their  lirst  meeting. 
I'Accpt  this  meeting  with  tlie  English  navigator,  nothing  is  known  of  «!r;iy"s 
movements  until  May  7*^h;  Imt  as  he  may  not  liavc  left  Cl:iyoi|uot  for  some 
davM  after  April  2d,  and  nine  days  were  spent  off  tlie  river's  mouth,  it  is  not 

•jly  that  those  movements  were  of  any  speeial  importance. 

''•^  This  was  an  extract  made  in  ISKi  l)y  >lr  IJulfmcli,  one  of  the  owners,  from 
tlie  2(1  volume  of  the  log,  which  .sul)se(jiiently  disappeared.  The  Ist  volume, 
down  to  Febiiiary  1792,  was  consulted  by  (Jreenhow,  Jis  we  have  seen.  The 
fragment  was  printed  in  1839  in  U.  S.  God.  I)o<\,^oth  (hmij.,  -id  .V<  m..  II.  li(  fit. 
Xo.  Wl,  and  may  be  found  in  Gree.ii/iow'x  Or.  mid  Co/.,  2113-7,  41)4 -<l,  ami  also 
in  many  other  l)ooks,  government  reports,  and  newspapers  treating  on  tiie 
later  complications  of  the  famous  Oregon  (question. 

^^liultincli  Harbor  is  tlie  name  used  in  the  log;  but  Haswell  in  his  log 
used  the  other  namo  in  .Tune  of  the  same  year;  and  so  does  \':itu  ouvir  in  tlie 
same  year.  There  was  a  Bnltineh  Sound  wliere  Gray  and  lla.-well  met,  and 
it  was  at  the  meeting  probably  that  the  cliange  waa  agreed  upon. 


200 


EXrL0RIX(4  AND  COMMERCIAL  EXPEDITIONS. 


•\vns  attacked  h\  the  Indians,  and  killed  a  number  of 
tliem/*  and  next  day  passed  over  the  bar  of  the  })()it 
which  lie  had  before  been  unable  to  enter,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  great  river.  This  was  the  Entrada  do 
Heceta,  discovered  in  1775  by  Heceta,  who  named  its 
j)oints  San  l^oque  and  Frondoso;  the  Deception  ll'iy 
beliind  Point  JJisappointment  of  Meares  in  17H\K 
Earlier  in  this  year  it  had  been  seen  by  Gray  liini- 
self  and  by  Vancouver,  but  now^  it  was  entered  for 
the  first  time,  and  named  the  Columbia  River,  .fi-oni 
the  vessel's  name,  the  northern  and  southern  points 
l)eing  called  respectively  Cape  lEancock  and  Point 
Adams.  The  tirst  anchorage  was  ten  miles  within 
the  entrance,  and  on  the  14th  the  ship  went  some 
fifteen  miles  fartlier  up,  where  she  was  stopped  by 
shoals,  having  taken  the  wrong  channel.*"  Gray  then 
dro[)pe(l  down  the  stream,  noting  the  Chinook  village, 
and  landing  in  the  boat  at  one  point,  was  visited  by 
many  natives  in  their  canoes,  and  obtained  a  good 
(juantity  of  furs.  Hough  weather  did  not  permit  tlu; 
;-;hip  to  recross  the  bar  till  the  20tli,  and  next  day 
oui"  fragment  of  the  log  comes  to  an  end. 

This  achievement  of  Gray,  which  Americans  chose 
to  regard  as  the  'discovery'  of  the  Columbia,  figured 
very  prominently,  as  we  shall  see,  in  the  interna- 
tional discussions  of  later  years.*"     From  the  ri\er 


**/fii.'<ircl(\^  Lor/,  ilS.,  G7.  The  fight  is  not  mentioned  in  the  ColmnhhCs 
log,  aii<l  may  thm-ot'ore  l)e  jin  error  of  Huswoll. 

''  Ifiiswcll  says  thuy  'wont  up  about  30  niilca  and  doubted  not  it  AVas  nav- 
igable njjwaiils  (if  a  liundred.' 

*''  T  .shall  IwiAi;  (acasioii  in  this  and  later  volumes  to  name  the  works  in 
which  (! ray's  voyage  is  described  or  mentioned;  but  none  of  them  add  any- 
thing to  the  original  log  which  I  have  cited;  and  the  errors  made  are  not 
Bufliciently  inii)ortant  to  be  noted,  (^aptain  IJobert  (Jray,  who  liad  iiecn  in 
the  United  States  naval  service  dui'ing  the  revolutionary  war,  died  in  I'^'Xl, 
leaving  a  widow  and  four  cliildren  in  straitened  circumstances.  In  LSI  s  a 
petition  in  their  bi'half  w;i ;  presented  to  congress,  and  a  committee  rc|ii)!t, 
never  acted  on,  was  obtained  in  favor  of  a  pension  of  .^oOO  and  a  vowiLsliiji  of 
land  in  Oregon.  Jn  IS-'tO  a  new  memorial  was  introduced  in  behalf  of  .\l;s 
(•ray,  and  a  bill  in  her  favor  was  passed  by  the  house,  but  I  clo  not  know 
whether  it  ever  became  a  law  or  le<l  to  any  |)ractical  result.  The  discovery  of 
the  t'olund)ia  was  the  L'reat  service  to  the  United  States  on  which  the  clai.ii 
was  fonniled.  ('oiKjrr.ssiniiiil  <!lolit\  IS.'H)-!,  pp.  ;U,  20;',,  .■i!!.''),  Ml.  In  lS(i;)  Mi 
Tho'aiton  jiresenti  d  to  the  stale  of  Oi'i'gon  a  silver  medal  v.hicli  he  represi.atcil 
to  have  b^en  shuek  oil"  in  17i-Kl  in  connnomoratioii  of  the  di.icoveries  made  uu 


THE  COLUMBIA. 


261 


Gray  sailed  northward  to  Naspatec,  al)ovo  Xdotka, 
and  tlic'iicc  to  Pintard  Sound,  apparently  wliat  was 
known  later  as  Queen  Charlotte  Sound.  At  h)th 
places  he  was  attacked  l)y  the  Indians,  and  was  obi  L;ed 
to  kill  many  of  theni.*^  As  the  Cohnnh.'a  lel't  the 
sound  she  met  the  Adventure,  and  both  vessels  ])ro- 
ceeded  to  Naspa tee,  where  they  anchored  on  the  iSth 
of  June.  Gray  had  collected  seven  hundred  sea-otter 
and  fifteen  thousand  other  skins,*^ 

]\reanwhile  Captain  llaswell  in  the  Adrcnfnre  had 
made  a  northern  tour  after  leavinj^  (;iray  at  Clayoqtiot 
on  the  2d  of  April.  He  had  no  startlin<]f  adventures 
biyoiid  the  ordinary  and  ex])ected  perils  of  sucli  a 
naviuation.  In  trade  he  was  less  successful  than  had 
been  anticipated,  though  hrst  in  the  field,  for  the 
natives  said  that  many  vessels  were  cominuf,  and  de- 
manilcd  exorbitant  })rices,  two  overcoats  ibr  a  skin 
l)ein<;'  at  many  places  a  current  rate;  and  oidy  two 
hunch'ed  and  thirty-eight  skins  were  purchased.  On 
the  "til  of  May  he  met  Captain  ]\[agee  of  the  Mitr- 
fji'rcf,  with  news  from  home;  and  early  in  June  he 
visited  the  grave  of  ]\Ir  (\iswell,  his  former  associate, 
wlio  had  been  buried  at  Port  Tempest,  but  whose  re- 
mains had  been  removed  by  the  Indians.  With  the 
aid  of  a  chart,  by  which  Ilaswell's  course  might  be 
traced,  his  lo<j  would  bo  of  ffreat  value  from  a  ireo- 
graphical  point  of  view,  for  he  describes  many  ])orts 
and  gives  sketciies  of  sonic;  but  most  of  the  places 
nanuKl  he  had  visited  before,  and  furnishes  slight 
means  for  their  identification.     His  course  was  first 


tlic  voyage.  '>rcrion,JoHriiaf  of  Stiiiafi',  1800,  npp.,  ,17-40;  and  this  nifdal  has 
(litcu  liuL'U  KiK)ken  of  in  new.spnju'is,  cti'.  It  was,  however,  tlic  medal  iiiailc 
ill  copper  ami  l;ronze  before  <iniy  started  from  IJostou  in  17SS;  but  it  is  iKjt 
iiiipossihlo  that  a  few  were  stniek  oil'  in  silver  later. 

'^Iii  Siifil  II  Jfixicana,  i'iaijc,  'J4,  we  are  told  that  on  the  3d  of  .Tune  tlio 
Indians  from  the  north  came  to  Xootka  to  complain  that  a  vessel  had  attaehed 
tlieni,  killing  seven  and  wounding  others,  besides  fcdving  by  force  all  their 
fins,  which  they  had  been  unwilling  to  sell  at  the  price  oll'ercd.  This  wa.s 
doubtless  the  first  of  the  two  lights  alluded  to  by  llaswell. 

■'''//r(.>»v//',s  Lou,  ^IS.,  (i()-7.  A  chart  or  sketch  is  gis-en  of  Btiljliirfi  Soiiiid, 
"with  ' '/itcldesct  at  the  eastern  point  of  entrance,  XaypdOr  or  ('oliiinlila  t'ove 
and  Wed  Point  at  the  western  point,  and  t'looiiwk  at  Um  head,  or  north. 


262 


EXPLORING  AND  COMMERCIAL  EXPEDITIONS. 


up  the  outor  coast,  into  Dixon  Entrance,  and  l)ack  to 
Capo  Scott;  then  up  the  strait  to  the  same  latitude 
as  before,  and  hack,  the  wliole  amounting  to  a  douhle 
circunmavigation  of  Queen  Charlotte  Islands,  with  ;m 
examination  of  the  mainland  coast.  Names  from  the 
log  are  ap[)ended.'"' 

*'■>  /inmrcir.s  Ln<i  of  the  Ad ventiin ,  MS.,  35-Gfi.  The  following  are  the  names 
uscil,  with  npp'(r:iiiuite  dates  nn<l  latitudes:  April  .'5(1,  Cechaht  durr,  in  Coni- 
paiiy  Hay  ( liu.'clay  Sound] ;  a  Higuu  chief  of  llichdht;  7th-8th,  pastClayo(piot, 
Point  Breakers,  and  Xootka;  \)i\\,  IIojic  lliij.  Lit.  W^  ">',  long.  127' 24';  lOth- 
I'Jtii,  still  in  sight  of  Nootka  and  AhaUett  Sound  [Esperanza  Inlet;  a  chart  is 
given  of  tho  two  sounds  and  couuectmg  passages,  which  I  reproduce] ;  13th, 


iclKltu  Core 


Haswell's  Map  of  Nootka,  1792. 

50°  IC;  Woody  Point,  five  leagues  s.  e.  ;  Port  Lincoln,  a  largo  sound  with  good 
harbors,  in  ")()"  2(i',  long.  128°  30'  [Quatsino  Sound?];  14th,  50°  40',  .six  le;ii;nos 
s.  of  ontwardmost  island  otf  ('.  Iniira/iam  [Cape  Scott];  17tli,  Washington 
Island  and  Cdjie  Jlaxwill  [CiipG  St  James],  52"  10';  Jiarrel  Sound;  18th,  5;i  .">'; 
Todxcondoltli  tribe,  subject  to  Cumnualt,  on  the  strait  dividing  tho  Lshind; 
another  strait  where  the  coast  turns  w.,  in  about  53'  20'  [Skiddegate  Clianucl] ; 
l!)th,  near  Tmlcnln  village  [Cloak  IJay  and  Cox  Channel?] ;  21st,  round  the  x.  w. 
point  of  the  island ;  23d,  Shoal  Inlet,  or  Neden,  lat.  54"  D',  long.  132°  4.5',  seven- 
teen leagues  E.  of  'I'adents;  0.  Coolkije,  seventeen  leagues  \v.  s.  w.,  in  54'  1.")', 
long.  134'  13'  [?] ;  C.  Lookout,  eighteen  leagues  E.  n.  e.  [Cape  Chacon  on  x.  side 
of  strait?] ;  24th,  Jlancock  Itiver,  .'34°  5',  long.  132°  18'  [chief,  Cottar;  a  chart  is 
given,  with  names  J/allhut  Mend,  Sand  Point,  and  Mah.fhoet  [Virago  or  Maza- 
I'odo  Sound,  or  Masset  Harbor,  on  n.  side  of  the  island] ;  Lejonee  is  iu  this 


GRAY  TELLS  VANCOUVER. 


203 


The  two  vessels  sailed  together  from  Xaspatee  on 
June  24th,  bound  for  the  north;  but  two  days  later, 
when  they  had  entered  the  great  strait  and  were 
just  above  52^,  opposite  Loblip  Sound,  the  Colmuhia 
struck  a  rock  and  was  considerably  tUunaged.  They 
went  on,  however,  for  Derby  Sound,  but  l(jst  each 
otlier  on  the  29th.  The  Jhlrenture  went  on  and 
waited  at  Derby  Sound  for  her  consort,  Haswcll 
fearing  that  she  had  sunk.  Then  she  continued  her 
trip  through  Dixon  Strait  and  up  the  Alaskan  coast 
to  about  57°,  in  the  region  of  the  modern  Sitka.  Has- 
well  touched  at  many  of  the  j)laces  visited  in  the 
former  trips;  obtained  only  seventy-five  skins;  met 
six  otlier  trading- vessels  at  difl'erent  jjoints;  and  re- 
turning down  the  outer  coast  met  Gray  on  the  3d  of 
Se})tember  at  Port  ^lontgomery,  on  the  south-western 
shore  of  (^ueen  Charlotte  Island.  Meanwhile  the 
Colauihia,  her  leak  increasing  after  the  parting,  had 
returned  to  Naspatee  and  attempted  some  repairs, 
with  the  aid  of  Captain  Magee;  then  she  went  to 
Clayoquot  and  soon  to  Nootka.  Here  the  Si)an- 
iards  rendered  every  possible  assistance  and  cour- 
tesy,^ and  when  his  ship  was  again  in  condition  (ii'ay 
sailed  for  the  north  to  meet  Haswell,  as  just  related. 
Both  sailed  on  the  13tli  of  September  and  reached 
Nootka  seven  days  later.     Here  they  met  Vancouver 

region ;  28th-29th,  past  shoaloff  C. Lookout;  Spa-liou  PocH  .">4' .%',  long.  1  .*J0°.55'; 
Cape  Lookout  w.  by  n.  ;  gales;  Adams  St  nut  near;  SOtli,  wind  and  haze  al)oiit 
the  shoal;  !May  lst-'2d,otl'Tadents;  chief,  </«»//«(;  4tli,is.of  Tooscondolth;  .")th, 
St  Tuiiimonie  Cove  and  Port  Moiitijomi-nj,  r>2'  '25'  [on  w.  siile  of  tlie  islan<lj; 
7th,  Barrel  Ldct  and  ilniij  (.'ore,  meeting  tiie  MariiarH,  Captiiin  Magee; 
I'Jth,  near  C  Haswell  and  in  mouth  of  Stnt'd  of  Font  [tiiat  is,  the  passage 
Ijetweeii  Queen  Charlotte  and  the  main] ;  cinirso  to  N. ,  l/ith,  'fl'  4.'V;  opjiosito 
Cunisuahs  village  [Cumsliewa  Ishmd  and  Harbor?];  lOtli,  Toosrondolt/i  Sound 
[Skid<legate  liay?];  Hope  Cove  ucav  any.;  19th,  5.'J' 7';  "iOth,  over  to  mainland 
and  Jlatclics  Island  and  Sound,  a  very  deep  sound  ruiniing  s.  K. ;  22d,  Ihrhii 
Sound  and  Alhn  Cove;  25th,  sailed  for  liroim  Sound,  but  wind  prevented; 
oil'  C.  Lookout;  2Gth,  oft'  Tadents;  27th,  5-1'  5!)';  2Sth,  al)reast  of  J)!str<-ss> 
Corr ;  SOtli,  Dowjkis  Island,  54' 42';  .31»t,  C.  Lookout  K.  s.  K.  aiid  Murdirtrs' 
<'upe  x.  i  w. ;  June  1st,  54"  27';  passed  Murderers' Cape ;  2d,  Port  Tci.ijic-t 
and  Caswell's  grave;  7tli,  Brown  Sound;  8th-9th,  coasted  down  to  5.T  15'; 
1 1th,  Barron  IIUl  Bay,  52°  59';  15th,  past  Ingrnham  Cape  ami  islands  to  Woody 
I'oint;  17th,  met  Gray,  just  out  of  Pintanf  Sound;  arrived  .;t  Xa.iji"l/i'. 

Ml  j,\,j.  ^vhieh,  however.  Gray  and  Ingrahaui  fui-nislxed  some  valuable  testi- 
mony, on  events  of  1789,  iu  their  letter  of  August  3d. 


2G4 


EXrLORTXG  A^^)  COMMERCIAL  EXPEPIT[OXS, 


aq'.-iin,  and  <]fuvo  him  an  account  of  tlicir  <lisc()vorios. 
On  the  22(1  tliey  sailed  tor  Ncah  l^ay,  the  Nufiiv. 
(Jaona  of  tho  Spaniards,  witliin  tin;  strait  of  l''uca, 
which  ])ort  It  took  them  four  days  to  reach.  1  IvVv  the 
sloojt  Adroiftnr  was  sold  to  Conunandei'  Cuadia  for 
Heventy-five  choice  sea-otter  skins,  and  the  Cnhiuihid 
went  across  the  strait  to  Poverty  Cove,  to  ohtaiii 
wood,  water,  and  masts.  Fi'om  this  port  tlu(  sliip 
sailed  on  the  .'{d  of  Octoher  for  home,  touchinuf  at  the 
Sandwich  Islands  and  anchorin-^^  at  Macao  on  Dc- 
ccmber  7,  17«J2.°^ 

Gray's  is  tho  only  one  of  the  tradinp^  voya'jfos  of 
the  year  that  is  at  all  fully  recorded,  though  it  is  not 
unlikely  that  the  logs  (»i'  other  vessels  may  yet  conio 
to  light.  The  other  trips,  as  incidentally  mentioned 
by  Haswell,  Vancouver,  and  the  Spanish  voyagei-s, 
may  be  briefly  disposed  of  here:  Ingraham  in  the 
Hope  had  returned  from  China;  was  at  Nootka  on 
the  3d  of  August,  on  which  date  he  wrote  a  letter  to 
Cuadra;  was  in  com})any  with  the  .id  rent  arc  August 
21st  to  27th  about  the  northern  end  of  Queen  Char- 
lotte Island;  returned  to  Xootka  the  11th  of  Septem- 
ber; sailed  for  Fuca  Strait  on  the  20th;  retui-ned  in 
comi)any  with  the  Pr'unrsa  on  the  2d  of  Octohci-, 
and  soon  sailed  for  China. °''^  James  ]\Iagee,  on  the 
AI<ny<(r('t,  Ijamb  first  mate,  sailed  from  J^oston  Oc- 
tober 25,  171M  ,'"'•'  and  reached  the  Northwest  Coast, 
just  below  Cape  Scott,  Ai)ril  24,  1792;  he  first 
anchored  at  (iray  Cove,  on  Queen  Charlotte  Ishiiul, 
where  ho  had  been  ten  days  when  Haswell  met  him 

■'^ rrnmri'/rn  Lor/  of  the  C'nhnnh'ia  mid  Adrniture,  MS.,  OS  ot  so<i.  In  liiilll 
1/  Mt'.vicdHU,  Vi'iije,  112,  it  is  stutud  that  Gnij'  collectcil  .'{000  kIvIms. 

'^-Snl'd  If  Mcxicanu,  Viiii/e,  IKi;  /Idnwiirn  Loij,  ^IS.,  ,s;{,  OlJ;  I'mimiiirr'-i 
I'o//.,  1.  400,  410.  Grcenhow,  Or.  and  Uid.,  '2,'{7,  tells  us  tluit  '  liiLrriiluiiii 
sul)su(iuc'ntly  entered  the  navy  of  the  United  States  as  a  lieutenant,  and  was 
one  of  tlio  ollieers  of  the  ill-fated  ln'ig  Pirirriiii/,  of  wliich  nothing  was  ever 
heard  after  her  departure  from  the  Deliiware  in  August,  KSOO.' 

■'^  In  Ki/in'  /'ei/is/fr,  xviii.  417,  William  Smith,  afterward  famous,  is  said  to 
have  made  his  lirst  voyage  round  tho  world  in  the  Maijint,  Cajitiin  Magee, 
wliieh  left  Boston  the  17th  of  October  1701 — prolialily  the  Manin-et.  15oth 
this  vessel  and  the  Jloite  left  Boston  iii  1792  according  to  Tuj't'i'  Lid. 


JIIFiCELLAXEOUS  VOYAGri=l. 


205 


n- 
iii 

10 

)c- 
4 

a, 
111 

[it'll 

Lull 

I  to 


on  the  7tli  of  May;  on  uccoimt  of  liis  illness  ^Ir 
Lanil)  was  in  command.  Tlio  vcssol  was  u  iiiio  onu 
and  wt'll  iittuci  f(n'  tlio  cinilst',  l)nt  thus  far  had  «>h- 
tained  I'ew  skins.  In  July  ho  was  with  (iray,  for 
wliom  he  bi'()U_L;'ht  letters,  at  Xas]>atee;  and  he  is  last 
heard  of  at  Xootka  late  in  Septeniher.''*  li.  J). 
C'oolidfj^e,  perhaps  the  same  man  wIkj  had  been  mate 
of  the //'/fVy  Washiinjtun  in  1780,  now  connnanded  the 
droxc  of  New  York,  lie  came  from  China,  and  was 
in  company  with  Haswell  in  the  north  in  AuLjust.'"' 
C'a[)tains  lloj^ers,  Adamson,  JJarnett,  and  Douglas 
were  reported  in  July  by  the  northern  nati\es  to  be 
on  the  roast,  but  nothing  fui'ther  is  known  of  them.'"'" 
William  IJrown  commanded  the  JJitffcrirorf//,  ;\n  Yav^- 
lish  irader."  The  English  bi'ig  T/iree  JJiot/icrs  was 
eMiumanded  by  Lieutenant  Alder  of  the  navy.  'J'ho 
schooner  Prince  WlUkuti  Ilennj,  Ewen,  tVom  London, 
and  the  brig  Ilalci/on,  Barclay,  from  Bengal,  arc 
named  in  Vancouver's  list.  He  also  names  the  Boston 
vessels  Lad  1/  ]V(  (sh  i  )}(jton  ,J\.vn(\vic\i ;  I  la  u  cock,  Crow  cW; 
and  Jefferson,  Koberts;  the  iirst  two  were  on  the  coast 
in  171) I,  and  i^erhaps  again  this  year,  though  I  hnd 
no  other  evidence.  The  English  sloop  Prince  Le 
lion,  Sharj)  master,  is  mentioned  as  having  been 
at  Xootka."^  The  cutter  Jackn/,  of  London,  Ca})tain 
Stewart,  was  on  the  northern  coast  in  August,  and 
at  Xootka  in  September.'^"  The  brig  Jennij,  Captain 
James  Baker,  came  fi'om  Bristol,  bringing  two  Sand- 
wich Island  women  to  Xootka,  and  arriving  on  the 
7th  of  October;  sailing  later  for  England,  she  was 

'•'^IfasHrlPa  Lof),  MS.,  54-0,  8(i,  f)l;  SniU  y  Mfr'icnna,  Vkuje,  llrt.  Green- 
how,  (Jr.  (iml  C'al.,  22(5,  siiys  tluit  the  MuKjnnf  was  from  Now  York,  ami 
imi)lics  that  she  made  a  trip  iu  17!'0-1,  uhieh  seem:*  im|)ossihlo. 

■'■' I/asircirn  Lo(/,  MS.,  S;j-4.  Vaiicouvur,  I'oi/.,  iii.  4'J8,  names  Costiilge  ud 
master  of  a  hi'ig. 

■"'Ifcuiirdl's  Lorj,  MS.,  74-5. 

''"  Ureciihow,  <>r.  niul  Cal.,  "223,  names  "Brown  as  one  of  the  most  cnter- 
pri-iingof  the  English  traders,  to  whom  Vaneouver  was  indelited  lor  useful 
iufoi'mation.  In  Siilil  y  Mrxicnia,  li'inf,  lUi,  tiie  IliilU'rirnrth  i.s  descrihod 
as  an  Ihiglish  frigate  of  .'{()  guns  that  brought  despatches  to  Vancouver. 

'^'  Vtnu-'iHVd'ii  Voy.,  iii.  498;  SkI'iI  y  Mex'icuna,  Ikv/e,  110.  The  latter 
nmkes  it  the  Prince  Lou,  Captaui  Spar. 

'''■'IlusweU's  Loij,  MS.,  83,  01;  Vuitcouver's  Voy.,  iii.  498. 


200 


KXPLORING  AND  COMMERCIAL  EXPEDITTOXS. 


found  by  Broui^liton  on  XovcuiIkt  Gih  anchored  in 
the  CoKnnbia  River.""  The  Venus,  Sliepherd  eoni- 
niander,  iVoni  Bent^al,  was  met  by  Vancouver  in  the 
I'hannel  north  <^f  Queen  Chailotte  Sound  on  AuL,aist 
ITtli;  she  liad  touched  at  Nootka.*''  The  F/on'mfd, 
Tliomas  Cole  connnander,  'the  most  miserable  thiiiLjf 
that  ever  was  formed  in  imitation  of  tl»e  Ark,'  lel't 
Macao  in  Marcli,  arrived  on  tlie  coast  in  July,  and 
was  met  next  day  at  Tadents  by  Ilanvell,  wlio  found 
her  overi'un  by  natives,  who  but  for  his  arrival  would 
soon  have  made  her  a  prize."^  The  Portuucuese  Felice 
Arentiirero,  formerly  Meares'  vessel,  came  back  this 
year  under  Francisco  Viana;  she  left  ^facao  in  ]May, 
lost  part  of  her  crew  at  Prince  William  Sound, 
touched  later  at  Queen  Charlotte  Island,  and  thenco 
came  down  to  Nootka  before  Septendjcr/'^  A  Captain 
Mear,  possibly  the  illustrious  John  Meares,  coni- 
mandin<^  an  unnamed  snow  from  Beni^al,  was  met  in 
Dixon  Strait  in  July/'*  Another  Portuf^uesc  trader 
was  the  Fenix,  Captain  Jose  Andres  '^i'obar,  or  as 
Vancouver  says,  the  Fenis  and  St  Joseph,  Captain 
John  do  Parros  Andrcde;  she  was  on  the  island 
coast  in  Auijust,  at  Nuiiez  Gaona  in  Septcml)er,  and 
sailed  for  China  from  Nootka.  on  the  last  of  Sei>tem- 
ber.  Her  supercargo  was  j\Ir  Duffin,  formerly  of 
the  Aiyonaut,  and  she  carried  to  China*'^  one  of  Van- 
couver's officers  with  despatches.  Finally  I  have  to 
mention  a  French  vessel,  whose  business  is  not  clearly 
explained;  this  was  the  Flavia,  of  about  five  hun- 
dred tons,  commanded  by  M.  Magon,  Dupacy  second 

''"  Vain-omrr'ii  Vo'i.,  i.  41">;  ii.  72;  iii.  408.  .'Jray,  Hht.  Or.,  14,  speaks  of 
tlio  JcHiHt,  Captain    Jakcr,  IVoiii  Ihistol,  '  Rhode  Islainl.' 

''^  I'aiK'diirvr's  I'l  •,  i.  H'o;  iii.  408.  'Cliepeus'  is  ilio  captain's  name  in 
Sulil !/  J/<  .ricuiia,         ijc,  110. 

''•J/nxiir/ri^  Lo'i,      S.,  70. 

'^Siiti/  !/  Mciira.  Vinije,  ll.VlO;  ITanircir^  Lo;!,  ]SIS.,  74-80.  He  says 
Viana  was  iirst  mate,  'gon,  a  Freiielinuin,  being  captain.  Vancouver,  To//., 
iii.  498,  calls  Viana's       ip  the  Ij>/ii'j<'ii!ii. 

"*  J/<isHrirx  Loij,  J  ■>.,  SO.  Mear  had  conic  from  Ala.ska,  and  had  nut 
Viana's  vessel  in  ilis  ess.  Pei'haps  Mear  was  Vancouver's  (iii.  498)  ^loor, 
commanding  a  sno^v  f    m  Cantim. 

'■5  yaiiroiirir'n  Jo//.,  i.  40:?,  40(V10;  iii.  408;  I/ns-irrirs  Loi/,^lS.,  83-4,91. 
Gray  Jiiet  the  Fenix  at  the  Sandwich  Islands  in  October, 


RPAXISII  VOYAGES. 


to 

luii- 
)ihI 

Iks  of 
li(3  ill 


[says 
'oy., 

met 
llijor, 


,  01. 


captain,  and  Toivklcr  suj)L'ri'argo;  slio  ari'ivcd  at 
Xootka  on  the  'JOtli  of  ^tay,  her  mission  huinL,^  as 
was  ri'presonted,  to  liuy  I'lU's  for  the  Asiatic  inai'kct 
and  to  sot'k  news  of  the  oxpeditio!!  of  IjH  iV-rousc.'^ 
Moc^tiiiLj  llaswtH  on  the  north  end  of  Qurcn  Char- 
lotto  Island  in  Auj^nist,  Maj^nm  repn^sented  his  vosscl 
as  hound  from  L'CJriont  Sound  to  Kaniclmtka  with 
sup]>lies,  intendin«4'  to  toneh  at  Unalaska.  Tho  supur- 
cari^o  was  n  Russian;  fi-(jm  him  the  Americans  re- 
ceived a  very  welcome  gift  of  li(|Uors.'" 

It  was  deemed  essential  to  Spani.sh  interests,  for 
reasons  to  he  more  ^ully  noticed  later,  to  comjdete  as 
spi'cdily  as  possihlo  the  exploration  hcgun  hy  Fidalgo, 
Quimpur,  and  Elisa  in  1 7'.) I.     Accordingly  two  expe- 
ditions were  despatched  early  in  1792.     The  transport 
Aranzazu,  under  the  conunand  of  Lieutenant  Jacinto 
Caamano,  carrying  su])plies  for  California  as  wull  as 
Nootka,  sailed   I'roni  Sau  Bias  the  20th  of  March, 
and   arrived    at   Xootka    the    14tli   of   Maj'.      Her 
California    cargo    was    transferred    to    the    Conci'p- 
cloii,   which   had  l)cen  in   the  north  for  two  years, 
and  which  under   3'^lisa's  command  touched  at  Mon- 
teix'V  the  9th    of  July   on   her   way  to   San   Blas.*^ 
Caamano  had    instructions  to   explore  the  coast  up 
to  Port  Bucaroli,  and  to  search  for  Finite   Strait; 
he   started    on   his    trip   the    loth  of  June,  arrived 
at   Bucareli   on   the    25th,'"*  and    after   a   survey  of 
that  northern  port  he  anchored  on  July  20th  at  tlie 
entrance  of  J^ixon    Strait,  wliich    he  very  properly 
named  Entrada  de  Perez.     From  this  time  until  the 
end  of  August  was  made  the  first  ofticial  exploration 
of  the  northern  end  of  Queen  Charlotte  Island,  and  of 

'" '  Estc  puntc  nos  parociij  imiy  secumlario  rcspecto  fi  la  derrota  que  haljia 
cnipreiidiilo.'  Siilll  ij  Mixlmnn,  \'ia'j<\  '20. 

'■'  Jltt-sH-iU's  L<i(j,  MS.,  iSl.  'J'lio  Flur'ia  M-as  also  met  l>y  Caamailo  .June 
20tli,  at  I'Drt  Bucareli.  He  was  tlieu  seeking  news  of  La  lVruu.se.  L'aumaiio, 
£xj,"l..  .S2(). 

'■'l/isf.  Caf.,  i.,  cha^.  xxiv.,  this  series. 

"'■•/.Vr/V/.f  (;;,,>,/o,  Ii'/oniifi  1..'  de  Ahi-il  179,1  144.  The  other  authorities 
are  hopelessly  coufusetl  respecting  these  two  dates. 


208 


EXPLorjxG  AXD  co:m:merci.vl  expeditions. 


the  cistern  coaf^t  of  the  strait  dividing  that  island 
from  tlie  main.  The  Aranzazu  was  too  large  and  un- 
Avieldy  ibr  such  work,  and  the  weather  was  not  favor- 
al)le;  yet  the  survey  was  a  tolerably  coni})lete  one. 
Several  of  Caamailo's  names  have  been  retained;  and 
iVom  liis  cliarts  Vancouver  derived  much  of  his  })ub- 
lished  information  about  these  i-egions.'"  A  copy  of 
liis  chart  on  a  small  scale  is  appended.  On  a  chart 
that  had  l)een  obtained  from  Colnctt,  Fonte  Strait 
v.as  located  just  above  5:3°,  at  the  entrance  between 
Y\hat  are  now  Pitt  and  Princess  Po^-al  Islands;  but 
thongli  Caamano  did  not  reach  the  head  of  tho^^e 
cliannels,  he  was  certain  from  the  tides  that  the}'  fur- 
nished no  iuteroceanic  passage,  and  ho  changed  the 
name  from  Fonte  to  i\Ionin().  Intercourse  with  tlie 
nativ  '.  is  somewhat  minutelv  described,  but  the  onlv 
noticeable  adventure  was  the  capture,  by  treacher}',  of 

'"Ciiamnfio's  exploration  13  sliown  on  a  small  scale  on  map  Xo.  .T,  in  Sufihj 
Ifr.v/cdiKi,  \"kii/i',  atlas.  The  followiiii;  is  a  j^'eograpliical  .summary  of  tlio 
voyage  in  the  i^tiait:  July  "JOtli,  I'urt  Fliiriilahlauca  [Cloak  Bay],  .">i'  -ii',  on 
tlu!  north  end  of  t^lueen  Charlotte  It^lanil,  and  south  of  Litii'jara  Ixlaml  [N'orth 
Is'andJ;  an  aneliorage  east  of  tlio  island  seems  to  he  called  Ncrar  o;  'J.'id- 
2kli,  on  the  northern  or  Alaskan  coast  of  the  strait;  '2r)th,  haek  to  tlio 
isl;ind;  from  I't  fiirinihlr  region  sighted  porta  JJiitrmla  and  Mn-.arri  'In  [all 
three  names  on  Vaneouver's  maj),  called  on  sonic  modem  maps  Massct  Spit, 
!Ma  iset  llaibor,  and  Virago  Sound;  one  of  the  latter  was  IIas\veU"s  llanrock 
KivcrJ;  '28t!i,  in  the  archipelago  of  Oiicc  Mil  l'inii'iip<,  on  map  I'ort  AVic- 
vcm  and  Alia  Island,  s.  nn(l  x.  of  the  archiiielago;  also  I'ort  (Juini/nr; 
SOtli,  entered  the  ('final  del  Prhic'nic  [still  so  calletlj,  between  the  islands  ot 
('(il(ij)ii-l(iil  [Hanks]  and  J-^nri'/mz  [I'itt];  past  bay  of  Ooro.tt^za  and  Point 
Kniiui'iD  |a  port  of  Caiian  r<tl,  also  mentioned  liy  Vanc(mvcrJ;  Slst,  sought  in 
vaiu  Colnett's  I'ort  Bala,  Point  Mala  Imliwla;  passed  through  the  strait 
[Xe[)ean  Sound],  l)etween  tlie  islands  of  ('om/Mii)ia  [still  so  called)  nn<l 
llnriijuez,  into  anchorage  of  San  Ji'j(fiie,  or  Mai  Joiulo,  in  bay  of  .S'(/.'(  Jn.-iv- 
[Wright  Sound,  or  uiouth  of  Douglas  ChamielJ;  Angust  1st,  ceremony  of 
taking  possession;  2d,  ■^tiloto  sent  to  explore  the  dili'erent  channels,  named, 
alter  lii.s  return  on  the  (ith,  Jjara  y  Jirazo^  ile  Moi'ihw,  5.1"  24'  [that  is,  the 
channels  of  (Irenville,  Douglas,  Clardner,  etc.;  hero  Colnett  had  plaeeil  the 
strait  of  l''onte]:  one  of  them,  extending  N.  w.,  by  which  the  Indians  said  they 
vent  to  (.^>ueen  Charlotte  Island,  was  followed  eighteen  leagues,  and  called  - 
or  the  anchova'^e  at  its  numth — port  ClaMnn  [(Irenville  Channel |,  with  island 
(S'rr/(  Miijuit  [Farrant  Island?]  and  brazo  de  Mnlihnado,  on  maps  island  Suii 
J.'n'rriiii  [still  so  called;  the  island  of  (HI,  k.  of  Coinpania  Iskiud,  on  Vau- 
eonvcr's  map,  and  still  so  called,  was  doubtless  named  by<  "aamauo|;  7th-I -tli, 
further  explorations;  i;Uh-'2!)th,  detained  by  bad  weather;  3i»tli,  through 
the  I.arcilo  channel,  between  Ari^l'r.dhal  Island  and  the  coast  [nanus  still 
r 'tained],  the  soutln'iii  point  of  the  island  being  called  Sania  (r'ilri''lis:  .'iUt, 
J'd'tiif  l'( n/i(ti.:ni,  on  maji  boeas  de  ( 'icinija;  September  Ist,  San  Juaqttiii  Island 
[Scott  Island];  2d,  Brooks  Bay;  7th,  Xootka. 


]SI ALDOXA DO'S  OBSIT. V ATIOXS. 


2G9 


I  itr- 

\l"  I'! 
XUi'i 

lint 
lit  ill 
tniit 

iiii.l 

Iv  "f 

tlu; 
1  tlio 
[hoy 


iiul 


two  Bailors.  They  were  rescued  and  restored  l)y  a 
I'aeliou  of  the  Indians  who  would  not  consent  to  such 
an  act  in  return  for  kind  treatment  by  the  Spaniards. 
In  addition  to  the  narrative,  and  to  ^geographical  de- 
scriptions, there  were  added  to  the  diary  sonic  obser- 


cU 


aoo 


C.du  S.Bn 


.gi« 


►•< 


'  "^    -^'^'-^vso       ^      ,1.1,  Canal  Jelieilllayii/edo 


•.vs; 


\ 


l^cl 


^f;\WiAi  I'l:  I'Kui:/.  ■:\.:z,,i}'u 

K,  C.a/Margai;'.!"^ 


/  -      -^>'^  X  6,   I  OE  ALVA 


yq.^     :>„     LOi  ONCE  MIL  vinoENES 

P.Narvaez 


'V,    ^  rS-v    IV'Al^E  OA^l^aO,  DE  LACALAMIDAD 

sn.e;.ts:v«n\!^.  '  j 

.';   A.iiSTJZAQALAVX,.^- 


o  •  JOCAS  [)t. 

[•     CIENiO^ 


CAAilASo'H    Mai',     17'.'-. 


rations  of  animals  and  plants,  by  Jose  IMaldonado. 
Emerging  from  the  strait  south  of  the  great  islands, 
Caan)ano  anchored  on  the  7th  of  Se[)tember  at 
Nootka,  and  ivnuiined  tliere  in  t('m])orary  conunand 
of  the  garribon  until  Tidalgo's  arrival,  sailing  the  od 


870 


EXPLORIXG  AKD  COMMERCIAL  EXPEDITIONS. 


of  October,  touching  at  Monterey  on  the  22(1  of 
October,  and  arriving  at  San  Bias  Feburary  G,  1793.''^ 
Viceroy  Rcvilla  Gigedo  had  already  made  prepara- 
tions for  an  expedition  under  Lieutenant  Maurelle  to 
complete  the  exploration  of  Fuca  Strait  when  Malas- 
pina,  returning  from  the  north,  proposed  to  make 
the  new  enterprise  a  branch  of  his  own,  furnishing 
officers  and  instruments.  This  proposal  was  accepted, 
and  two  schooners  were  transferred  to  Acapulco  for 
outfit.  They  were  the  Sutil  and  Mexlcana,  com- 
manded by  Dionisio  Galiano  and  Cayetano  Valdes, 
with  Secundino  Salamanca  and  Juan  Vernaci  as 
lieutenants,  Joseph  Cordero  as  draughtsman,  and  a 
crew  of  seventeen  men  to  each  schooner.  Thoy 
sailed  from  Acapulco  on  March  8th,  and  arrived  at 
Nootka  on  the  12th  of  May,  two  days  before  Caa- 
inano.  It  was  the  4th  of  June  when  they  started  for 
the  strait,  which  they  entered  next  day  and  anchored 
at  Nuiiez  Gaona,  or  Neah  Bay.  The  survey  of  the 
inland  waters  up  to  the  Tejada  Island,  or  rather  re- 
survey,  for  all  this  region  had  been  explored  by 
Quimper  and  Elisa,  lasted  until  the  26th.  On  the 
l;3th  the  Spaniards  first  met  a  boat  from  one  of  the 
English  vessels,  and  on  the  21st  Galiano  and  Van- 
couver met  personally,  showing  to  each  other  their 
charts  of  previous  discoveries,  and  agreeing  to  carry 
on  subsequent  explorations  in  company.  They  worked 
together  amicably  until  the  12th  of  July  in  the  chan- 
nels about  Desolation  Sound;  but  Vancouver,  while 
freely  giving  the  Spaniards  the  benefit  of  his  own 
labors,  would  not  accept  the  results  of  their  survey 

'^Caamnno,  F.rpfdirion  de  la  rorhcta  Araiizazu  al  vmmlo  <hl  tenknte  de 
tiario  J)  Jar'iuk)  Cuuniiiiin  a  rom/iroliar  la  relncioii  dc  Fonte,  179J,  in  Col.  Doc, 
Iiiiil.,  XV.  32.3-0.'}.  Thi.s  is  not  tlio  original  coinpleto  diary,  Imt  a  rvfiiimi'  witli 
extracts.  A  less  coni[)letu  nmnui  was  given  by  Xavarrete,  Sittd,  y  MciiraiKi, 
)'«(;/'',  cxxiii.-xxxi.  li;j;  see  also  mention  in /(/.,  Vidnc  A/vic,  0(5,  100-1; 
}'(iiniouvir''/<  I'd!/.,  i.  398.  'Ho  appears  to  have  tlisplnyed  ninch  bkill  and  in- 
dustry in  his  examinations,  as  Vancouver  indirectly  testifiea  in  his  narrative : 
but  ho  eflected  no  discoveries  calculated  to  throw  much  light  on  the  geograpliy 
of  that  part  of  the  coast;  and  liis  labors  were  productive  of  advantage  oidy 
in  so  far  as  they  served  to  facilitate  the  movements  of  the  English  nas  igator, 
to  whom  his  charts  and  journals  were  exhibited  at  Nootka. '  Greenhow'a  Or, 
and  Cat.,  241,  231. 


THE  SUTIL  AXD  MEXICAXA. 


mi 


as  conclusive,  insisting  on  penetrating  to  the  head  of 
each  inlet  for  himself  This  was  not  agreeable  to 
Galiano's  pride;  and  though  friendly  relations  were 
not  disturbed,  yet  on  account  of  difterences  between 
the  schooners  and  ships  in  speed  and  draught  it  was 
decided  to  part.  The  Spaniards  continued  their  survey 
in  a  very  careful  and  effective  manner,  came  out  into 
the  Pacific  by  a  northern  passage  on  the  23d  of 
Ausfust,  and  on  the  30th  anchored  at  Nootka.  The 
Si'tll  and  Mexicana  left  Nootka  on  September  1st, 
and  were  at  Monterey  from  the  2 2d  of  October  to 
the  4tli  of  November,  having  taken  a  glance  in  pass- 
\\YX  at  the  Entrada  de  Heceta,  so  as  to  be  sure  of 
its  identity  with  the  river  moutli  explored  by  Gray, 
of  whose  chart  th*^  Spaniards  had  a  copy.  They 
anchored  at  San  Bias  on  the  23d  of  November.'''^  No 
detailed  description  of  their  movements  is  possible 
here;  tlieir  explorations  below  Tejada  Island  added 
but  very  little  to  the  earlier  ones  of  Quimper  and 
Elisa,  to  whose  maps,  already  given  in  this  chapter,  I 
refer  the  reader;"  while  Galiano's  survey  farthei-  north 
is  shown  on  that  part  of  his  map  which  I  here  re[)ro- 
duee.'*    I  may  add  that  Galiano  on  June  20th  was 


'■S'litil  II  Mi'xknna,  nelnchn  del  viaf/e  hcrho  por  Ins  rjolefas. .  .en  d  afio  <h'. 
170~i,  /)(»>•(/  rcronocer  el  Extrcr/io  de  Fuca;  con  una  introduce  ion,  etc.,  Muilrid, 
1S02;  Svo,  with  small  folio  atlas.  The  atlas  contains  a  general  map  of  the 
vluilc  coast,  from  liaja  California  to  Alaska,  in  three  sheets,  tlie  nortlicni 
sheet  sliowinj;  the  explorations  of  earlier  Spanisli  voyagers;  also,  sheet  No.  7, 
jiresintlng  a  plan  of  Cala  De  Amigos  [Friendly  Cove],  at  NootUa;  No.  10, 
view  (if  a  Xootka  festival ;  Xo.  11,  view  of  Frienilly  Cove  ii  nil  Spanish  fort; 
also  jwrtraits  of  the  chiefs  Maijuinna  and  Tetacu,  with  Maria,  wife  of  the 
latter.     See  also  Hist.  CaL,  i.,  chap,  xxiv.,  this  series. 

'■'  Several  of  Elisa's  names  arc  omitted  on  (ialiano's  map,  but  the  additions 
are  few.  I'unta  de  Santa  Saturnina  becomes  Island  de  Satiirna  |as  it  has  le- 
niained,  proViably  a  typographical  error,  on  the  later  ma])].  The  islands  of 
Cepeda  and  Liingara  become  points  on  a  peninstda,  north  of  which  is  fonnd 
the  entrance  to  the  Cannl  de  Florida  lilanca,  while  tiie  place  of  the  southern 
entrance  is  taken  by  Fnsenada  del  Emidi'm.  Seno  de  (liLtlun  is  a  new  name  for 
the  hay  above  Point  Socorro  ;  and  I'unta  de  Loera  l)eoom(.'s  Fnsenada  de  Loera. 
'I'he  Punta  and  Laguna  del  Garzon  become  an  'ensenada'of  the  same  name. 
The  'bocas'  of  tiie  Florida  lUanca,  Carmelo,  and  Monino,  l)eing  ex]ilored  to 
their  heads,  become  'brazos';  and  tlie  name  of  the  last  is  changed  to  Maytr- 
nilo.  Poliel  [an  error]  is  clianged  to  Purlitr,  and  Cula  de  JA.scanfu  is  added 
to  the  boca  de  Wentuhuysen. 

"The  map  is  No.  '2  of  the  original  atlas,  and  is  also  found  on  a  larger  scale 
in  Ii(2ili/  of  the  United  Stales.     To  the  land  north  of  the  SuUda  are  given,  ou 


272 


EXPLORING  AXD  COMMERCIAL  EXPEDITIONS. 


Iill ) 


NUTKA 


iU  ^ 


J  I3LA    DE 

PuntaC,  ^//;-*'' 
Ju  .Vi^cmsK  .,  •  \ 

M.d&jJ  Tluplananulg 


zv.Uc.       ^-^^ 

{(iUJ.qUllUUUZ 


^;       A5:l'/J.J.If,inJ..;>.,-. 


^C  Runta.ria~"^eballo9 


Cabo  do  Rdmolin'^^'^^fX^\''''-«;.oJ: 
.^  ^  Runta  da  fi 


Punta  da  MagalUnas'^^^'  '•^'"V>l/~ 


Jitintanaiite 
'iia 


ISLA  DC  CCNCH.\,--^        /^ 


ISLA(     ^   <i 


Qauahoh  MAr,  1702. 


SPANISH  AND  ENGLISH  ACCOUNTS. 


273 


off  the  mouth  of  the  river  afterward  called  Eraser, 
notiiii^  the  signs  of  its  existence,  though  assured  later 
by  Vancouver  that  no  such  river  existed.'' 

Thus  Galiano  and  Valdes  had  sailed  through  Fuca 
Strait  and  come  out  into  the  Pacific,  proving  the  ex- 
istence of  another  great  island,  and,  what  was  much 
more  important  to  them  and  their  nation,  that  none 
of  the  strait's  many  channels  afforded  the  desired  or 
dreaded  passage  to  the  Atlantic.  This  was  the  last 
Spanish  exploring  ex[)edition  on  these  coasts,  and  the 
only  one  whose  results  were  published  by  order  of  the 
government.  The  journal  and  maps  appeared  in  1802, 
with  a  most  valuable  introductory  resvine  oi'  preceding 
voyages  by  Martin  Fernandez  de  Navarrete;  but  ex- 
(•L'[)ting  the  introduction,  this  work  attracted  very 
little  attention,  being  obscured  by  the  previous  ap- 
j)jarance  of  Vancouver's  great  work.  So  far  as  the 
ex})l<)ration  of  1792  is  concerned,  however,  the  differ- 
ence between  the  Spanish  and  English  works  is  very 
slight,  except  in  matters  pertaining  to  the  printer's 
ant!  engraver's  arts.  Mr  Greenhow's  contrast  between 
Galiano's  "meagre  and  uninterestimj;  details"  and  Van- 
couver's  "full  and  luminous  desciiptions"  is  purely 
imaginary,  while  his  severe  criticism  of  Navarrete 
has  no  better  foundation  than  the  occurrence  of  a  few 
unimportant  errors  and  the  occasional  display  of 
national  prejudice,  which  is  far  less  marked  than  is 
the  bitter  feeling  against  all  that  is  Spanish  to  bo 
noted  in  English  and  French  writers  of  the  time. 
Indeed  Navarrete's  essay  was  intended  as  a  I'cply  to 
the  sneers  of  Fleurieu  and  other  foreiirn  writers. 


Ko.  3  of  the  atlas,  already  copied,  the  names  islands  of  Galhnio  and  Vaht^R. 
Tlic  jiortiou  in  line  lines  in  the  north  was  taken  liy  tialiano  fi-oni  Vancouver, 
mill  iil.so  tlie  portion  in  the  Bouth,  not  copied,  representing  Admiralty  Inlet 
and  Ilimd  Channel. 

' ' '  Ivstiibamos  ya  en  agua  casi  dulce,  y  vcamos  flotar  gniesos  maderos  con- 
finiii'nidonos  estos  indicios  en  la  idea  de  (jue  la  Boca  (jue  llani!'d)amos  do  I'loi  ida- 
MiiiKu  era  la  de  un  rio  caudaloso,'  Sitl'd  y  Mix.,  I'ld'/c,  (i.").  'They  seenu'd 
iiiuili  .surprii.ed  that  we  had  not  found  a  river  said  to  exist  in  the  region  wo 
lijid  lii'cn  exploring,  and  named  by  one  of  their  ollicers  Ivio  lilancho. .  .which 
river  these  gentlemen  had  sought  for  thus  far  to  no  jjurpose. '  \'(iii<oiinr'a 
I  vi/. ,  i, ;{ 1 1.  'J'hus  it  is  jiossihle  that  Elisa  in  1 791  had  also  seen  signs  of  a  river. 
Uisi.  N.  W.  Coast,  Vol.  I.    18 


I 


i.l 


V 


274 


EXPLORING  AXD  COMMERCIAL  EXPEDITIONS. 


An  Ensflish  exploring  expedition  under  the  com- 
mand of  George  Vancouver  was  despatched  for  the 
North  Pacific  in  1791.  Vancouver's  instructions, 
dated  the  8th  of  March,  were  to  make  a  thorounh 
survey  of  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  of  the  north- 
western coast  of  America  from  30°  to  GO^,  the  latter 
with  a  view  of  finding,  if  possible,  a  jiassage  to 
tlie  Atlantic,  and  of  learning  what  establishments 
had  been  founded  there  by  foreign  powers.  He  was 
also  notified  that  he  might  be  called  on  to  receive 
certain  property  at  Nootka,  of  which  the  Spanisli 
minister  had  ordered  the  restoration  to  British  sub- 
jects, according  to  the  convention  of  1790.  He  com- 
manded the  sloop  Discovery,  carrying  twenty  guns  and 
one  hundred  men,  and  as  consort  the  tender  ChafhcDn, 
witli  ten  guns  and  forty-five  men,  under  Lieutenant 
W.  K.  Broughton.  The  vessels  sailed  from  Falmouth 
on  the  1st  of  April,  proceeded  to  the  Pacic  by  Wiiy 
of  Cape  Good  Hope,  and  left  the  Sandwich  Islands 
for  America  on  the  IGtli  of  March  1792. 

It  was  on  the  I7th  of  April  that  the  coast  of  New- 
Albion  was  sighted  just  below  Capo  Mendocino.  The 
trip  up  the  coast  to  Cape  Flattery,  in  good  weather 
and  with  all  conditions  favorable  for  observation, lasted 
twelve  days,  and  several  new  namoi  were  applied.'" 

On  the  27tli  the  explorers  noted  "the  appearance 
of  an  inlet,  or  small  river,  the  land  behind  not  indi- 
cating it  to  be  of  any  great  extent;  nor  did  it  seem 
accessible  for  vessels  of  our  burden,  as  the  breakers 
extended"  quite  across  the  opening.  It  was  correctly 
identified  as  Meares'  Deception  Bay.  Two  days  later 
Captain  Gray  was  met  on  the  Columhia,  and  from  him 
Vancouver  learned  that  the  Lady  Washington  had  not. 
under  his  command  at  least,  sailed  through  the  strait 

'*  Tho  new  names  were :  Itochj  Point,  at  Point  Triniilad ;  Point  nnd  Bay  of 

Sn'int  Ocori/c  and  Dntijnn  Rochs;  Cape  Or/onl,  from  the  cai4  of  that  nana' 
(({reonliow's  criticism,  Or.  nixt  <'nl.,  '2',i'2,  tliat  Vancouver,  tliouf^li  inclini'd  ti 
think  tlio  capo  identical  with  Aguihir's  Cape  Blanco,  'did  not  scrnplc'  to 
name  it  Ortord,  in  successfully  overthrown  by  Twiss,  Or.  (Jnext.,  ]'.iO--\\; 
J'viiil  GrenvUle,  from  tho  lord  of  that  name;  and  Duncan  Rock,  from  the  fur- 
truder. . 


THE  RIVER  AND  THE  8TRAIT. 


ho 

iiuli- 
seciu 

C'Ctlv 

later 
\  liir.i 
,1  not, 
stniit 

Bay  of 

lit  ii;!"^'-' 
llim-'l  t> 
lupl*'-'  *" 
1:50-1 1; 
Itlic  I'ur- 


of  Fnca,  as  had  boon  reported — a  statement  that 
caused  much  satisfaction,  since  it  left  a  grand  Held  for 
discovery  open  to  himself,  as  he  incorrectly  su])j)OS('(l. 
He  also  learned  from  Gray  that  the  latter  had  found 
a  irreat  river  in  the  south;  hut  this  did  not  trouble 
hiiu,  because  Gray  had  been  miable  to  enter  it  by 
reason  of  the  currents,  and  because  "I  was  thoroughly 
convinced,  as  were  also  most  persons  of  observation 
on  board,  that  we  could  not  possibly  have  passed  any 
safe  navigable  opening,  harbour,  or  place  of  security 
for  shipping  on  this  coast,  from  Cape  Mendocino  to 
the  promontory  of  Classett;  nor  had  we  any  reason 
to  alter  our  opinions,  notwithstanding  that  theoretical 
geographers  have  thought  proper  to  assert,  in  that 
s[)aee,  the  existence  of  arms  of  the  ocean.  .  .and  ex- 
tensive rivers."  This  record  of  failure  to  find  the 
Columbia  River  was  repeated  ad  nauseam  (Brltanui- 
cam)  by  American  writers  in  later  controversies,  and 
this  chapter  would  perhaps  be  regarded  as  incomplete 
without  it: 

]Cnteiing  the  strait  the  last  day  of  April,  they  f  »1- 
lowed  the  southern  shore  to  Port  Discovery,  which 
became  a  station  for  refitting  and  for  explorations  in 
the  surroundinij  reijion."  From  this  station  A"an- 
couver,  Menzies,  Puget,  and  Johnstone  set  out  on  the 
7tli  of  May  in  yawl,  launch,  and  cutter.  In  this  and 
subsequent  trips,  lasting  about  a  month,  the  wholo 
south-eastern  extension  of  the  inland  sea  was  discov- 
ered, fully  explored,  and  named,  as  shown  by  the 
annexed  copy  of  Vancouver's  map.""  The  record  of 
adventures  and  observations,  though  full  of  interest 

''' Xiw  DiiniienrK.i,  a  sandy  iioiiit  rcscmljling  Duncjeuess  in  the  EnTliab  Chan- 
nel ((i>uinipcr's  I'oint  Santa  Cruz),  and  Mount  /iaLxr  in  the  far  distance,  dis- 
cDVun.'d  l)y  Lieutenant  IJaker,  wore  the  only  new  nuniea  applied  west  of  Vmt 
lijscovery;  and //Of  Anodes  was  the  only  Spanish  name  put  Lterou  Van- 
couver's map  of  tlio  soutliem  shore. 

'■■^The  map  also  shows,  besides  Vancouver's  southern  discovcriea  of  A<1- 
vih-dlli/  fnlcf,  IJoo'l  C'diifil,  and  Puijit  Snuiiit,  the  northern  pai'ts  cxphired 
before  by  VAisa,  and  Quimper.  Sec  map  already  given.  Mount  Jlnhiii-r,  beyonil 
tlic  limits  of  my  copy,  was  so  named  for  Rear-adniiml  Rainier  of  the  l>ritisU 
navy.  Other  names  used  in  Vancouver's  text,  but  not  appearing  on  the  map, 
;iie  Marruw-Htone  Point,  Ouk  Cove,  Fouhcc.athKr  lllnjf',  llazd  Point,  liestoiu- 
dun  Putiit,  and  t'uprtss  laland. 


270 


EXPLORING  AND  COMMERCIAL  EXPEDITIONS. 


t,  I 


!l  I 


■^-2=, 


/^^, 


eUtnijham 


■m 


Vancouvek's  Map,  1792. 


THE  EXGLISH  NAVIGATORS. 


277 


in  its  details,  cannot  of  course  be  reproduced  here, 
even  en  resume.  On  the  king's  birthday,  the  4th  of 
June,  at  Possession  Sound,  formal  possession  was 
taken  in  the  name  of  his  Britannic  majesty  of  all  the 
countries  round  about  these  inland  waters,  includin<if 
the  outer  coast  down  to  39°  20';  and  to  the  inland 
coasts  and  islands  above  45°  was  given,  in  honor  of  the 
king,  the  name  of  New  Georgia.  This  act  of  posses- 
sion, like  previous  acts  of  similar  nature  by  the  Span- 
iards at  half  a  dozen  points  within  the  strait,  of  course 
had  no  possible  force  under  the  Nootka  convention; 
l)ut  the  men  got  an  extra  allowance  of  grog,  and  no 
harm  was  done. 

Next  the  English  navigators  penetrated  the  north- 
ern channels;  but  what  they  found  in  the  gulf  of 
Georgia,  or  Canal  del  Rosario,  has  already  been  clearly 
enough  laid  before  the  reader  in  the  charts  of  Elisa 
and  Galiano.''  From  June  22d  to  July  r2th  the  Eng- 
lishmen were  in  company  with  the  Spanish  cx[)lorers, 
as  noted  in  a  former  part  of  this  chapter.  Though 
grievously  disappointed  on  learning  that  he  was  not, 
as  he  had  believed,  the  discoverer  of  this  north- 
western Mediterranean,  with  its  coasts  and  islands, 
Vancouver  fully  reciprocated  the  courtesies  shown  by 
tlie  strangers,  and  consented,  as  required  by  his  in- 
structions, to  a  joint  survey  and  mutual  inspection 
of  charts. 

The  operations  in  company  were  in  the  region  of 
Desolation  Sound,  and  the  results  are  shown  on  the 
ai)pended  section  of  Vancouver's  map,  which  with  its 


""  The  Spanish  names  retained  by  Vancouver  in  this  section  were  Canal 
(lol  liosario,  wrongly  applied  to  make  room  for  the  name  gulf  of  Georgia, 
and  Tujada  Island,  misi)rinte<l  Fevada  and  Favida;  l)Ut  he  also  condescendeit 
to  Iwive  a  few  other  points,  previously  named  by  the  Spaniards,  without  any 
names  at  all.  His  changes  were  as  follows:  Garzon  to  liirrh  Uoij,  Point 
C'epeda  to  Point  lioherts.  Point  Liingara  to  Point  Grai/,  Florida  Blanca  to 
lini-ranl  Inlet,  Cannelo  to  Howe  Sound  (naming  also  Points  Alkin.fOii  and 
(lure  or  Gowei',  and  islands  of  Pusucuja  and  Anvil  in  connection  with  the 
sound),  Maziirredo  to  Jervia  Canal,  with  Scotch  Fir  Point  and  Concha  to 
Jhtrn-ood  Ixhind.  Points  Upwood  and  Marshall  were  added  to  Tcjada 
Island,  and  Savanj  Island  was  named.  Sturgeon  Bank  is  also  named  in 
the  text. 


VANCOU\'KR',S  MOVEMEXTS. 


270 


iianios  may  1)0  compared  with  Galiano's  cliart  of  tlio 


same  ro<jfioii. 


Loaviug  the  Spaniards  behind,  Vancouver  proceeded 
up  the  loii;:^  oliannel, which  lie  named  Johnstone  Strait; 
iheiK'c!  he  sent  letters  to  Nootka  overhmd  by  Indians 
who  knew  Macjuinna,  and  early  in  August  emerged 
into  the  Pacific,  not  by  the  narrow  channel  followed 
a  little  later  by  Galiano,  but  by  the  wider  passage 
named  in  earlier  years  Queen  Charlotte  Sound,  whero 
now  the  Chatham  grounded  and  narrowly  escaped 
wreck.  From  the  9tli  to  the  19th  of  August  the 
vessels  followed  the  coast  up  to  Fitzhugh  Sound,  and 
the  boats  were  sent  up  to  52^  18',  with  results  shown 
on  the  accompanying  section  of  the  chart.  Then, 
])artly  by  reason  of  news  received  from  Captain  Shep- 
herd of  the  Venus  in  this  region,  the  commander 
turned  his  course  southward,  and  on  the  28th  of 
August  anchored  at  Nootka.  Here  he  found  tho 
Dmialus  store-ship  of  his  expedition,  which  had  ar- 
ii\ed  from  England  by  way  of  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
where  the  commander  Herjifest  and  the  astronomer 
Cooch  had  been  killed  by  the  natives;  and  also  tho 
brig  Tlivee  Brothers  of  London,  commanded  l)y  Lieu- 
tenant Alder  of  the  navy.  Galiano  and  Valdes  camo 
in  the  next  day. 

The  stay  of  more  than  a  month  at  Nootka  was  not 
marked  b}'^  any  occurrences  requiring  special  notice,  if 
we  except  certain  dijjlomatic  negotiations  between 
A  ancouver  and  Don  Juan  de  la  Bodega  y  Cuadra, 
which  I  shall  notice  in  the  next  chapter.  Socially, 
relations  with  Cuadra  were  in  every  way  most  friendly; 
and. the  broad  territory  just  proved  an  island  by  tho 
joint  English  and  S])anish  survey  was  named  the 
Island  of  Cuadra  and  Vancouver.  The  yl ranzazu  soon 
arrived  from  her  northern  explorations,  and  her  charts 
were  placed  at  the  Englishman's  disj^sal.**^    Lieuten- 

^"Thc  or.ly  name  in  Vancouver's  text  not  on  the  map  is  that  oi  Alleviation 
Idand. 

^'It  is  noticeable  tliat  whilo  Vancouver  lays  clown  the  island  coasts  from 
Spanish  charts  he  does  not  note  the  fact  that  Nootka  is  an  island,  bo  clearly 
(ihowu  on  those  charts. 


11 


280 


EXPLORING  AND  COMMERCIAL  EXPEDITIONS. 


,sJoF«^^-^   . 


Vancouver's  Map,  1792. 


VANCOUVER'S  NARRATIVE. 


981 


ant  Mudufc  was  sent  ■\vitli  dospatclR's  to  Eiii^laiid  via 
China  on  a  PortujjfiK'se  trader;  and  on  tlie  l.'Jth  of 
October  tlio  Discoi'O'ii,  C/uitham,  and  Dm/alus  sailocl 
toHfetlier  for  the  Houtli.  On  the  way  down  the  coast 
A'aiicouver  made  some  obsorvationH  atdifteront  jioints 
for  the  ])urposo  of  rectifyinjjf  liis  charts;  named  Mount 
St  Helens;  and  arrived  at  San  Francisco  on  Novem- 
ber 1 4tii.  Lieutenant  Whidbcy  on  tlio  DmhdKti  made 
a  suiNcy  of  Gray  Harbor,'^  and  reached  Montert-y 
the  -lid  of  November.  Lieutenant  Broujjrliton  in  the 
Clidtlinui  entered  the  Cohunbia  River,  and  in  l)oata 
went  up  that  stream  about  one  hundred  miles,  to  the 
rei,Mon  of  the  Cascades,  taking  possession  of  tlio 
country  for  his  king.  He  had  Gray's  chart;  but  it  did 
not  appear  that  the  American  navigator  "either  savv', 
(tr  was  ever  within  five  leagues  of  its  entrance,"  a  very 
fine  distinction  being  drawn  between  the  river  and 
the  estuary  into  which  it  flows.^'  Broughton  arrived 
at  San  Francisco  about  the  23d  of  November.  Of 
A'ancouver's  experience  in  California  nmch  has  been 
said  in  another  volume  of  this  series.^* 

The  narrative  of  Vancouver's  expedition,  including 
not  only  the  voyage  of  1722,  but  two  subsequent  ones 
of  1 71)3-4,  to  be  described  in  their  place,  was  published, 
with  an  atlas  of  finely  engraved  maps,  in  1798,  and 
the  work  appeared  in  several  later  editions  and  trans- 
lations. It  was  doubtless  from  this  explorer's  text, 
and  i)articularly  from  his  maps,  including  much  mate- 
rial IVom  Cvook,  the  Spanish  explorers,  and  the  fur- 
traders,  that  the  world  derived  most  of  its  knowledge 
respecting  the  Nt>rthwest  Coast  and  Alaska.      The 

*'^Pohi(  Brown,  Point  Hnnmii,  and  Point  New  -were  the  names  applied. 
A  chart;  i.s  given  in  connection  with  tiie  general  map. 

"■■■'J'hc  survey  histed  from  the  iJlst  ot  C)ctol)er  to  the  10th  of  November. 
The  names  yiven  were  as  follows:  ]5akcr  Bay,  C'henoke  Point,  S])it  ISiiiik, 
Tiingiie  I'liint,  Point  George,  Voting  River,  tlray  Uay,  OrcJiavd  Rixm-,  Paget 
Island,  Manby  River,  Swaine  River,  Raker  Island,  Point  SKeiiiK,  Walker 
Island,  Mount  CoiHn,  River  Poole,  Knight  Rivei-,  Urry  Island,  Oak  Puiut, 
]'"int  Warrior,  Ruslileigh  River,  Call  River,  Manning  Rivci',  l!eUe  Vuc  Point, 
Meuzie  Island,  Ikiring  Island,  Johnstone  Island,  Point  N'ancouver  (the  eastern 
pi>liit  <if  tiicsTirvey),  (ioose  Island,  Friendly  Reach,  Parting  Point,  und  Whid- 
bcy River.     A  chart  ia  given  of  tlic  mouth. 

**Sce  Hid.  Cat.,  i.  chap,  xxiv.,  this  series. 


382 


EXPLORESTt  AM)  CO^niERCIAL  EXPEDITIOXS. 


liii 


i 


work  deserved  much  of  its  great  reputation,  for  its 
maps  were  the  best  thus  far  pulJished,  and  the  nar- 
rative was  accurate  and  comprehensive.  The  author 
liad,  however,  some  disagreeable  weaknesses  of  cliar- 
a(;ter,  ah'eady  known  to  tlie  reader  from  events  con- 
nected with  his  visit  to  Cahfornia.  His  statements  on 
many  topics  were  often  marked  by  an  unworthy  s[)irit 
of  unfairness  and  pett}'^  injustice  toward  Spanish  and 
American  navigators,  a  defect  which  was  pointed  out 
and  exaggerated  by  Greenhow  and  others  in  tlie  dis- 
putes of  later  years.  It  was  Vancouver's  good  fortune 
that  the  geographical  names  applied  l)y  him  wei-o 
generally  retained  instead  of  those  originally  given 
by  the  discoverers. 

A  woi'k  ])ublished  at  the  same  time  and  in  the  same 
style,  containing  the  Spanish  explorations,  would  liave 
been  in  few  respects  inferior  to  the  work  in  question, 
and  would  have  taken  away  much  of  Vancouver's  ex- 
clusive fame.  The  logs  of  the  American  traders  would 
also  liave  made  a  dilference  in  his  lists  of  names  and 
descri[)tions.  Spain's  policy,  whatever  its  merits  iVoni 
a  ])olitical  point  of  view,  was  most  dauuiging  to  the 
glory  of  her  discoverers;  and  English  enterprise 
made  A^ancouvei*  a  very  lortunate,  as  he  was  a  very 
meritorious,  explorer.^'' 


Besides  tlie  exploring  craft  Amnzazu,  Siitil,  and 
Mcxicana,  there  were  other  Spanish  vessels  on  the 
coast  this  year,  whose  movements  it  is  well  to  record 
before    proceeding    to    matters    of   diplomacy:    The 

•"••.I  roifmje  of  iVincovcry  to  the  North  Pacific  Ocnii,  and  rnvtnl  thr  vnrl'l ; 
ill  trhich  llivcoast  of  iiorth-iveat  America  has  been  canj'iilhj  (.rnm'nietl  aii'l  arrn- 
rti/i  hj  liiirnyi'd.  I'mhrtakvn  hij  J/i8  Jiliijeati/'H  camvunul.  princi/Kilh/  irilh  a  r'n  c 
til  ancirldin  the  e.r/Meiice  of  anij  iiavlijnhle  rommiinira/inr  belincii  the  Sorlh 
I'drijie  (iiid  North  Atlantic  oceaiix;  and  ]ier/nniiid  in  the  years  ll'M-I!  [>■'>,  in  /he 
'Discoveriy  slooji  of  irar,  and  unneil  tender  '  t'huthdm,'  under  the  cntnmainl  of 
('aj)tuin  (ieorije  ]'ancuurer,  London,  17!tS;  4to,  3  vols,  and  folio  atla.s;  also, 
Lon<Ion,  18H2,  Svo,  (>  vols. ;  rayifoHiv/-,  Voi/UDedc  i)Minrert<n,Hn.,  Paris, an  viii; 
4to,  .Svul.s.  and  atlas;  also,  Paris,  1802;  8vo,  Ovols.  Tho  text  contains  Bi'veral 
engravings  of  \  iow"  on  the  coast,  and  tho  atlas  has  niauy  marine  vii'ws  in 
addition  to  maps.  That  part  of  tho  narrative  relating  to  Vancouver's  ojiiTa- 
tions  on  the  Northwest  Coast  during  this  first  voyage  is  found  in  vol.  i.  I'JO- 
432;  ii.  52-85. 


SPANISH  VESSFXS. 


olll 
ho 

•ISO 

,'cry 


and 
tho 

rue 

■orl'l; 
iifi-ii- 
I  r'li  I" 
W.rlh 
;,i  Ike 
id  of 
also, 
|i  \  iii: 
Iveral 
Ivs  ill 
l]it'ni- 
lUO- 


Sfiufa  Gevtrudis,  coinmaiulod  by  Alonso  do  Torres, 
and  liaviiiiij  on  board  ]Jon  Juan  do  la  Bodot;-a,  coni- 
niandorot'  San  Bias  and  S[)ahi.sli  connnissionei',  sailed 
the  1st  of  ^[arcli  and  arrived  at,  Nootka  at  ilio  entl 
of  April,  where  she  was  soon  joined  by  the  schoonor 
Artlra,  Captain  Salvador  Monendez  Valdes,  M'hieli 
had  bt'on  delayed  until  the  middle  of  !Mareh  at  San 
]>las.  Elisa  in  the  Conccpo'on  left  Nootka  in  June, 
anivino-  at  Monterey  the  Dtli  of  July,  while  Cuadra 
Monis  to  have  acted  as  connnander  of  the  j^arrisou 
(luriu<jf  the  absence  of  Caaniaho  hi  the  A  rdiizazii  on  his 
northern  trip  of  exploration  until  Se})teinber.  Mean- 
while Lieutenant  Salvador  Fidali^o  left  San  Bias 
the  2od  of  ]\rarch  in  the  Princcsa,  and  proeeede<l 
direct  to  the  port  of  Xunez  Gaona,  in  the  strait  of 
I'uca,  where  he  arrived  early  in  May,  founded  a  rejjju- 
lar  ;»()st,  with  the  necessary  building's  and  i'ortitica- 
tioiis,^*^  and  remained  until  Septend)er,  when  l)y  order 
of  Cuadra  he  abandoned  the  settlement  and  trans- 
I'erred  all  the  material  to  Xootka,  where  he  succeeded 
Caaniafio  as  connnander,  and  retained  his  vessel,  with 
jtrobably  the  newly  purchased  Adcentdve.  The  Santa 
(i'('j-frif(/is,  und(?r  Torres,  had  returned  southward, 
toiichinL!;  at  Monterey  in  AuLjust.  Cuadra  lett  Xootka 
in  Septend)er,  touched  at  Xunez  (iaona  to  leave  orders 
for  I''idal<»o,  and  arrived  at  jNIonterey  in  the  Actira 
on  October  'Jth.  The  only  other  vessel  of  the  year 
was  the  schooner  Jforcasifas,  which  had  })erliaps 
been  in  the  nortli  shice  tlie  precediniy^  .year,  returninjjj 
to  Calil'ornia  eitlie  with  J'^lisa  or  with  C^iadra,  and 
wliich  now  sail  'd  ai^ain  for  Xootka  in  Xovembcr, 
canyinijf  despatches  iVom  Cuadra  to  l^'idalgo,  sent  in 
<<)iisc(|nence  of  orders  from  the  viceroy  which  had 
hri-ii  broUL>iit  up  to  Monterey  from  San  Bias  by  the 
S((fiiniiH((.^'' 

^T'vans,  Jfltit.  Or.,  MS.,  G7,  tells  us  that  pieces  of  masonry  arc  still  found 
i.;    'I'.'ili  J5ay. 

^''  l!<  Villa  Gtijeilo,  Iiiforini',  VM\-Q\  Stiitil  y  Mc.rkmm,  Vlniji,  Ki, 'JO,  103,  ll.T; 
Hist,  ('ul.,  i.,  chap,  xxiv.,  thiti  iicrica;  Jjiuwdl'n  \'o>,'.  Mi,,  6(>  7,  'J-;  Vun- 
roiivi  r's  \'oi/.,  i.  408-10. 


CHAPTEK  IX. 


ll  V 


END  OF  CONTROVERSY  AND  EXPLORATION. 
179*2-1800. 

The  Policy  of  Spaix — Delay  for  Exploration — Thf.  Viceroy's  Ideas — 

IXSTRrCTIOXS     TO     THE     COMMISSIOXER  —  CpADRA'S     INVESTIGATIONS^ 

Vancouver's  Mission — The  CojniissioxERS  at  Nootka  —  Enclish 
Cl.\ims — Spanish  Offers — Aoreeaient  to  Disagree — Convention-  uf 
1793 — Damages  Paid — Revilla-Gigedo's  Report — Vancouver's  Sec- 
ond Voyage — The  Garrison — Saavedra  Succeeds  Fidalgo — The 
Trading  Fleet  of  1793 — Cuadra  Succeeded  by  Alvva — Trip  of  the 
'AuANZ.\zu'  to  Californlv — Captain  John  Kendkick— Vancouver's 
Third  Vovaije — Traders  of  1794 — Treaty  of  1794— The  Controversy 
Ended — Alava  and  Pierce  —  Final  Abandonment  of  Nootka  in' 
March  1795— The  Title — The  'Ph(ENIx'  of  1795 — Brougieton's 
Visit — Dorr,  the  Yankee  Trader  of  179G — Rowan  and  the  'Elisa' 
OF  179£ — Cleveland's  Cruise — The  'Betsy'  of  ISOO. 

Spain  had  in  a  sense  been  forced  by  England  to 
reliiKiuisli  her  exckisive  claims  to  territory  in  the 
north-west,  or  at  least  she  had  not  deemed  herself  in 
condition  to  tight  for  what  appeared  likely  to  pnjve  a 
mere  matter  of  pride;  for  as  wc  have  seen,  Spain  had 
no  desire  for  northern  possessions  except  as  a  means 
of  protection  for  those  in  the  f  outh.  If  there  was  no 
interoceanic  passfsge,  then  a  broad  frontier  without 
good  ports  was  all  that  was  desirable;  consequently 
an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  coast  was  of  the  iirst 
importance,  and  wc  have  seen  with  what  unusual 
energy  the  exploration  was  })ushed  forward  in  17U0  "J 
by  the  successive  expeditions  of  Fidalgo,  Quim[)ev, 
Elisa,  Malaspina,  Caamailo,  and  Galiano.  Should  the 
strait  be  found,  then  Spain  had  an  equal  chance  with 
England  to  occupy  the  necessary  points;  and  as  for 

(284) 


JUAN  FRANCISCO  DE  LA  BODEGA  Y  CUADRA. 


283 


exclusive  control,  there  was  yet  room  for  clii»lomacy, 
ami  always  for  war  as  a  last  resort.  IMeaiiwhile  delay 
was  essential  and  by  no  means  difficult.  By  the  spirit 
of  the  Nootka  convention  the  whole  coast  above  San 
Francisco,  or  at  least  above  Cape  ]\Iendocino,  for  there 
was  an  equitable  right  to  a  broad  unoccu})ied  frontier, 
was  open  for  trade  and  settlement  equally  to  Spain 
and  England,  each  having  also  free  access  to  the  set- 
tlements of  the  other,  though  literally  the  limit  fixed 
was  neither  San  Francisco  nor  Mendocino,  but  the 
"  parts  of  the  coast  already  occupied  by  Spain,"  which 
might  very  jJausibly  be  interpreted  to  mean  Nootka; 
and  so  the  Spanish  government  decided  to  inter|)ret 
it,  at  least  as  a  basis  for  future  negotiations.  It  is 
not  unlikely  that  many  Spanish  officials,  and  even 
the  viceroy  of  Mexico,  may  have  taken  this  view  of  the 
matter  in  good  faith. 

]:>v  royal  orders  of  December  1790  tlie  carrying- 
out  of  the  Nootka  convention,  so  far  as  the  restora- 
tion of  property  and  the  fixing  of  boundaries  were 
concerned,  was  committed  as  a  matter  of  foi'm  to 
the  viceroy,  with  a  recommendation  that  Juan  Fran- 
cisco de  la  Bodega  y  Cuadra  should  be  the  Spanish 
connniss^ioner,  and  that  the  boundary  between  the  ex- 
clusive possessions  of  Spain  in  the  south  and  the 
territory  free  to  both  powers  in  the  north  should  bo 
lived  at  48^,  Nootka  being  divided  between  the  two.^ 
i  'uadra  was  accordingly  a})pointed  and  summoned  to 
.\[<'xico  to  receive  instructic^ns  early  in  1791.  Quim- 
] '  r's  late  explorations  luul,  however,  furnished  a  more 
defi  I'te  idea  of  the  northern  strait  than  the  Spaniards 
iiud  before  possessed,  and  Kovilla  (ligedo  took  the 
lil>erty  to  introduce  some  changes  in  ih:^  royal  reconi- 

'  'Quo  los  inglcses  ocupasen  en  Nootka  los  tcrritorios  simados  nl  Norte,  y 
iicisoti'ds  liiH  do  la  parte  del  Siir,  lijiliidoHo  en  los  48  grados  dc  latitiid  la  liiiea 
divisoria  de  los  cstableciniiontos  de  nucHtra  legitima  iK-rteiioncia.  y  de  las 
ciiiiuinos  para  lu  reciprocidad,  uso  y  coniercio  do  unihas  iiaciones. '  iJy  Nootkik 
i-i  iiii'Miit,  I  suppose,  the  region  extending  north  and  soutii  from  the  (sound.  ]5y 
tills  iirrangemcnt  eaeh  nation  would  have  an  cstahlislnnent  f)n  Xootka  Sound 
fi'trof  aocess  to  vessels  of  the  other,  but  the  English  could  not  trade  or  settle 
lie  low  ■in'. 


mii 


r.SD  OF  CONTROVERSY  AST)  EXPLORATION. 


mcndations;  ho  bolievod  it  would  bo  best  to  givo  up 
Nootka  altogether,  and  to  make  the  strait  of  Fuca 
the  dividing  line,  transtbrring  the  Spanish  establish- 
ment to  a  convenient  site  on  that  strait.  Cuadra  Ava.s 
instructed  accordingly,  and  the  purport  of  his  instruc- 
tions was  made  known  to  the  home  government.^  The 
viceroy  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  matter,  and  made 
the  fullest  possible  investigation  respecting  the  occur- 
rences of  1789,  closely  examining  all  available  witnesses 
on  the  points  mentioned  in  Mcares'  memorial,  and 
communicating  the  results  of  his  investigation  both 
to  Cuach'a  and  to  the  government.  He  was  satisfied 
that,  as  'b^  English  had  been  dispossessed  of  no  lands 
or  buildi,  ;  Nootka,  nothing  was  to  be  re!?tored, 

according  t<  '■  first  article  of  the  convention,  and  he 
flattered  himself  that  the  English  would  be  theretbre 
tlie  more  ready  to  obtain  the  port  of  Nootka  by  ac- 
ceding to  the  terms  proposed.  Fully  acquainted  with 
the  facts  of  the  case  and  with  the  viceroy's  views, 
Cuadra  sailed  for  Nootka  in  March  1792,  and  at  the 
same  time  Eidalgo  was  sent  to  found  a  settlement  at 
Nunez  (iaona,  within  the  strait.^  At  Nootka,  while 
waiting  for  the  English  commissioner,  Cuadra  was 
able  to  make  some  further  investigations  about  the 
controversy  of  1789,  and  was  so  fortunate  as  to  meet 
captains  Cray,  Ingraham,  and  Viana,  who  testilied 
in  writing  that  British  subjects  had  not  been  dispos- 
sessed of  any  lands  or  houses  whatever,  thus  fully  con- 
firming his  own  previous  conclusions  and  those  of  his 
superior  officer.* 

In  his  instructions  of  the  8th  of  March  1791  Cap- 

'•Tn  .1  report  of  the  '27tli  of  Marcli  1791.  A  reply  in  a  roj\'il  order  of  tlio 
20th  of  June  postponed  a  ilelinito  decision  on  the  changes,  but  led  the  viceroy 
to  infer  tlmt  they  •would  bo  appvoveil.  Revilhi-Gigedo  also  favored  a  north 
and  Houth  line  from  some  point  on  the  strait  up  to  (JO',  to  kccj)  the  iMiglisii 
from  ])enetrating  tlio  interior  and  reaching  New  Mexico,  but  it  is  not  clear 
that  Cuadra's  insti'uctions  included  this  feature. 

"A  clear  though  brief  account  of  these  matters  is  given  in  Tivv'ilhi-O'nicih), 
Iiifiivme,  1  .'!;$  et  seq. ,  with  reference  to  much  original  corrcspoudcnco  that  is 
not  acccssil)le. 

■*  (//■((//  <i  ml  fniimham'n  Letter  of  A  wjiixt  3, 1702,  in  Greeiihow'n  Or.  ninl  ('a/., 
414-17.  This  letter  and  that  of  Viaoia  arc  mentioned  in  Vaiicouvir's  I'oy.,  i. 
SS'J  ct  sci^. 


THE  COMMISSIONERS  AT  XOOTKA. 


287 


tain  Vancouver  had  boon  informed  that  lie  mi^'lit  in 
the  course  of  liis  voyage  be  called  uj)on  to  receive 
from  Spanish  officers  the  property  at  Nootka,  which 
his  Catholic  majesty  had  agreed  to  restore;  but  he 
was  to  await  further  instructions  on  the  subject. 
Such  additional  instructions  were  dated  the  "iotli 
of  August  1701,  and  were  sent  by  the  IXc<hhis, 
Lieutenant  Kichard  Hergest,  together  with  an  order 
IVom  Count  Florida  Blanca  to  the  conunander  at 
Xootka.  IIcrLjest  was  authorized  to  receive  the 
])i'()perty  himself  if  ho  did  not  find  Vancouver  at 
Xootka;  but  he  was  killed  by  savages  at  the  Sand- 
wich Islands.  Thomas  New  succeeded  to  the  com- 
mand, auf  '^n  reaching  Nootka  in  July  preferred 
to  await  the  arrival  there  of  liis  superior  oiliei-r. 
Vancouver  was  meanwhile  exploring  in  the  strait, 
where  he  heard,  both  from  Galiano  of  the  Siit'd  and 
Sliei)herd  of  the  Vi'mifi,  that  Cuadra  was  waiting  to 
comply  with  the  terms  of  the  treaty;  and  he  linally 
arrived  at  Nootka  at  the  end  of  August. 

Vancouver's  instructions  were  to  I'cccivo,  and 
Cuadra's  to  deliver,  "the  buildings,  and  districts, 
or  pai-cels  of  land... which  were  occu])ied  by  his 
majesty's  subjects  in  the  month  of  april,  1781),  agree- 
able to  the  iirst  article  of  the  late  convention."  Cuadi'a 
had  very  properly  tried  to  learn  what  lands  and  ijuild- 
iiigs  weA'e  intended;  A'^ancouver  took  it  for  granted 
without  investigation  that  the  port  of  Nootka,  and 
])robably  Port  Cox  also,  were  simply  to  be  trans- 
ferred, with  whatever  structures  might  exist  there, 
from  Spanish  to  J'^aglish  possession.  Sucli  a  sur- 
render of  the  post  of  Nootka  had  never  been  hinted 
at,  so  far  as  is  known,  in  the  European  negotiations; 
there  was  not  a  word  in  either  treaty  or  instructi(»ns 
to  support  A-^ancouver's  theory;  but  he  would  have 
nothing  but  an  absolute  surrender  of  the  pkice. 
Cuadra  at  once  presented  his  evidence,  showing  tliat 
as  British  subjects  had  bc^cn  dispossessed  of  no  lands  or 
buildings  whatever,  there  was  nothing  to  be  restored 


28S 


END  OF  CONTROVERSY  AND  EXPLORATION. 


under  the  treaty ;  but  at  the  same  time  he  submitted 
his  ])roposition,  offering  to  give  up  Nootka  and  retire 
to  Fuca,  making  all  south  of  the  strait  exclusively 
Spanish,  and  leaving  all  north  of  Nootka  free  for  tlie 
entrance  of  both  |)owers.  Subsequently  he  offered  to 
give  up  the  small  lot  of  land  on  which  Meares  had 
built  his  house,  and  even  to  leave  at  Vancouver's 
command,  without  prejudice  to  Spanish  rights,  all  tlio 
structures  of  the  port,  retiring  to  Fuca  to  await  the 
decision  of  the  respective  courts.  But  Vancouver 
would  enter  into  no  discussion,  and  did  not  oven 
attempt  t(j  defend  his  own  position  or  oppose  that  of 
Cuadra,  s<j  far  as  the  events  of  1789  were  concerned; 
he  jnust  have  Nootka  or  nothing.  In  this  he  was 
wrong,  as  he  was  probably  well  aware,  thougli  Mr 
Dufiin,  arriving  from  China,  furnished  stronger  evi- 
dence on  his  side  than  had  ever  existed  before.  As 
to  boundaries,  he  said  he  had  no  powers,  that  matter 
having  been  settled  by  the  treaty;  and  in  this  lie  was 
right.  Perhaps  he  acted  wisely  also  in  refusing  to 
accept  anything  less  than  a  full  surrender  of  the  port, 
if  he  had  reason  to  think  his  government  expected 
such  a  surrender.  Of  course  Cuadra  was  not  willinij: 
and  had  no  authority  to  make  the  surrender;  there- 
fore the  two  commissioners,  whose  relations  thrcjugh- 
out  were  most  friendly,  agreed  to  submit  the  question 
anew  to  their  respective  governments,  Nootka  re- 
maining in  the  mean  time  a  Spanish  port.° 

'"•Vancoiircr'n  Voi/.,  i.  384-409;  lierilla  Ohjedo,  In/orme.  137-0,  101-3,  with 
brief  statements  in  Sitt'd  y  Mfxkaita,  Vimje,  \\'A-\i>,o.m\  llfiHiiuU'.t  Loij.  ^,1S., 
{(!);  alsi)  an  account  l)y  Howell,  sniicrcavgo  of  the  Marnurct,  M'htj  acleil  aa 
translator,  (juotcil  from  Iii(iraham'K  Jiniriiul  l)y  Grccnliow,  Of.  uml  C<d.,  'l\Ti. 
Vancouver  complains  of  L'uadra's  vacillation  in  the  matter,  pcrhiips  with  some 
reason,  but  i)robal)ly  because  he  chose  to  understand  the  Siiauiard'.i  poHto 
phrasea  at  verbal  interviews  as  implying  assent  to  his  claims;  ho  says  that 
(,'uadra  agreed  on  the  I'Jth  of  September  to  leave  him  in  full  possession,  the 
Spanish  Hag  lieing  struck  and  the  IJritish  raised  in  its  place,  while  tacli  (hould 
send  his  objections  to  hia  government,  but  next  day  in  a  letter  changed  Ills 
mind.  Sucli  an  agreement  on  Cnadrii's  part  seems  improbable,  thougii  Itcvilla- 
(iigedo  repeats  Vancouver's  complaint  without  disputing  its  accurary  in  this 
respect.  IJut  it  seems  that  the  complaint  as  carried  by  IJroughton  to  Mexico 
was  also  that  Cuadra  did  not  change  his  mind  until  Vancouver  liad  worked 
for  several  days  unloading  his  vessel;  that  the  hitter's  expedition  luul  lieeu 
detuiued  for  a  whole  year;  and  that  the  viceroy 'a  iustructious  had  been  ob- 


DAMAGES  DETERMINED. 


230 


)rt, 
ted 
iii'jr 

ere- 
.41- 

r/iou 
ro- 


Yancouvcr  sent  an  officer  -svltli  Je.spatclios  to  Eng- 
land via  China  on  a  Portuo'ueso  trader:  and  later  from 
]\Ionterey,  ^vllerc  Ins  most  agreeable  social  relations 
■with  Cuadra  were  continued,  Lieutenant  Brougliton 
was  taken  on  the  Actlva  to  San  Bias,  from  Nvliicli 
point  lie  wont  to  England  by  way  of  Mexico  to  an- 
nounce the  result  of  Lis  superior's  mission,  and  ask 
for  new  instructions.  Meanwhile  a  royal  order  was 
received  in  jNIexico  requiring  that  under  no  condition 
should  Nootka  bo  surrendered.  The  viceroy  made 
haste  to  despatch  the  order  to  the  north  l>y  the  Satnr- 
■niiia,  fearing  it  might  bo  too  late,  but  it  found  Cuadra 
in  ( 'alifornia,  and  was  sent  at  once  to  Fidalgo  at  Nootka 
by  the  Ilrnvasitci^,  which  returned  in  time  to  accom- 
pany the  Actlca  southward  early  the  next  year. 

No  details  have  ever  been  published  of  European 
negotiations  on  the  Nootlca  question  after  the  sign- 
ing of  the  convention  of  1790,  but  something  is  Iniown 
of  final  rosrilts.  ])on  Manuel  de  las  lleras  and  Mr 
Rudolph  Woodford  were  the  commissioners  ajipointed 
to  dotormino  the  amount  to  be  paid  Britisli  subjects  as 
a  comjxnisation  for  their  losses  caused  by  the  seizure 
of  tlicir  vessels  in  1789.  The  connnissioncrs  agree>l 
upon  the  sum  of  two  hundred  and  ten  thousand  dollars 
in  coin  in  full  payment  of  all  claims,  and  a  convention 
to  that  effect  was  signed  at  Whitehall  on  Eeljruary 
12,  1793;  it  was  ratified  the  same  day  by  the  British 
monarch,  and  presumably  the  money  was  paid  without 
delay,  greatly  to  the  satisfaction  of  Moares  and  liis 
associates,  Vv'ho  if  they  ijot  half  the  amount  named, 
though  their  oriinnal  claim"  had  been  six  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand  dollars,  had  every  reason  to  be  conten  c." 

SL'uvc,  causing  nocdlcsu  (li.ljij's  anfl  great  losses.  In  his  flosiro  to  prevent  :\. 
I'ujiturc,  Ciiailrainay  liavof;i>no  Ipcyoiul  lii.si)laiii  iu'^truetioiH  aii<l  (lu;y;  Imt  if 
so,  till)  fault  was  a  Hli;^lit  ouo  and  was  ri'paired  iiiiiuediately.  Fr.iine  a  t  >  nji- 
poiient  ^  was  not  one  of  Vancouver's  characteiistics.  lUistani.'.nte,  Sini'i  iii-iil'*, 
ItiJ,  tells  iistliat  1).  Mariano  Mozifio,  wlioaomnnpanied  the  Spani.4i  e\p' ditien 
a  ;  liotaaist,  wrott;  an  '  histoiia  dc  ella  do  una  manera  iliyua  de  leerse,'  not  pal)- 
Hilled. 

''The  Spani.sli  text  of  the  convention  of  February  12,   ll'M,  is  given  iu 
Cairo,  fticiu'il  (!'■  Trf> !!''■■<,  iii.  o!J4-."). 
IIisT.  N.  W.  CoAsr,  Vol.  I.    13 


!.,  2 


200 


EXD  OF  COXTROVERSY  AXD  EXPLORATION. 


It  was  on  April  12,  1793,  that  Viceroy  Ilovilla 
Qhfcdo  dated  the  rei)ort  which  I  have  so  oftoii  cited. 
It  is  by  far  the  best  suiinnary  extant  of  all  the  trans- 
actions pertaining  to  the  Spanish  occupation  of  the 
Northwest  Coast.  The  author  presents  at  the  end  his 
conclusions  respecting  the  policy  that  S[)ain  sliould 
follow  in  the  future.  The  late  explorations  were,  in  his 
()])inion,  very  nearly  conclusive  as  to  the  non-existence 
of  any  interoceanic  strait;  yet  the  coast  from  Fuca 
south  to  San  Francisco,  and  especially  the  Entrada  do 
Hoceta,  or  Columbia  liiver,  required  a  closer  exami- 
nation tlian  had  yet  been  made,  and  he  had  already 
taken  steps  to  organize  an  expedition  for  that  purpose. 
It  was  evident  that  British  subjects  desired  to  form 
establishments  on  the  northern  coasts,  ostensibly  for 
the  profits  of  the  fur-trade,  but  really,  as  he  believed, 
with  a  view  to  interference  with  the  Spanisli  control 
of  the  Pacific  and  to  the  profits  of  illicit  trade  with 
Spanish  settlements.  He  did  not  think  the  fur-trade 
would  long  continue  to  yield  extraordinary  proiits; 
and  while  it  might  be  well  to  encourage  Spanisli 
traders  to  enter  the  field  as  rivals  of  the  ]"]nglish, 
Americans,  and  Portuguese,  he  did  not  favor  the  for- 
mation of  any  such  great  company  enjo^'ing  govern- 
ment support  and  exclusive  privileges  as  had  been 
recommended  by  Martinez  and  others.  Neither  did 
he  deem  it  desirable  or  possible,  by  reason  of  the  im- 
niense  expense  involved,  to  take  and  keep  actual  pos- 
session of  the  northern  coasts  merely  to  prevent  such 
occupation  by  foreigners.  What  sliould  be  done  i;i 
that  direction  was  to  strengthen  the  Californian  ])re- 
sidios,  and  to  occupj'-  the  port  of  Bodega,  for  whicli 
orders  had  already  been  issued.''  If  another  })ort 
should  be  found  above  Bodega  it  might  be  necessary 
to  occupy  that  also;  moreover,  if  the  Columbia  Biver 
should  be  found  to  aftord  either  the  long  sought  pas- 
sage to  the  Atlantic,  or  even  access  to  the  province 

■  For  what  was  done  in  this  direction,  see  Iliif!.  Cal.,  i.,  chap,  xxiv.,  this 
scries. 


riDALGO  AT  NOOTKA. 


201 


of  New  ^Mexico,  that  stream  would  of  course  have  to 
1)0  fortified  by  Spain,  wliieh  could  1)e  most  advan- 
tageously ctiected  probably  by  a  land  i'oi'oc  IVom  Xew 
]\[cxico,  acting  in  concert  with  a  maritime  expodilion. 
If,  as  was  most  likel}',  there  was  a  long  harborless 
coast  above  Bodega,  the  Californian  posts  alone  would 
call  for  attention,  and  would  furnish  the  best  and 
only  available  safeguard  against  English  or  Russian 
encroachments.  As  to  Nootka,  the  viceroy  says: 
"  I  am,  then,  of  opinion  that  we  should  cede  to  the 
English  wholly  and  gencrousl}''  our  establishment 
of  N(wtka,  since,  so  far  as  the  way  of  thinking  of 
the  Enu'lisli  commander  Vancouver  and  his  emissarv 
l)rouLrhton  could  be  ascertained,  it  seems  that  thev 
desire  and  aspire  to  wave  the  British  flag  over  that 
port  without  recognizing  that  of  Spain,  moved  rather 
by  the  idea  or  vainglory  of  sustaining  what  by  reason 
of  opposition  they  liave  made  a  [)oint  of  honor  than 
by  motives  of  interest  or  advantages  which  are  truly 
prc^blematic  in  connection  with  the  fur-trade."** 

Vancouver's  vessels  came  back  from  the  Hawaiian 
Islands  in  the  spring  of  1793;  the  Cliatluim,  \\o\x 
commanded  b\'  Puget,  after  having  s})cnt  a  week  in 
Port  Buenri  Esperanza,  anchored  at  Xootka  on  tho 
15th  of  April,  remaining  there  a  month  for  repairs, 
and  then  departing  for  a  cruise  of  exploration  on  the 
northern  coast.  Vancouver  in  the  Discoccri/  sighted 
Cape  Mendocino  on  April  2C)th,  ancliored  at  Trinidad 
from  May  2d  to  the  5th,  and  then  ])rocee(led  up  the 
coast.  He  arrived  at  Xootka  on  the  20lh  of  ^lay, 
being  received,  as  Puget  had  been  before  him,  with 
every  courtesy  by  Connnander  Fidalgo.  The  San 
CdHos  was  at  anchor  there,  and  had  brought  letters 
from  Cuadra  and  the  vicerov;  but  there  were  as  \vt 
no  despatches  from  Euro])e,  and  Vancouver  started 
for  the  north  after  a  stay  of  only  three  days,  joining 

^JRevilla  Gi'ji'do,  fn/orme  12  <!<'  Ahrll,  1791,  in  liiiMumdiit'^  Suiili'ineiifo  d 
lo'i  Tn.i  S!(jlos  lie  Caro,  iii.  Il'_'-(Ji.  Anion;:;  the  niciisures  recomnionded  by 
tlio  viucrciy  were  also  a  reorwinizatiuu  of  the  I'ioua  i'uuJ  and  a  trausicr  of 
tl)o  Sail  liltLS  duyartmont  to  Acapulco. 


202 


END  OF  CONTROVERSY  AXD  EXPLORATION". 


PiiGfct  on  the  2GtiL.  The  hio-liest  latitude  reacliofl 
was  about  oG"  00';  the  only  noticeable  adventuivs 
were  the  poisoning  of  some  of  the  men,  one  fatally, 
by  eating  mussi.'ls,  and  the  vv'ounding  of  two  nion  in 
an  attack  by  hostile  Indians;  and  the  geographical 
results  of  the  expedition,  as  far  as  my  territory  is 
concerned,  are  shown  on  the  accompanying  copy  of 
the  chart,  A  few  names  were  retained  as  a})pliud 
by  earlier  navigators,  and  the  unshadeel  })ortion  was 


i;„..i,-  111,',  11  i;cn,  .„         '  -  '  ;A, ,,  V.  . 


j:  f'J'i^VAl.iaktlyne 


\v» 


\0« 


P'l.l'rMi.rlck  P 

V-,      % 

^     <" 

V          * 

.r 

"'■'"'••■-"V      "  i 

c    %\ 

l'i.laml.:r<_.-            ^ 

<■■'■' '"•-■'>           < 

l-:„::,..ukr;l 

i:.H.-\l.urS-^ 

( 


^> 


ri< 


^^.i%"^ 


jV;fe,„,,u,uJ  ''', 

'"-^^^iim^ K  %^    '. 

..     ,  .        X~">    n  V-:    e  ""-0.-1      I  l'\ 


\ 


\„<.^  .Vv,  "  ''7/   I      iH.iU|.iw-,v-5 


\ 


M 


,  "Cuii.    .Sl.,lllH,.-; 


Vancouver's  Mat,  1793. 

laid  down  from  Caamaho's  chart.  The  country  from 
(iardner  Canal,  in  53°  30',  up  to  ."7"  was  named  New- 
Cornwall,  while  that  extending  southward  to  NeVv- 
Georuia,  at  about  50'  30',  was  called  New  IIano\ei-, 
formal  jiossession  being  taken  of  course  ni  the  name 
of  the  British  king.  On  the  20th  of  September  he 
turned  southward,  passing  along  the  outer  side  of 
Queen  Ciiarlotte  Island,  and  anchoring  at  NootI;a 
on  the  5th  of  October.  No  despatches  from  Mexico 
or  Europe  had  arrived  since  his  departure,  and  after  a 
stay  of  three  days  ho  again  put  to  sea  for  Caliiornia, 


DECLINE  OF  INTEREST. 


203 


(> 


liis  fancied  wronj^s  in  wliich  country  liavc  been  do- 
.sci'ibed  in  another  volume." 

Xo  other  narrative  or  log  of  a  voyage  on  the 
jiorthern  coast  in  1793  is  known  to  be  extant;  and 
therefore  all  that  is  known,  which  is  very  little,  about 
the  movements  of  other  vessels,  and  Nootka  events 
generally,  comes  from  Vancouver's  journal.  Fidah 
and  his  men  of  the  garrison  had  passed  a  most  dreary 
winter,  confined  within  doors  by  almost  incessant 
rains,  and  shaken  by  a  violent  earthquake  on  the  17th 
of  February;  yet  "notwithstanding  the  badness  of 
the  season,  ho  had  found  means  to  erect  a  small  fort 
(111  Hog  Island  that  mounted  eleven  nine  ])ounders, 
and  added  greatly  to  the  respectability  of  the  es- 
tablishment." In  ^lay  tlie  San  Cdrlos  arrived  from 
San  131as  under  Alferez  Ramon  Saavedra,  the  vessel 
to  replace  the  Princcsa  at  the  Nootka  station,  and 
Saavedra  to  succeed  Fidalgo  in  the  connnand.  The 
latter  sailed  soon  for  the  south,  and  touched  at  San 
Francisco  on  his  way  to  San  Bias  the  2 1st  of  June.^'* 

Exceedingly  meagre  is  our  information  respecting 
the  trading  fleet  of  tliis  and  the  following  years. 
The  era  of  exploration  and  diplomacy  on  the  North- 
west Coast  had,  in  a  sense,  passed  away;  there  were 
no  longer  international  <lisputes  giving  importance 
to  items  of  testimony,  and  thus  revealing  the  names  of 
visitors;  there  were  no  more  exploring  expeditions  to 
meet  the  trading  craft  in  out-of-the-way  places,  and 
to  seek  information  of  the  masters  about  their  vovat>:es 
and  discoveries.  The  fur-traders  had  the  tield  to  them- 
selves, and  for  the  most  part  tliey  have  left  no  record. 
The  Buttenrorth,  Prince  Le  Boo,  and  Jackal — two  of 
which  vessels  had  been  on  the  coast  the  yeov  ^ndore, 
all  belouixinsf  to  the  same  Fnuflish  hous. ,  r.id  all 
und(?r  the  general  command  of  Captain  Brown — were 
met  by  Vancouver  in  Chatham  Sound  in  June;  and 
Brown's  name  was  given  to  the  passage  leading  into 

Ta«ro«m-'s  T'o?/.,  ii.  238-4.^.3. 

^'^Arch.  Cat.,  MS.,  Prov.  St.  Pap.,  xxi.  101;  Vancouvcr'n  Voy.,n.  2o2-4. 


'::o4 


END  OF  COXXnOVER^Y  AXD  EXPLORATION". 


that  Konnd."  On  liis  return  to  X(iotka,A''{viicouvor  was 
iiil'onnid  by  Saavcdra  that  duriiij^  liis  al)sonr'o  tlio 
jtoi't  lia<l  ])vc\\  visited  l)y  the  FriJiu'li  slii[)  Flurin, 
j)rr'haj)s  still  searchin;^  lor  l^a  Pc'i'oiiso,  "ha\in<4  oii 
hoard  a  veiy  valuahlc  carLjo  of  l']nro})oan  conwnoditics, 
v.liicli  was  carrii'd  to  Kani[>schatka,  th(!ro  to  he  dis- 
jtoscd  of  to  the  llussians  foi-  furs,  with  which  a  cargo 
of  tea  was  to  have  been  purchased  in  China;  l)ut  their 
expedition  had  not  hitheilo  answered  their  expecta- 
tions;" and,  moreover,  the  crew  were  disposed  to  be 
mutinous.  "Sonu^  few  Americans  had  also  arrived  in 
our  absence,  but  in  a  most  deploral)le  condition,  totally 
in  a  want  of  j^rovisions,  naval  stores,  and  even  such  ar- 
ticles of  mi'rcliandize  as  were  necessai'y  for  tradinuf 
with  the  natives."  Their  names  are  not  given,  and 
tlie  writer  is  almost  sure  to  have  exagi'crated  their 
<lestitution.''^ 


The  viceroy  had  intended  to  despatch  the  Actirn 
and  Jf('.n'cf(n<(  in  April  17i)4  to  carry  out  his  projected 
exploration  of  the  coast  south  of  Fuca;'^  but  tlion 
there  was  nothing  in  the  diplomatic  develt)pment.' 

"  Two  Eugliwii  vessels  were  reported  to  be  at  Bn(k\i,'a  in  .Tanunry,  and  in 
March  two  I'aiglish  vessels  caused  much  uneasiness  to  the  Spaniard.!  I)y  tlieir 
siispicioiib  movements  on  the  coast  of  Calilornia;  one  of  thcaii,  whicli  touched 
at  Monterey  for  wood  and  water,  was  eoninianded  hy  Captain  Brown,  who 
said  he  was  ))ound  for  XootUa,  and  tlie  other  was  understood  to  lie  tlie 
J'lii.cisn.  I'robahly  the  vessels  were  those  of  tlie  trading  lleet  met  hy  Van- 
<i>uver.  Arr/i.  Cat.,  M.S.,  Prov.  St.  i'i'j>.,  xxi.  1)4;  I'rov.  live,  ii.  IG'2;  St.  J'<ij>. 
.s-."'.,  ii.  i;51--.'. 

^•]'niiroiircr\i  Voij.,  ii.  4'20,  3'24.  In  Tufh'  LUt  the  sloop  Union,  Boyd 
Oiastcr,  from  Boston,  is  mentioned  as  jiaving  been  on  the  coast  in  1  "!'•'(,  besiilcs 
ihe  ship  Jiji'irnon,  lloljerts,  and  brig  //u:icor/:,  Crowell,  which  left  Boston  in 
ITtI-.  Tlie  full  title  of  this  authority  is  as  follows:  Lltt  of  Aiiicricuii  Tlsw/i 
e  iijajril  ill  the  Tnulii  nf  thi>  \oith>rest  Cvcist  of  America  for  Sea-otter  SLiits 
fr'iiii  i/W,"  to  lSti:>,  enmjiili'il  Inj  Williuin  Tiifix,  L'm/.,  from  fiis  oini  Jlemoniiiihi, 
u  III  from  the  I'l'ri/  valuahle  Ni'/oi  kiiultji  furnished  lii/  Captain  William  Stiirfu, 
(f  lioiitiin.  Published  in  Swan's  X.  W.  Cnast,  app. ,  4"J.'5-4.  It  was  prepared 
in  IS.")7,  when  the  author  writes:  'The  foregoing  list  is  nearly  correct  as  it 
regards  tlie  vessels  engaged  in  the  early  ti'ade  in  sea-otter  xlinn  by  American 
»  uterprise.  The  owners  in  all  cases  are  not  known.  There  may  have  Ijccn 
other  vessels  on  the  toast  during  the  time  who  w(!re  engaged  in  collecting 
the  smaller  skins  and  less  valuable  furs,  but  the  above  are  the  regular  Nortii- 
v.est  traders  for  sea-otter  skins.'  There  are  04  voyagep  mentioned;  but 
>\  line  well  known  ]5oston  ships  are  strangidy  omitted,  possibly  because  their 
lAVjicrs  were  rivals  of  Sturgis  and  his  partners. 

'■'/.'<c,//(t  (ii/ido,  Jiiformr,  14">-(i,  including  'Instruccioncs  para  el  prolijo 
ivcjnociuiiento  de  la  entrada  do  Ezeta  y  rio  de  lu  Cjhunbia.' 


VICKROV  1M:V1LLA  (ilCKDO. 


20j 


bo  noticed  iircsciitly,  ^vl^l(•1l  in  any  sense  ronioved  tlio 
iiei'c'ssitv  of  such  an  ('.\[)l()i'ati()n,  it  was  al)an(l(>no(l  I')!' 
sonic  niR;x|)lain(!(l  reason,  j)oilia]>s  ai'isiiiL^  IVoin  the  wai"- 
liko  aspct.'t  of  aiKrn-s  in  I'^ui'ope.'*  Kaily  in  the  spiini,', 
liowevei",  the  AninZdzn  was  despatehed  under  Josu 
Tohar  Cor  Nootka  with  tlie  year's  sui»i>lies.  Orilei's 
from  Spain  re([uii\'d  Jl(!villa  (j!i<4'e(Io  to  send  tht;  coni- 
niissioner  baek  to  Xootka  for  the  completion  of  thi,' 
susj)ended  l)iisincss  witli  Vancouver,  an  agreement 
havinj^  heen  reached  by  the  two  courts  rcspectin<jf  tlie 
]>oints  in  dispute;  but  Don  Juan  Francisco  de  la 
Jjodena  y  Cuadra  died  in  ^larcli,  and  the  viceroy  ap- 
]t<»inted  General  Jose  Manuel  de  A  lava  to  succeed  him, 
both  as  connnander  of  the  San  Bias  establishment 
and  as  Xootka  connnissioner.  The  nature  of  the  new 
a;j^reenient  was  not  yet  known  to  the  viceroy,  or  at 
least  the  commissioner's  instructions  had  not  an'ived; 
but  Alava  sailed  in  ^lav  on  the  Priitccsd,  Fidal<>'o  in 
conmiand.  His  instructions  Mere  to  be  forwarded  as 
soon  as  they  should  arrive.^'' 

Tile  Aniifjiza  beini;  at  Xootka  in  the  middle  of 
June,  Saavedra,  the  commander  of  the  j^arrison, 
resolved  to  send  her  to  California  for  needed  supplies, 
])articularly  medicines.  He  also  wished  to  secure  for 
his  garrison  the  men  that  ]Matute  liad  left  in  Cali- 
fornia the  year  before ;  and  he  sent  a  warning,  brought 
by  a  trader  from  China,  that  a  ]^ritish  ship  of  forty 
guns  was  coming  in  October.-'"  For  some  unexplained 
cause,  instead  of  Tobar  our  okl  American  friend  Ca})- 


h. 

A 
lit 
kn 
111 

Ji- 
ll t 
lir 


'*Ttis  possible  tliiit  Olio  of  tlio  tlircc  iSpanisli  vessels  of  the  year  mailc  a 
survi'y  uf  tlie  Columbia  and  clusily  i.'.\.uliiinc(l  the  coast  below,  but  tliere  is  no 
icet'nl  of  sueh  a  fact. 

'■  May  lOth,  virei'oy  to  governor  of  California,  announcing  Al.ava's  mission, 
nnil  bespeaking  attentions  in  Califoiuia;  the  "JOth  of  August  tliis  oriler  eoiu- 
r.iunienteil  by  the  governor  to  jiresiilio  coninianilers ;  and  iiplies  of  t!ie  li'tter 
at  various  dates.  Arch.  CuL,  MS.,  I'ror.  St.  I'aj).,  xi.  171;  xii.  101  •_',  11!); 
J'ror.  L'l'c.iv.  117;  I'aiu'diiirr'.i  ro»/.,  iii.  301-2.  The  y^yiyjctsa  did  not  toueli 
in  California  on  her  upward  trip. 

^''  Suarrdrti,  Cnrtaa  (il  (loheriiudor  ih  CaVifornid  nohrc  Comitilc  Xonlln,  17''.';, 
MS..inehiding  also  the  governor's  replies.  Among  the  supplies  demanded  wiio 
'(iacetas  para  <livertinios  en  la  invernada.'  The  governor  assuied  Saaveil.a 
that  the'-e  was  nothing  to  bo  feared  from  liritish  vessels,  as  a  treaty  of  fi-ie-id- 
ship  hud  been  eoiicluded. 


296 


END  OF  C!0XTROVERSY  ASD  EXPLOKATTON". 


li 


!   i^ 


tiiin  Joliu  Kcndi'lck— or  possibly  liis  son  Tolm  — was 
sent  ill  comniaiicl  of  the  transport,  which  sailed  about 
June  lath  and  anchored  at  Monterey  on  duly  2(]." 
Kendrick  at  once  made  known  his  wants,  which  were 
supplied  as  far  as  possible,  thoiii^h  the  men  de.-ired 
had  already  been  embarked  for  San  JJlas,  and  there 
was  a  great  scarcity  of  some  of  the  artii-les  asked  lor. 
Padre  JMaj^iu  Catahl,  the  missionary,  came  to  Cali- 
f'oi'nia  by  this  tri[)  of  the  Araxzazn,  servinij;-  as  chap- 
lain, and  was  not  willing  to  rej)eat  the  northern  trip. 
.\s  the  j)resident  had  no  authority  to  send  another 
father  unless  as  a  volunteer,  and  as  the  Yankee  cap- 
tain v.as  horrified  at  the  prospect  of  his  crew  being 
deprived  of  their  pasto  ('spiritual,  the  situation  was 
embarrassi'.ig;  but  fmally  a  retiring  I'riar  <^(>n;;ented 
to  serxe  as  cha])lain  on  the  Conccpvion,  and  (Joniez  of 
the  latter  sailuii  >vJth  Kendrick.^*^ 

Ca})tain  Vancouver  came  back  to  the  American 
coast  tliis  year,  for  the  last  time,  to  complete  his  sur- 
vey of  Miiska  up  to  the  head  of  (^o;>k  Inlet,  in  about 
Gl'la';  al'ter  this  was  accomplished  he  turned  south- 
ward, and  on  the  2d  of  Se})tember  the  Dis('i)iri\i/  nud 
Clinfliam  anchored  at  Nootka.  A  lava  had  arrived  tlio 
day  before  on  the  PrinccKn.  Neither  connuissioner 
had  any  idea  of  liis  official  duties;  and  there  was 
nothing  to  do  i;i  that  direction  l)ut  await  the  instruc- 
tions that  were  to  be  sont  to  the  Spaniard  before  the 
15th  of  October.  Vancouver  \vas  dee[)l3' grieved  to 
learn  tliat  his  old  friend  Cuadra  was  dead;  but  Alava 
I'ivalled  his  pi-edecessor  in  courtesy,  an<l  together  with 
Fidalg'.t,  Saaw'dra,  and  other  SpanisJi  officers,  did  all 
in  his  power  to  make  the  stay  of  the  Englishmen 
agreeable;  though,  because  VanciMiver's  store  of  j)ow- 
der  was  nearly  exhausted,  it  was  agreed  to  dis[)enso 

"Jtii;;'  l.'.tli  is  the  dato  of  Sinvedra's  k'ttiTs.  and  the  arrivul  at  Moutcroy 
is  ici'ni'di'd  ill  Airh.  Cttl.,  MS.,  /'ror.  SI.  P<i/>.,  xii.  "Jl  I. 

"'  Ktiiilrirl:,  ( 'itrrv^it'iiidcinia  milnr  ( 'o*r.t  f/c  Xoufbi,  /,".''.},  MS. ;  Cdlnh'i,  Vart'% 
Kiiliri'  Xuif//.-(i,  nu.'i,  MS.  Tlif.  AraxxazH,  under  'I'dluir,  li'I't  \(«)tkii  on  tlio 
lltliof  Si'jiti  uiIk.'!',  and  again  toiiclii'd  at  Montcny  SoptoniljiT  'JJ<1  to  'JStU 
on  lii'i-  way  to  San  ]]las.  Vtiiicvuvirn  Voij.,  iii.  30.");  Arrlt.  <'al.,  M.S.,  J'lvv.  i.''. 
J'<ix>.,  .\ii.  I JO, 


TRADING  CRAFT  AT  XOOTKA. 


297 


[t't 

lio 


\vitli  tlie  customary  salutes.  The  observatory  was 
set  up  oil  shore;  tliere  was  plenty  of  work  to  he  clone 
in  i-eiittiirjf  the  vessels;  and  a  visit  was  matle  to  tlio 
village  of  ^[aquinna,  up  the  sound. ^'^ 

At  Nootka  Vancouver  i'ound  the  follo\vin<x  tradiu'jf 
craft:  the  P/urnix,  Captain  Hugh  Moor,  from  Bengal; 
tlie  Prince  Le  Boo,  Captain  Gordon,  from  China;  the 
Ji'nny,  Captain  John  Adamson,  from  Bristol;  the  Ladii 
\]'iis/ii/)f/f()n,  Captain  John  Kendrif'k,  from  .]>oston; 
and  heard  of  the  Jachd,  Captain  Brown,  I'rom  China, 
on  the  noi  thorn  coast.  The  English  vessels  had  been 
very  successful  in  their  trade;  and  the  American  bri<x 
was  laid  up  for  repairs,  llespccting  the  ti'ading  ileet 
oi'  17!)  1  nothing  more  is  known.*'  ^Ir  Ci'eenhow  tells 
us  that  "neither  Kendriek  nor  his  vessel  ever  re-' 
tui'netl  t(i  Ami-rica  [after  1701,  as  is  implied]:  he  was 
killed,  in  171)0,  at  Karakakooa  I)ay,  in  Owyhee,  by  a 
hall  accidentally  tired  from  a  British  vessel,  while 
sidutiii'j:  him."-^  lUit  the  corres])oiidonce  v/ith  the 
governor  of  California  in  1794  provc>s  this  to  be  all 
wroni]:,  so  far  as  the  liate  is  concerned;  and  ^;till  less 
accurate  in  this  respect  is  the  statement  of  ^Ir  Sturgis 
that  the  accident  occurred  (tn  Is'-ndrick's  birthday, 
ill  I71)l*."  The  fatal  slutt  was  fired  j^t'rhajts  eai'ly  in 
1795,  though  the  Luhj  Wtis/n'n<jfon  was  at  Xootka  in 
179(),  ])erlia[)S  undr-r  her  old  master;  and  certainly  be- 
f  )re  LSOl,  when  Delano  at  the  Sandwich  IsL.a  Is  heard 
of  the  disaster,  naming  no  datc\  The  advent urous 
mariner,  if  we  may  credit  his  associates,  was  always 
so  wrap[)(>d  in  gi-and  scIkmucs  as  to  be  behindhand 
ill  th(^  ordinary  aifairs  of  liie.  It  seems  he  could  nob 
cvi'u  die  '  on  time.'"''     I  have  already  noted  the  possi- 

^'•^I'ldwoiii'i  r'n  Voiiiiiji',  i'i.  'Jilit-IlUi. 

'-"  Mi's^rs  Tufts  iiiiil  Stnigis  iriv;  mo  iiamcR  lu'twcoii  IT'*'!  junl  17'^'^ 

-^(iiifiili(i)i'\f  Or.  (iml  Ctil.,  "JJlt.  lie  iilso  s.'iyH,  p.  "JJ:!,  that  ('apUuu  I'rown 
nils  kilkiil  \ty  tins  natives  of  the  Samh  ich  Islaiuls  in  .lauuary  17;'">. 

"S/iirijIi  fA'cltiri'.  on  t/ic  Xnrtli-iCitl  I'lir-friidf,  7,v/^',  in  // mil's  M<r<h, 
Mdij.,  xiv.  .'>;!."). 

-'Aeniiriliii^'  to  the  Xiirth  Aiiifr.  Itcficir,  xv:.  S"^."!,  i\  sou  of  Kcndrii'U  was 
with  liis  father  iinil  reiiiaineil  some  time  nc  Noolkii  in  the  Spanish  seivii  e. 
la  the  Calilnrnia  areliives  a  .lolm  Kemlriek  is  iiunicil  !  ;  Mii.eteai;4o  of  the 
Lliiii,  l!o\\an,  Ijut  this  id  very  likely  uii  error,  or  at  kajit  another  niau  in 


298 


END  OP  CONTROVERI^Y  AND  EXPLORATION. 


bility  tluit  tlic  Kendrick  who  visited  California  may 


have  been  a  son  oi'  the  orij^iiuil. 


meant.  Accoi-dins  to  a  report  in  C  S.  Oor.  Doc,  lO'h  fon<j.,  Ixl  Senx.,  II. 
Hr/it.  Xo.  Jl-i,  p.  14,  thu  tiUu-ik'uilH  to  the  laud  jnirchased  hy  Kcmlrick  froni 
the  Tmliaiis  were  deposited  in  tlie  oliice  of  the  ITnited  States  c:)n.sul  in  Canton. 
In  17!Mi  the  lands  were  ofl'ered  fcr  sale  in  London  l)y  MrlJarrel,  aijcnt  for 
the  owners  of  i\w  Columbia.  The  authorof  lioii/oii  in  the  Xorthife.yt,  .MS.,2-,'>, 
Hays:  'Captain  Kendrick  wrote  to  his  wife  of  this  pu-ehase,  also  of  de- 
positing the  original  title  in  Canton,  and  transmitting  the  duplieateto  W'ash- 
iil^;ton.  It  was  never  seen  l)y  the  family,  and  the  letter  in  lelution  to  it  wa.s 
lost. .  .liy  fire.'  The  representatives  of  the  owners  of  tlie  ves.sels  ap])lied  tritli-' 
U.  S.  government  for  a  eoulirniution  of  the  title,  but  <a  eommittee  of  eongress 
reported  tlmt  though  the  claim  was  a  just  one  the  riglitful  heirs  had  not  ap- 
peared. Kendriek  Itouglit  the  WttMhin'itou  before  nlterinir  lur  into  a  brig. 
'Wlien  dying  lie  called  his  mate  into  the  cabin  and  put  him  in  charge  of  the 
vessel,  witli  instructions  to  proceed  direct  to  the  United  States.  The  vessel  left 
the  islands,  but  was  never  heard  from  afterward  [therefore  this  must  have 
been  after  I7!i<>l-'  And  tlnis  were  lost  all  Ids  ellects,  including  journals  and 
records.  'Tlicri;  are  proofs  in  the  family  that  Captain  Kendrick  w.is  on(i  of 
the  famous  IJoston  Tea  I'arty  in  1773,  and  that  lie  was  with  Captain  Cook 
ill  his  last  voyage  (jf  1770.'  Captain  Ainasa  Delano,  XarriUif'  cf  I ''..'/";/' ■•i, 
liostoii,  I  SI  7,  I'p.  .'{',>!)-4'.M),  who  met  Kendrick  at  (,'anton  in  17'.'l,  ainl  who 
in  1801  at  the  Sandwich  Islands  hoard  of  his  deatli,  eulogizes  him  as  a 
navigator  with  but  few  e(|uals,  noted  for  his  enterprising  .sjiirit,  good  judg- 
ment, and  courage.  A  man  of  rare  merits,  his  faults  being  but  fcM-  comjiared 
Avitli  his  auiiablo  qualities.  In  about  l.S.'}l)-40  JIall  J.  Kelley  became  inter- 
ested in  the  Kendrick  title,  and  was  iu.strumental  in  bringing  it  liet'ore  eon- 
jjress.  From  a  pamphlet  on  the  subject,  Kcllii/'.i  JJi.iror.  S".  IT.  Con-^t,  I 
have  already  citeil  in  the  'jreeediiig  chapter,  note  li'.i,  the  title-deeds  and 
F  ".ne  e.irvespondciKv^  Tiiis  writer  speaks  of  the  attempt  to  sell  the  Luicls  in 
I^ondon  in  17'J(!,  wlien  advertisements  in  four  langnagea  wcvv,  circulateil,  liear- 
ing  i!iiprcssi(>n  of  the  Columbia  medals.  ^Ir  Wardttrom,  in  a  work  on  'J'nii' 
( '.tloiihal'mi,  is  said  to  have  expressed  conlidence  in  the  title,  giving  also  the 
]>ieLured  mi'dals.  Kelley,  Lflhr  oi  .January  I,  1870,  states  that  Kcndrick's 
ileavli  was  on  the  4th of  July  1793;  but  the  correspondence  above  cited —if  Mr 
Howell,  as  represented,  sailed  for  China  with  the  papers  alter  tlic  laptain's 
death  -seems  to  sL-ow  tliat  it  must  have  been  early  in  1705;  tvIuIc  if  it  were 
nut  for  tlio  date  of  llowells  letters  I  should  place  it  after  I79!i.  'i'he  follow- 
ing, in  wliich  tlie  leader  will  note  a  few  errors,  is  from  the  New  York  Trihinie, 
November 'J.'),  1.S7I:  '  The  name  of  Captain  John  Kendrick.  the  tirst  .Vineiican 
exi)loier  to  the  nortli-west  I'aeilie,  is  one  Mliich  our  history  lan  hardly  iillord 
t.)  lose.  The  yelling  and  daring  men  whcj  are  attached  to  tlie  scieiititic  ex))e- 
ditiou  in  tluit  ipiarter  to-day,  could  not  aslj  a  worthier  tigiire  t(j  liead  their 
annals  tliaii  tliis  njaight  and  fearle.is  captain  wliom  tradition  says  alisnhitely 
knew  liot  the  fear  of  savage  or  storm,  whom  no  disaster  could  daunt  or  sfiller- 
ing  sulichie.  He  commanded  the  e>;pedition  sent  out  by  u  ci.mpany  i>f  IJoston 
mei'chants  to  tlie  I'aeitie,  wliieh  was  actually  the  first  time  that  nn  .Vmerican 
ship.saded  round  the  globe,  flu  met  witil  incredible  iiiirdships  on  dill'erent 
voy.'iges;  two  sons  wens  killed  by  In<liaiis  before  his  ej'es;  yet  lie  retiiriad 
again  and  again  to  the  raciile,  doing  great  service  in  exploring  tlio  ilamls 
and  tiie  coast  aboiit\'ancouver's,  t'>  tlie  northward.  Forthishe  received  liually 
the  j)ateiit  of  a  large  tract  of  land  ecpial  in  extent  to  nearly  tlie  whole  state 
of  Oregiiii;  but  the  papers  M'ei'e  lost  with  liim  on  his  last  voyage,  niid  liis 
fajnily,  aftera  fewediu'ts,  gave  np  tlieir  claim.  He  brought  hoiiieniapsnf  the 
ouscan  1  jtictures  of  savage  costume,  as  well  as  the  "icenery,  paiiiied  witii  no 
suiall  skill  l)y  tiic  sliip's  painter,  a  man  who  had  talent  beyouil  his  trade.  ^  <  t 
there  is  searcely  a  trace  left  of  this  gallant  navigator,  ami  his  name  is  barely 
lueutiuued  iu  any  record  of  uyrth-westeru  e,\plovutioiid.     llis  services  were  so 


i 


COLXETT'S  ASSERTIONS. 


299 


ii 


On  tho  IGtli  of  Octol)er,  no  despatclios  having 
arrived,  the  En<Tjli.sli  vessels  sailed  for  ^lontcrev, 
where  they  arrived  on  the  2d  and  Gth  of  November, 
and  were  joined  bv  the  Pn'nccsa  on  the  7th.  Four 
d-iys  later  A  lava's  instructions  came  from  ^Mexico; 
and  that  officer,  saj's  Vancouver,  who  had  received  no 
despatches,  "very  obligingly  confiding  to  me,  that  ])art 
«)f  liis  instructions  which  stated,  that  no  further  alter- 
cation would  take  place  with  respect  to  the  precise 
meaning  of  the  iirst  article  of  the  convention  of.  .  . 
171)0,  as  tlie  documents  transmitted  by  the  late  Seuor 
()ua(h'a  and  myself,  had  enal)led  our  respective  courts 
to  adjust  that  matter  in  an  amicable  way,  aiid  nearly 
on  the  terms  whicli  I  had  so  repeatedly  offered  to 
S.'Aor  Quadra  in  Septend)er  17'.)2.  In  addition  to 
wliitli  the  Spanish  ministers  set  forth,  that  this  l)usi- 
ness  was  not  to  be  carried  into  execution  by  me,  as  a 
I'resh  commission  had  been  issued  for  this  j)urpose  by 
the  court  of  London.^*  The  same  was  announced  to 
(lovcrnor  Borica  by  tic  new  viceroy  of  ^[exic(»,  with 
instructions  to  receive  the  ])ei-son  ncting  undisr  this 
('(innnission  into  their  presidios."-'  Accoi. singly  YiW)- 
couver  sailed  for  home  by  way  of  Cape  Horn  on  the 
-(\  of  Deceml)er,  reaching  his  destiii.ition  in  October 
17!)5.  This  famous  ex]>lorer  died  before  his  work 
appeared  in  print,  but  not  before  he  ha<l  coiivinced 
luu)self  by  conversations  v,  ith  Captain  Colnett  that 


valncil  tliat  tho  city  of  Boston  gave  liim  a  puhlio  reception  on  his  return  from 
tlu'  li'it  voyu'^o,  anil  a  nu'dal  wiis  Htniclv  in  Imno!'  ol'  llio  event.  A  Srw  of 
those  nioilals  two  t;till  pruserveil,  and  ])apevs  relatin;^  to  tlie  voyage  and  explo- 
ratio-, ,  ui,  !"  ♦'"^  "tjite  department,  liut  all  ellortps  >>f  histoi'ians  anil  otiie.s  to 
get  si'^'lit  of  tliini  have  yet  i)rovid  useless.  The  work  of  sutling  tlie  dauntless 
Keiidiiek  liefore  tlio  counti'v  wliiehowes  liini  .so  muoli  lias  been  undertakiii 
l>y  loyal  and  loving  liundH,  but  is  widly  hampered  for  want  of  authentic  docu- 
ments.' 

'*''  In  a  note,  p.  .^^'2,  Vancouver  says  this  was  not  the  fact,  as  the  fresh  iii- 
Btnu'tiims  Were  at  first  addres.sed  to  iiiin. 

■'f'lr'llii  (I'ii/pilo,  hixtnirrloH  V'Sfrrailn  d  mi  S/iri'Dnr  lirnnfiforto,  ./<'.''/,  a 
MS.  in  till!  library  of  congress  cited  )>y  Nreenhmv,  states  'thatorders  had  been 
HI  lit  to  tlie  eoniniandant  [at  Ximtkal  to  abandon  the  jijace,  agreeably  to  a  royal 
il'i'liiiiirii:'  anil  also  contains  advice  not  to  extend  the  Sji.iiiish  establishiiieiit  i 
beyond  .N'ootka.  The  viceroy's  annomieenniit  that  a  new  eouiiiiissiou  liai 
belli  issued  isilateil  the  Kith  of  ,Abiy  ITi'l  and  tlu  -ovei'imr's  receipt  the  I'Jth 
of  Xovcniber.  Anh.Cal.,  MS.,  i'ror.  ."^  I'cj'.,  xi.  17-;  I'ror.  Jt(<:,  vi.  '29. 


I!  HI 


iOfi 


END  OF  CONTROVEKSY  AXB  EXPLORATIOX. 


the  latter  "liad  been  extremely  ill  used,  and  that  no 
dopenck'nce  is  to  be  placed  on  the  accounts  given 
to  Senor  Quadra,  or  myself,  by  the  American  com- 
manders, who  are  stated  to  have  been  eye-witnesses 
of  most  of  the  transactions.  The  documents  and 
l)a[)ers  whicli  Captain  Colnett  has  since  })roduced  to 
iiK',  fully  prove  that  the  Americans  wilfidly  misrep- 
resented the  whole  affair,  to  the  prejudice  of  his 
character,  and  the  interest  of  his  British  majesty's 
Hubjects."^"  Vancouvcjr  was  very  willing  to  be  con- 
vinced of  American  perfidy,  and  the  reader  already 
knows  what  weight  is  to  be  attached  to  Cohiett's 
testimony. 

Meanwiiile  the  Xootha  controvcrs}'"  had  been  defi- 
nitely settled  by  a  convention  signed  at  Madrid  on  the 
11th  (jf  January  1794,  by  the  British  and  Spanish 
ministers  St  Helens  and  the  Duke  of  Alcudia.  By 
the  terms  of  this  agreement  the  respective  commis- 
sioners were  to  meet  as  soon  as  possible  on  or  near 
the  spot  where  stood  the  buildings  formerly  occupied 
by  British  subjects,  and  there  to  exchange  declaration 
and  counter-declaration  as  literally  prescribed  in  the 
document.  The  former  was  p,  final  restoration  of  the 
buildings  and  lands  of  which  British  subjects  had 
been  dispossessed  about  April  1789,  and  the  latter  a 
foi-mal  declaration  that  the  restoration  was  complete 
and  satisl'actoi-y.  "Then  the  British  officer  shall  un- 
fui'l  the  British  flag  over  the  land  thus  restored  as  a 
sign  of  possession,  and  after  these  formalities  the  offi- 
cers of  the  two  crowns  shall  retire  respectively  their 
people  from  the  said  port  of  Nootka.  And  their  said 
majesties  have  furthermore  agreed  that  the  subjects 
of  both  nations  sliall  be  free  to  frequent  the  said  port 
as  may  be  convc;nient,  and  to  erect  there  temporary 
buildings  for  their  acconunodation  duriuLir  their  rcsi- 
deuce  on  such  occasions.     But  neither  of  the  two 

f)arties  shall  make  in  said  port  any  permanent  estab- 
ishment,  or  claim  there  any  right  of  sovereignty  or 

'"  Vancouver^a  Voy.,  v'u  310  et  scq.,  491  ct  acq. 


ABAXDOXMEXT  OF  XOOTKA. 


m 


territorial  dominion  to  tlio  exclusion  of  tlic  other. 
And  their  said  majesties  ^-ill  aid  each  other  to 
nuiintain  their  subjects  in  free  access  to  the  said 
port  of  Nootka  against  whatever  other  nation  may 
attempt   to  establish  there  any  sovereignty  or  do- 


nnnion 


"27 


General  Alava  seems  to  have  passed  the  n-intcr 
in  California.  On  the  13th  of  January  171);j  the 
Actlca  sailed  from  San  Bias,  commanded  by  Lieu- 
tenant Cosme  Bcrtodano,  and  having  on  board  Lieu- 
tenant Thomas  Pierce  of  the  marines,  the  newly 
aj»pointed  British  commissioner.  One  month  later 
t!io  brig  touched  at  Monterey,  and  having  taken 
Akiva  on  board  sailed  on  March  1st  for  the  north. 
We  have  few  details  of  the  acts  of  restitution  on  the 
23d  of  March,  chanixe  of  flau^s,  and  final  abandfjnment 
of  Xootka;  but  the  formalities  were  clearly  prescribed 
in  tlic  treaty,  and  were  <loubtless  closely  f<jnoux'(L 
Ijt'tters  Vv'ore  left  with  the  Indians  for  suhserjucnt 
Englisli  or  Spanish  visitors,  explaining  what  had  been 
done;  then  the  establishment  was  broken  up,  and  all 
movable  property  transferred  to  the  ships. 

Of  the  Aeticas  return  I  have  no  record,  as  slio 
(hd  not  probably  touch  at  any  (Ailifornia  port;  but 
the  Sail  Carlos,  bringing  Comiuidantc  Saavedi'a  and 
his  men,  arrived  at  Monterey  on  the  12Lh  of  3Iav. 
Some  of  the  garrison  rcunained  to  strengthen  tlio 
presiilial  forces,  and  some  twenty  northern  Indians 
Were  brought  down  to  be  l)aptized  and  to  settle  in 
(  alii'ornia,  as  others  of  their  race  had  been  in  the 
]<rece(hng  years.  The  next  year  Maquinna's  sub- 
jects had  transferred  their  vilkigo  to  the  site  of  tho 
abandoned  Spanish  i)ost;  and  from  17'J5  to  1M83,  s) 
far  as  I  know,  there  has  been  no  settlement  of  wliito 
men  at  Nootka.    The  glory  of  tlie  place  had  departed, 


''  Xori'l'a,  Ariirrtlo  d  convfino  rntrr  Eajxtiid ''  l)i(jhit  ,rn  pant  la  rjr-if'nn  ih  I 
artiriilo  I"  (/.•  It  rniiveiiciiiii  di:  ^'S  di'  octi'Jur  df  IVJO :  jlrinuihi  <  a  JlalnJil 
11  de  Enero  dc  li'J.'f,  iu  Cairo,  liecucil  comidtt  dts  Traites,  iii.  30G-8. 


END  or  CONTROVERSY  AND  EXPLORATION. 


but  its  name  was  often  on  the  lips  of  learned  partisans 
in  later  discussions.-^ 

The  nature  of  this  final  settlement  of  1794-5  has 
remained,  so  far  as  I  am  aware,  for  the  most  part  un- 
known to  writers  on  the  Northwest  Coast.  Lieutenant 
IJroughton,  who  was  informed  the  next  year  by  letters 
fi'om  the  commissioners  of  what  had  been  done,  choso 
to  reveal  in  his  narrative  only  the  restitution  of  the 
port  to  the  Britisli;  and  most  English  writers  have 
.'jince  stated  or  implied  uniformly  that  Spain  was 
obliged  to  give  up  Nootka  in  accordance  with  tlie 
treaty;  only  this,  and  notliing  more.  If  any  of  them 
knew  of  the  treaty  and  the  enforced  abandonment  by 
England  as  well  as  Spain,  they  maintained  a  discreet 
silence.  jMr  Greenhow,  the  leading  American  writer 
on  the  subject,  quotes  an  English  historian:  "It  is 
nevertheless  certain,  from  the  most  authentic  subse- 
quent information,  that  the  Spanish  Hag  flying  at 
Nootka  was  never  struck,  and  that  the  territory  lias 
been  virtually  relinquished  by  Great  Britain;"  and  he 
deems  it  unlikely  that  under  the  circumstances  ]*^ng- 
land  should  have  required,  or  Spain  assented  to,  the 
.surrender;  but  "more  reasonable  to  sup[)ose  that  the 
Sj)aniards  merely  abandoned  the  place,  the  occupation 
of  which  was  useless  and  very  expensive."-''*    iJoctor 


■^Arrh.  Citl.,  MS.,  Pror.  Sf.  Pa/).,  xiii.  80,  89;  Prov.J?ec.,\l  37-46;  Gafrta 
<!''  Mexico,  vii.  '20(i;  Jirniii/Iiloii'ti  I'o//.,  .">0.  'J'lio  last  named  writer  dimply 
k'armil  fnmi  ii  letter  received  .it  Nootka  in  ITSMJ  'that  the  Spaniards  liad 
•lelivered  lip  the  port  of  Nootka,  «^tc. ,  to  Lieutenant  I'ierco  of  the  marines, 
agreeably  to  the  mode  of  restitution  settled  between  the  two  eourt.s.' 

'^'^(i'r<('n/ii'ir'n  Or.  ami  C'll.,  '2'u->^y  eiting  Ilflnhn^i'-i  Hist,  (licut  Ilrilnin, 
viii.  .'^;i7.  1"he  seeond  elan.H!  was  (jnoted  by  nic  from  the  edition  c>f  1.S45;  liiit 
ill  tile  later  edition  of  1S47  it  rea<l.s  as  follows:  'It  is  more  reasonable  to 
suppose  the  agreement  to  have  been,  that  the  Iniuls  at  Nootka  should  be 
delivered  n\y  in  form,  to  .save  the  ereditof  the  ]5ritish  ministry,  and  that  l>ot!i 
jiarties  should  al>aiidi>n  the  north-west  eoast  of  Ameriea,  than  that  eithrr 
should  have  persisti'd  in  its  original  demand  at  a,  moment  when  their  cordial 
niiion  anil  coo[)eriition  was  so  desirable  for  both.'  He  abso  (piotcs  tlie  follow- 
ill','  letter  ficjin  Lieutenant  I'ierce  from  'J'epie,  in  17ll.">,  which  still,  as  will  lie 
noticed,  gives  a  wrong  impression  about  the  tinal  .settlement:  'I  hiive  the 
honor  of  ac(piaintiiig  your  grace,  that,  in  obudieiice  to  your  instructions,  [ 
jiroecedcd  from  Monterey  to  Nootka,  in  company  with  Brigadier-gcncr;il 
Alav:i.  the  ollicer  appointed  on  the  part  of  the  court  of  Spain,  for  iiually  ter- 
minating the  negotiations  rel.-itive  to  that  jiort;  where,  having  satislicd 
myaelf  respecting  the  stiite  of  the  country  at  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  the 


NATIOX-VL  RIGHTS. 


303 


-iiulily 
Is  had 
ariiu's, 


Twiss,  on  the  other  hand,  deems  the  statements  of 
]h'ou^htoii,  Koeh,  and  !Mofras  as  conclusive  a^u^ainst 
tliat  of  ]3elsham,  and  beheves  there  can  he  no  doubt 
t!iat  the  ])hice  was  restored  to  England.^  But  neither 
champion  had  the  least  suspicion  of  the  formal  alxm- 
<l(jument  by  England,  or  of  the  mutual  agreements 
made  respecting  the  future. 

As  to  their  respccti\x'  rights  on  the  Xorthwest 
Coast,  no  controversy  ever  arose  between  England  and 
Spain  after  the  abandonment  in  1795.  Xeither  l)arty 
ever  attempted  to  found  a  settlement  or  to  exercise 
any  rights  in  this  region  under  the  treaties  of  171)0 
and  1794.  Neither  power  contemplated  the  f  )rming 
(if  any  permanent  establishment  on  the  coast.  Xor  did 
they  have  an  opportunity  to  show  their  i)oliey  respect- 
ing settlements  founded  by  other  nations.  For  years 
the  country  was  practically  forgotten  b}'  all  but  the 
I'iu-traders.  It  is  possible  that  there  was  an  under- 
sranding  in  1794  that  the  stipulations  res])ecting 
Xootka  sliould  apply  to  the  whole  coast;  that  is,  that 
no  permanent  establishments  should  be  founded  any- 
N\'here.  It  is  almost  certain,  at  any  rate,  that  such 
would  have  been  the  position  plausibly  assumed  if 
I'ither  power  had  subse(juently  attempted  to  occu})y 
any  part  of  the  territory  against  tlie  wishes  of  the 
otlier.  By  the  letter  of  the  treaties,  however,  both 
England  and  Spain    had  a  right  to  trade  and  settle 

Siiiiniards,  prcpai-ations  were  immediately  made  for  dismantling  the  fo"t  which 
till'  Sjianianis  had  erected  on  an  island  that  f^iiarded  tlie  inoiUhot  the  liarlmr, 
ami  eniharkinL;  the  ordnance.  ]>y  the  morniiiy  of  the  "JSth,  all  the  artiHcry 
ui'vc  embarked,  part  on  hoard  of  his  Catholic  majesty "ti  sloii[)  of  var  A'iin , 
and  ])ait  on  hoard  of  the  Sun  Carlos  guardsliii).  ]'.iiu'adi<'r-;,'eneral  .\lav;i 
and  niys'.'lf  then  met,  agreeably  to  our  respective  instructions,  (.n  tin'  jilaco 
vlicie  formerly  the  British  buililings  stood,  where  we  signed  and  exchangtd 
tlu'  declaration  and  counter-cUchirution  for  restoring  tiiose  lands  to  his 
luaji'sty,  as  agreed  upon  bet\\'een  the  two  coui'ts.  Alter  wliieli  eeremony,  [ 
oidi  led  the  Ihitish  llag  to  be  hoisted  in  token  of  possession,  ami  ihe  general 
gave  directions  for  the  troops  to  embark.' 

'"  Twix.i  OrJ^iiext.,  llil-a,  citiw^ Mo/rii.%  l-'.vi>lor.,  ii.  1  l.'i,  and  K"i!i.  Ifi-tui  r 
Alirnii'r  ihs  TniitAi,  1.,  chap.  xxiv.  The  latter  saj's  <  f  tin?  explorations  of 
restoration:  'Miles  furent  termiiieea  le  "JH  Mai's  <le  eette  anntc,  .-ur  hs  lieux 
iiunies,  par  le  brigadier  espagnolAlava,  et  le  lieutenant  anghiis  I'oara  |  I'ieree], 
«|ui  I'diangcreut  ties  declarations  dans  le  j^'olfe  de  Noolka  nu  nic  Apris  (juo 
li'  tdi ;  e.ijiagnol  fut  ras('',  les  espagnols  a  embanpiereut,  ct  le  paviiiou  uu^jlaid  y 
lilt  plaute  en  signo  de  possossiou.' 


m 


END  OF  CONTROVERSY  AND  EXPLORATION. 


anywhere  above  Bodega,  sul)ject  to  the  condition  that 
all  settlements  were  to  be  free  of  access  to  subjects  of 
either  power,  and  that  at  Nootka  there  should  be  no 
iiernianent  settlement.  Neither  nation  had  the  slii>ht- 
est  clann  to  exclusive  possession  or  to  sovereignty; 
either  might  acquire  such  a  claim,  but  only  by  actual 
occupation  in  the  future.  The  old  formalities  of  taking 
possession  were  now  null  and  void;  the  Xorthwest 
Coast,  thougli  so  fully  explored,  was  open  ftjr  settle- 
ment to  the  whole  world ;  exclusive  titles  were  matters 
for  future  creation.  For  some  years  no  naticjii  took 
steps  to  acquire  such  a  title ;  Spain  never  took  such 
steps.  The  theory  that  the  Nootka  convention — 
especially  as  supplemented  by  the  agreement  of  1704 
and  resulting  in  official  acts — was  nothin-j:  but  a  scries 
of  tempoiaiy  concessions  by  which  during  the  con- 
tinucuK'o  of  peace  Spain  merely  encumbered  her  ex- 
clusive title,  seems  to  me,  with  due  respect  to  the  able 
men  who  have  sustained  it,  an  absurdity.  Spain  re- 
tained no  title  -which  she  could  transfer  to  another 
nation;  and  this  is  equally  true  whether  or  m)t  the 
treaties  of  1700  and  1704  be  deemed  to  have  been 
ended  by  a  subsequent  war  with  England. 

The  only  trading-vessel  of  the  year  of  which  any- 
thing is  known  is  the  Phccnlx,  Captain  ]Moor,  from 
Uengal,  which  has  been  noticed  as  one  of  the  ileot  of 
earlier  years;  and  all  that  we  know  about  her  trip  is 
that  she  touched  on  the  California  coast  in  August, 
leaving  a  'Boston  boy'  in  that  country,  and  creating 
quite  a  ]'ip})le  of  excitement  among  the  people  on  guard 
against  an  alLiek  by  Great  Britain."^ 

Captain  Broughton's  visit  to  the  coast  in  170G  has 
already  l)oen  mentioned.  Ho  came  from  the  Sand- 
wich Islands  on  the  sloop  Discoverij,  after  a  survey 
of  the  northern  Asiatic  coast,  arriviuLr  at  Xootka 
Sound  on  the  15th  of  ]\Iarch,  remaining  two  montlis 
for  repairs,  visiting  Neali  Ba}^,  and  thence  proci^eding 

"//(.•*;.  (.'«/.,  i.,  chap,  xxv.,  thia  scries. 


THE  SHIP  OTTER. 


905 


ig 


aiiy- 
froiii 

ot  <.f 

ip  is 

list, 

itin;^' 

uarel 


ccliug 


tf)  California.  There  is  nothine:  further  to  bo  said  of 
Ills  vi«it,  except  that  he  found  the  Lathj  Wa.shiiKjton 
at  Xootka.**  The  only  other  traders  of  the  year  of 
which  we  have  any  definite  record  were  the  snow  Sea 
Otter,  Hill  master,  and  a  vessel,  perhaps  the  Dispatc/i, 
under  Captain  Newbury,  both  of  which  are  named 
by  Mr  Tufts  as  having  left  Boston  the  year  bei'ore, 
though  there  is  no  reason  to  suppose  the  trading  fleet 
of  this  year  was  smaller  than  that  of  the  preceding.'*' 
Tliere  are,  however,  a  few  vague  references  to  the 
northern  traders  in  the  California  archives,  reveal- 
ing also  apparently  that  a  Spanish  ship  was  sent  to 
northern  waters  this  year,  either  to  obtain  some  rem- 
nants of  property  at  Nootka  or  possibly  to  make  a 
secret  examination  of  the  Columbia,  nothing  but  one 
indirect  reference  being  extant  respecting  the  voyage. 
On  the  ISth  of  July  Governor  Borica  writes  to  his 
comandantes:  "The  American  captain  Dorr,  who  re- 
cently met  Don  Jose  Tobar,  commander  of  the  Satil, 
at  Xootka,  reported  to  him  that  he  had  been  tokl  at 
Botany  Bay  by  the  English  captain  Barba  that  ho 
had  orders  to  attack  the  [Spanish]  expeditions,  and 
that  he  had  similar  orders  for  Broughton,  of  the 
P)vridence"^ 

There  is  nothing  more  about  the  Sutif,  but  Captain 
Ebenezer  Dorr,  commanding  the  Otter  of  Boston,  the 
first  American  vessel  that  ever  anchored  in  Cali- 
fornian  waters,  made  his  appearance  at  jMonterey  in 
October,  doubtless  coniini;  from  a  fur-sokinif  cruise 
m  tlie  north.  She  was  possibly  identical  with  the 
Sea  Otter  already  mentioned,  though  {)robably  not. 
Captain  Dorr  created  some  excitement  by  leaving  in 
California,  against  the  will  of  the  officials,  a  number 

^'Jlroiinhlon  (iVUliam  liohfrt),  A  voi/afjc  of  dixcnren/  to  the  Xorth  Parific 
Oreaii,  Lonilun,  1804,  4to.  The  m.-itter  relatinj,'  to  our  territory  is  on  pp.  -/S-JS, 
The  foiiiinauiler  of  the  Lnilij  Waxhimjton  is  not  nunied. 

'''  Ttiftfi'  Lixt.  Newbury's  vessel  is  called  a  schooner  and  not  nainod ;  but 
in  Nilis'  ReijUter,  xviii.  417,  it  is  said  that  the  Disjxitch,  Newbury,  Mith 
AVilliani  Smith  on  Ixiard,  sailed  from  Bostou  ou  the  '28th  of  October  17t)4, 
retuniing  in  June  1 796. 

'^^Arch.  Ciil.,  MS.,  Prov.  liec,  iv.  148-9. 
Hist.  N.  W.  Coabt,  Vol.  I.   20 


300 


END  OF  CONTROVERSY  AND  EXPLORATION. 


of  f'ouvict  stowaways  fi'oin  Botany  Bay,  as  related  in 
another  volume  of  this  series.^' 

From  1797  we  have  but  a  meagre  record  of  trading 
vessels  that  visited  the  Northwest  Coast.  It  is  not 
irolxible  that  the  names  even  of  half  tlie  number  are 
;nown.  It  is  fortunate,  from  an  historical  point  of 
view,  that  it  is  the  latest  rather  tlian  the  earliest 
period  of  the  fur-trade  whost;  annals  are  so  incom- 
plete. In  1797  the  Scd  Otter  remained  on  the  coast, 
entered  tlie  Columbia,  and  it  is  said  that  Captain  Hill 
v/as  killed.  The  ships  Disjtntch  and  Iiuliaii  Pavkct, 
connnanded  by  Jonathan  Boweis  and  by  Rogers — 
Dorr  and  Sons  t)wners — and  the  ship  Hazard,  Swift 
master,  owned  l)y  Perkins,  Land),  and  Company,  are 
nanjed  as  the  Boston  ships  of  the  year.''" 

The  fleet  of  1798  included  five  vessels  wlilch 
cleared  from  Boston  the  year  before  with  trade 
cargoes  invoiced  at  from  seven  thousand  to  seventeen 
thousand  dollars,  as  shown  by  the  custom-house  rec- 
ords. The  Alexainkn',  under  Captain  Asa  Dodge, 
v.  ith  Charles  Winship  as  supercargo  and  part  owner, 
V.  as  the  only  one  of  the  number  whose  invoice  was 
less  than  thirteen  thousand  dollars.  The  Hazard, 
Swift  master,  which  had  wintered  in  the  Pacific,  ac- 
cording to  Gray  entered  the  Columbia.  The  otliei-s 
^vere  the  Jcnnij,  Bowers  master;  the  Alert,  Bov.'les 
njaster;  and  the  Elim,  connnanded  ]>y  James  Rowan. 
Of  the  adventures  and  achievements  of  the  fleet  we 
know  nothing.''^  The  cutter  Draijon,  Lay  mastei-,  from 
China,  was  also  on  the  coast  this  year  or  the  year 
before.** 

In  1799  there  was  one  voyage  recorded  in  a  printed 

•''See  Hist.  C'ul.,  i.,  chap,  xxv.,  of  this  series,  whioli  ami  the  following 
chapters  contain  also  information  about  the  war  between  Spain  and  I'^ng- 
lanil  as  waged,  on  paper,  in  California. 

'■^*''Tiifl,s'  Lint;  Gmifsll'ist.  Or.,  14;  XShs''  I}p;i!nfn;  xviii.  417. 

^'/JosfoH  in  the  Northwvst,  MS.,  71;  Custom-bouae  record,  in  Id.,  7(5-7. 
la  TiiJ'ls'  Lid  no  vessels  are  named  for  1708,  but  the  AV(>e  is  accredited 
ti>  the  next  year,  perhaps  correctly;  she  was  owned  by  Perkins,  Lamb, 
und  Company. 

=»  C'leidand's  2far.,  46,  04. 


!i!iSi 


CAPTAIN  CLEVELAND. 


107 


:it'i', 
as 

''I 
•dv- 
lers 
•Ics 
■an. 
wo 
oni 
oar 


Le{ 


I 


1111^ 


lited 
luib, 


narrative,  that  of  Richartl  J.  ClovelaiKl,  a  young 
oouiniorcial  adventurer  from  Salem,  Massachusetts. 
He  bouiifht  tlie  Drmjon  at  Canton,  changed  her  name 
to  the  Caroline ,  and  fitted  her  out  for  a  fur-trading 
cruise.  He  sighted  land  on  March  30th  at  Norfolk 
Sound,  and  most  of  his  operations  were  on  the  Alaskan 
coast;  but  he  finally  came  down  to  Queen  Charlotte 
Islands,  and  with  a  valuable  lot  of  furs  he  reached 
the  Sandwich  Islands  in  July,  and  Macao  in  October.^' 
Cleveland  met  five  other  traders.  The  Uhjsxics,  Cap- 
tain Lamb,  which  left  Boston  with  a  cargo  valued  at 
fourteen  thousand  dollars,  had  arrived  in  February, 
"but  the  success  which  ought  to  have  resulted  from 
so  early  an  arrival,  was  defeated  by  a  mutiny  of  long 
and  ruinous  duration."*"  The  Elisa,  Ca[)tain  Rowan, 
had  wintered  probably  at  the  Islands  and  had  arrived 
on  tlie  trading-grounds  in  February.  When  Cleve- 
land met  Rowan  on  the  9tli  of  April  ho  had  been 
very  successful,  and  "was  on  his  way  to  the  soutli- 
ward  to  complete  his  cargo,  and  then  to  leave  tlio 
coast.  He  mentioned,  that  ten  vessels  would  prob- 
ably be  despatched  from  Boston  for  the  coast  this 
season."  In  INIay,  Rowan  made  his  appearance  at  San 
Francisco,  the  Elisa  being  the  first  American  vessel  to 
anchor  in  that  port.  She  carried  twelve  guns,  and 
John  Kondrick — probably  not  our  old  friend  of  that 
name — was  understood  to  be  her  supercargo.  R<jwan's 
letter  of  the  27th  of  May,  promising  to  pay  cash  fi^r 
needed  supplies,  to  de[)art  at  once,  and  to  touch  at 
no  other  port,  is  still  preserved  in  the  California 
archives.  Cleveland  met  him  aijain  in  October  at 
Macao,  and  was  told  of  his  visit  to  the  Spanish  coast.*' 

^^Ckirlanil'ii  Narrative  of  VoyafjM  and  commercial  enterprixe/i.  Cainbri<l;,'e, 
1S42, 1'imo,  2  vols.,  pp.45-(i,  .">1,  (i'J-94 ;  also  A''.  Am.  liivicw,  xxv.  4.'J8,  in  wliich 
tliu  vessL'l  is  termed  an  P'uylish  one.  The  names  used  by  Cleveland,  as  ap- 
jilicd  to  tribes,  ehiefs,  and  places  are:  Skittigates,  Coneyaws,  Cummasliuw, 
J'ytantes,  Tatiskce  Cove,  North  Island,  Kiganny,  Point  Rose,  North  Island, 
I'^taigee,  and  Kow. 

*"(.7f;(v./a/»rx  ^V«)-.,  90;  Boston  in  the  Northwe«t,  MS.,  76.  Owned  by  Lamb 
i.nd  others.    Tufts'  List. 

^Ulist.  Cal.,  i.,  chap,  xxv.,  this  series;  Ckcdand'n  Nar.,  74,  102;  Tuftn'' 


if 


303 


END  OF  CONTROVERSY  ANT)  EXPLORATION. 


Two  other  Boston  ships,  the  ILnwock,  Crocker,  and 
the  Dispatcfi,  Breirk,  were  met  by  Cleveland  near  Nor- 
folk Sound  early  in  June,  havinj^  arrived  on  the  coast 
rather  too  late  to  insure  successful  voyaj^jes  the  present 
season."  The  Enjjflish  ship  Checifn/,  Ca[)tain  Beck, 
had  also  not  obtained  many  furs,  havin<:f  nu^reover 
}jf rounded  on  a  sand-bank  and  been  attacked  by  tho 
Indians,"  And  finally  Mr  Tufts  names  the  Canton 
shij)  Dove,  commanded  by  Duffin. 

The  fleet  of  1 800,  as  named  by  Tufts,  consisted  of  tho 
Alert,  Bowles,  owned  by  Lamb;  tho  Jennij,  Bowers; 
and  Rover,  Davidson,  owned  by  Dorr  and  Sons;  tho 
Alexander,  Dodd  master,  Bass  owner;  the  ILcMrd, 
Swift,  Perkins;  and  the  Dove  of  Canton,  connnanded 
by  Duffin. 

The  Betsii,  a  Boston  brijTfantino  under  the  com- 
mand of  Caj)tain  Charles  Winshij),  is  the  only  otlicr 
trader  of  1800  of  which  wo  have  any  record.  She  had 
left  Boston  the  preceding  year,  and  after  a  tri[i  in  tho 
north,  of  which  nothing  is  known,  touched  at  San 
Diego  for  supplies,  remaining  at  anchor  in  that  i)ort — 
the  first  American  vessel  t(  enter  it — fr<mi  the  25tli  of 
August  to  the  4th  of  September.  It  is  not  unlikely 
that  a  full  record  of  her  movements  would  show  tho 
lietsjj  t(^  be  the  pioneer  in  a  new  field  of  west-coast 
enterprise,  that  of  contraband  trade  and  fur-hunting 
on  tho  shores  of  the  two  Californias,  in  addition  to 
legitimate  trade  farther  north;  or  at  least  Captain 
Winship  may  have  been  engaged  in  exploring  the  new 
field,  in  which  his  brothers  subsequently  reaped  so 
rich  a  harvest.  He  obtained  the  desired  assistance  at 
San  Diego,  with  the  usual  warning  to  touch  at  no 
other  Spanish  port;  but  later  he  anchored  at  San 
Bias,  again  in  great  need.  Presently  a  Spanish  man- 
of-war  entered  the  port,  and  the  Yankee  craft,  fearing 
doubtless  a  confiscation  of  her  contraband  furs,  put 

• 

*''CkvclamV8  Xar.,  83-4;  Tufta^  List,  Both  ships  were  owned  by  Dorr 
and  Sons. 

i^CUvdand'a  Sar.,  80;  Tuj'W  List.  . 


Jiliiir 

3ll;jl;l,l 


CAITAIN  cn^uiLES  mxsnip. 


w 


t"  sea  ii,  ,url,   hasto  m  U,  Iuhvl.   liur  cantaia  «.>,! 

t:rr''ii,:;"ti  "'■"  ^s"'  "'^  ""''i'"- «"  r<i  o^ 


CHAPTER  X. 

LAST    OF    THE    EXPLORERS. 
1801-1818. 

Boston-  Sims  of  1801 — Record  or  1802— Misnxr  of  tiik.  'Manciikstku'  — 
Stckois  on  the  Coast — Loss  of  the  'B<iston.'  1803 — ^Iass.xhe  if  the 
Ckew — Jewett's  Captivity — Rowan  and  Brown  at  San  Fu  n(  isco 
ruoM  the  North— List  of  1804— Smuggleiw — O  Cain  and  his  New 
Idea— ItrssiAN  Contracts — Indians  Ati'aik  the  'Ataiuai.i-a,'  180o-- 
Lewis  and  Clarke's  List — Kezanof  and  his  Plans,  IvSOfJ— Cominu 

OF    THE    WlNSIIlVS — '  O'CaIN,'    'DeRBY,'  AND    '  GrATIMoZIN '   OF    ISOT    - 

'  Peari,,'  'Vancouver,'  and  'Mercctry'  of  1808-9— The  FrR-iirNTEUs 
OF  l.slO-11 — WiNsiui-'s  Columbia  Settlement — The  'Ai.iiATitoss'-- 
Vdyace  of  the  'Tonquin' — The  'Beaver'  of  J  'i:.  Effects  of  the 
War — The  Traders  ]>lockaded — Seizure  or  ti  :.  'Meiuuuv'  am> 
•CiiARoN,' 1SI3  —  Cai'Tain  Smith  —  H.  B.  M.  f^;  niii-  '  Raccoon' Taki:s 
Astoria — Tiie  'Pedler'of  1814 — The  'L^aac  Tddd' — The  Inoi;tii- 
WEST  Company's  'Columbia'  of  1813 — The  'Colonel'  in  California, 
18I(i— Last  of  the  'Albatross'— Roquefeiil's  Viiya(;e  in  the  ']>i)K- 
DELAis,'  1817  18— Last  OF  Maquinna  ani»  Nuutka— The  Men-of-svak 
'Ontario'  and  'Blossom' — Vessels  of  1810-40. 

TiiR  vessels  trading  on  tlio  Nortlnvest  Coast  in 
1801  from  Anierioan  ports  were  at  least  tliiitctii 
ill  miinbcr.  From  Boston,  l*erkin.s  and  (  \>mitany  had 
despatched  the  (Jlohc,  Captain  Manj^ec,  the  Cui'd/iiit', 
(\iptain  ])erl>y,  and  the  C/i((rfof':r,  Caj)taiu  Ini^iTsoll: 
Lyman  and  Ct»mpany,the  (iii<(ft)iitr.ii),  Ca]»tain  IJum- 
stead,  and  the  Atiiltdaljxj,  Captain  Wildes;  Dorr  and 
»Son."i,  the  J)isjK(tcli  and  Litdlcr,  each  eomnianded  !>y 
ojio  of  the  J)on's;  Cobb,  the  Lkci/,  Pieipont  niastii'; 
Coolidinfe,  the  ]}<//<'  SdViUjc,  Captain  ()ckinL(t<»n  ;  and 
'riiomas  Palish,  the  Pnlfi/,  commanded  by  Ktllcv. 
The  MunrJiesti't',  Captain  lirice,  was  fi;;ni  J'liiladi'l- 
phia;  the  Zai'/y(<((,  Captain  Hubbard,  was  owned  l>y 


BOSTON  VESSELS. 


T)v  Wolf  of  Bristol,  I^IkkU'  Island ;  and  tlio  Entcrprisi', 
Captain  Ezckid  J[u1)1k'11,  l»y  Hoy  and  Thorn,  of  Xeu' 
York.^  Tlioir  invoices  ranged  from  80718  to  5?20,2r):{, 
the  amounts  carried  respectively  hy  Pierpont  and 
!^[agee.  Xone  of  tlie  Heet  has  left  any  record  of 
opi-rations  in  ISO!  except  the  Entrr^i'ixe,  about  which 
Missel  we  know  tliat  she  touched  at  San  l^ieL>'o  for 
supplier  in  Juiie,  carry inj^  ten  j^uns  and  a  crew  of 
tweiity-orio  men.'^  The  JIazanf,  mider  (^uptain  Swil't, 
i<  said  to  have  entered  the  C'olumhia  Kiver  tliis 
year.  The  afterward  famoi;s  William  Smith  was  on 
this  vess<!i  in  a  subordinate  capacity,  making  his  fifth 
^(>va<Jfc  round  the  world. ^ 


The  new  names  of  1802  vero  those  of  the  Boston 
sliij)s  Ah'i't,  conunandt-d  by  Ebbetts  and  owned  by 
Lamb;  the  C'(?^/<.'c///c,Wor',h  cajttain,  ('oolidgi-  owner; 
the  Jcnnji,  (^rocker  c,-.  /tain,  J)orr  owner;  and  the 
ViincouriT,  Brown  caj/tain,  Jjvman  owner;  also  the 
Ilcftll,  Captain  l^riggs  of  Phihuleli>hia ;  and  the.//'//o, 
Captain  Kendrick,  owned  by  ])e  Wolf  of  ]-Jiistol.* 
Tlie  Miiiic/tcsfrr  touche<l  at  Xootka  this  yi-ar,  and,  as 
tlic  natives  repoi-ted  to  .lewitt  later,  seven  of  Ikm'  men 
deserted  and  joined  ^ra(jr.in?ia,  by  whose  order  six  of 
them  were  put  to  death  foi"  an  attemjjted  redesertion 
to  the  service  of  a  rival  <'hieftain,  while  the  other,  a 
boy  calK'd  Jack,  was  sold  to  Wicananish,  and  sot>u 
dii'd.'    AcconHng  to  Mr  Tufts,  Captain  Magei*  (»f  the 


'  Cii:.tciin-li<piiH('  iccorils,  ill  /ti<ti  ,>  in  //,,   Xorlln 


M> 


711  7.  II :   '/'"h 


l.ixt.     (';i|it,'iiM  O'Cniii  81'L'iim  til  li,i\  ('  liccii  on  tin'  ■■Daist,  liut  iicrliaji.s  not  in 


iniiml  of  ii  vi'sscl. 

M ,'■/(.  (',./.,  MS.,  Pm>:  /^ 


xii.  II    VI. 


.\';/,.v'  /.', 


i/i'-ti  r 


-wiii.  41.S;  0'/-(f//'.s  llitt.  <h\,   14.     Tin;   llnyird  rctiii'iii  d 


fn  |',nstoii  M.ivti,  IMCJ 

'■/•.;/>.-('  Am/. 

■'./,  intTK  Xfir.,  00-1  :  '  He  ^'n\  r  me  a  Ifiok  in  wlii -li  T  founil  {he  nanus  of 
si'Vcn  prisons  iK'Ionyinii 


•la.k, 


to  till'  !-liii>  Manrlicstcr,  of  i'liil.icliliiiiia,  (' 
i'anifl  Smitli.   Lewis  (iillon,  .lames  Tom,  DaiU,  .lojinsoii. 


t.l: 


.1 


A  most  cruel  deatJi  it  uas.  as   1  was  told  oy  one  of  tlie  nati\e,s,  fi 


1  :eii  lioMiii,',' one  of  tin  III  on  the  (.'roiinil,  anil  foi' ii,,'  ojieii  his  moiitli,  \viiile 
tliey  I  hoakeil  liim  liy  raniiiiin;,' stones  down  liis  tliniat.  .\s  to.laeU..,  1  was 
iiifiii'iiied  liy  the  jn'iiioess  I'lc/i/if,  that  lie  was  i|uite  a  small  lioy,  who  ei'ieil  ii 
irieat  deal,  luin,!,'  )>ut  to  liaid  lalmr  l«>yond  liis  istrin.;tl!  liy  llie  iiati\es,  in 


euitin;;  wood  and  In  iiii.in;,' \\  i 


d  that  w!ie:i  he  lieaid  of  llie  liimderof 


eiew,  it  hull  bui'li  uii  cUvc't  vn  liiiii  thut  liu  fell  isick  and  died  itliurtly  iiftcr. 


312 


LAST  OF  THE  EXPLORERS. 


(ilohe  was  killed  tlurin;^  this  voyajjjo.  The  Qiroliue 
wont  to  tho  Hawaiian  Islands,  })rol)ahly  to  spend  tliu 
winter  there  as  the  traders  were  wont  to  <lo,  and  tiieic 
Captain  Derby  (hed.  His  grave  on  the  island  of 
Oahu  was  visited  the  next  year  by  Ca})tain  Cleve- 
land." Wildes  of  the  AtaJiualjm'iH  recorded  as  having 
first  heard  of  the  Stikeen  River  in  August  of  this 
vear  wliile  his  vessel  was  in  the  region  of  Queen  Char- 
lotte Sound.'  Captain  William  Sturgis,  who  Ixx-anie 
wealthy  and  famous  in  connection  with  the  fur-trade 
of  the  North  Pacific,  seems  to  have  visited  the  coast 
personally  in  1802,  perhaps  as  owner  or  supercargo  of 
one  of  the  vessels  named.  He  sa3's:  "In  1801,  the 
trade  was  most  extensively,  though  not  most  pi-ofit- 
ahly  prosecuted;  that  y«)ar,  there  were  fifteen  vessels 
<jn  the  coast,  and  in  1802  more  than  ir),000  sea-otter 
skins  were  collected,  and  carried  to  Canton.  But  the 
competition  was  so  great,  that  few  of  the  voyages  were 
then  profitable,  and  some  were  ruinous."^  There  were 
no  arrivals  on  the  Californian  coast  this  year,  or  at 
least  no  record  of  such  arrival  appears  in  the  archives. 

The  ship  Boston,  owned  by  the  Amf>rys  c»f  Boston, 
having  obtained  a  caru'o  in  En<jfland,  sailed  from  the 
Downs  in  September  1802,  (haibled  Cape  Horn,  and 
without  touching  at  any  port,  made  Woody  Point, 
on  the  ishuid  of  Cuadra  and  Vancouver,  starch  12, 
180:{.  John  Salter  was  the  captain,  his  mates  were  Jl 
Del  )uisa  and  William  Ingraham,  and  the  crew  num- 
bered twenty-four.  Tlie  nati\t  s  had  established  their 
village  on  the  site  of  the  old  Spanish  post  in  Friendly 
Cove;  aid  Salter  anchored  his  vessel  several  miles 
faither  up  the  sound,  so  near  the  shore  that  she  was 

"'III  a  rctiit'il  spot,  clotlit'il  with  vt'nlufi'  ami  Hiincduitli'il  with  ocx-cki-iiuI 
trocs,  my  piiile  poiiiteil  tn  the  jji'avi-  of  my  ulil  friend  ami  foriiii'i"  Mliipiiialt' 
Chai'lis  IH-rhy.  whiMlifd  iici'c  last  your,  on  lM)anlii  ll<wti>u  Hhip,  which  hi'iimi 
mamh'il,  fni'ii  tlic  \(irtli\\ost('i)ii.st.    ('harlcsuml  I  hail  (Miik-il  muiiy  a  thousiiini 
IcairucM  to^'cthir,  ami,  li.!!ii;jf  <i(  the  mjuiii!  «},'(',  tlii!  jd'oltaliility  was  as  gi'fat 
uhcii  wo  jiarti'il,  tiiat  ho  would  visit  my  grav  o  as  [  his.'  <  'A  iv  IiiiiiCh  .V«/'..  "Jo-. 

'.)/(M.<.  //'■</.  .S'o''.  To/..  lS(t4.  :!4'J,  coiit4Uiiing  u.t  extract  fi-uiii  tiie  log,  as 
citcil  'ly  ( ii'ci'iihow,  'Ir.  ami  ('«!.,  I*.'i4. 

'Stitnjin'  S'orthtcat  I'lir  Trinli,  o'M. 


JEWITT'S  XARRATR'E. 


818 


scoured  by  a  hawser  to  the  trees.  For  several  days, 
Avliile  the  Americans  were  occupied  iu  obtaining  wood 
and  water,  Maquinna  and  his  men  often  visited  the 
ship,  and  were  entertained  as  was  usual  in  such  cases. 
They  made  themselves  *  itirely  at  home,  gratified 
their  curiosity  by  examining  everything  on  bcjard, 
and  maintained  the  most  friendly  relations  with  their 
visitors.  To  ^Maquiima  was  given  a  double-barrelled 
fowling-j)iece,  with  which  he  appeared  greatly  pleased; 
and  on  March  21st,  when  the  ship  was  nearly  ready 
to  depart,  ho  came  back  with  a  gift  of  wild  ducks. 
He  brought  back  the  gun,  however,  with  one  of  the 
locks  broken,  remarking  that  it  was  pesluik,  or  bad. 
"Captain  Salter  was  very  nmch  offended  at  this  ob- 
servation, and  considering  it  as  a  mark  of  contemi)t 
for  his  ])resent,  he  called  the  king  a  liar,  adding  other 
o{)probrious  terms,  and  taking  the  gun  from  him 
tossed  it  indignantly  into  the  cabin.  .  .Ma(|uinna  kntnv 
a  number  of  English  words,  and  unfortunately  under- 
stood but  too  well  the  meaning  of  the  reproachful 
terms  that  the  Captain  addressed  to  liim. — He  said 
nt)t  a  word  in  re[)ly,  but  his  countenance  sufficiently 
expressed  the  rage  he  felt,  though  he  exerted  himself 
to  sup[)ress  it,  and  I  observed  him  while  the  Captain 
was  speaking  repeatedly  \mi  his  hand  to  his  throat 
and  rub  it  upon  his  bosonj,  which  he  afterwards  told 
me  was  to  keep  down  his  heart,  which  was  rising  into 
his  throat  and  choaking  him.  He  soon  after  went  on 
shore  with  his  men,  evidently  much  discomposed."" 

Tlie  Nootka  chieftain  iuid  resolved  on  vengeanco 
for  the  insult  received  at  this  time  and  for   other 

*'riiis  is  Jewitt's  iicciitiiit,  to  he  notiwfl  nrosontly.  Tlio  vei-sioii  rectdvi'd 
liy  Cantaiii  liowaii  of  tlio  /li-artl  from  tin-  I'atacn  chief  at  FiUNi  Strait  ami 
l)rou>;lit  (Iowa  to  Califoi'iiiii  Mas  as  follows;  Tlio  chief  Quatla/aiM?  was  toM  liy 
the  Ainerieail  eaptiiin  'that  hi!  was  a  iiieau  fellow  to  traile  with.  'I'liu  eap- 
tiiiii  tohl  liini  ho  liatl  met  iiiuiiy  e><i'  ftuiiis  iu  tho  north,  and  knew  that  h<^  luel 
ii'>  aj)[)eai'anco  of  a  chieftitin,  aitu  .-iipeureil  a  very  low  man.  'I'he  chief  i-c- 
lilieil,  •  I'ice(|Ue'  [peshakj,  whieii  in  their  lan>,'nage  means  'Imtl  man;'  ami  tlio 
captain  taking  a  nnisket  threuteneil  hint,  ami  onlereil  him  on  sl>ore  as  aii 
iiisnit  nt  fellow,  (ioing  V-  his  ranehoriiv  he  siMnnioneil  all  the  Imlians  fmni 
Kiica  .Strait  to  this  n(;rtTi  |;'.int  of  NiHitka,  wiio  ussenilile<l  within  three  ilay.. :' 
anil  it  was  resolveil  to  eaptiu'e  the  sliiii.  Arrh.  Cnl,,  MS.,  S>.  I'n/i.,  Miin.  uiid 
Cut.,  i.  8i)-01;  t'aptuiu  ivowuu's  letter  of  August  12,  1803,  to  Argiiello. 


314 


LAST  OF  THE  EXPLORERS. 


Avron<:js  perhaps  of  earlier  date ;'"  and  the  story  of  wliat 
followed  cannot  be  better  t(>ld  than  by  continuiiij,^  to 
quote  the  words  of  one  who  was  present.  "On  the 
nioriiini^  of  the  22d  the  natives  came  off  to  us  as 
usual  with  salmon,  and  remained  on  board,  when 
about  noon  Maquiima  came  along  side  witli  a  con- 
siderable nundjer  of  his  chiefs  and  men  in  their 
canoes,  who  after  going  through  the  customary  ex- 
amination wore  admitted  into  the  ship,  lie  had  a 
Avhistle  In  his  hand,  and  over  his  face  a  very  ugly  mask 
of  wood  representing  the  head  of  some  wild  beast,  ap- 
j»(>ar('<l  to  bo  remarkably  good  humoured  and  gay,  and 
whilst  his  people  sung  and  capered  about  the  deck, 
entertaining  us  with  a  variety  of  antic  tricks  and 
gestures,  he  blew  his  wli'stle  to  a  kind  of  tune  wliicli 
schemed  to  regulate  their  ..v)tions."*^  Captain  Salter 
Avas  induced  in  the  afternoon  to  send  nine  men  iu 
the  boats  to  catch  salmon,  thus  dividing  the  force. 
"Slioi-tly  after  the  departure  of  the  boats  I  went 
down  to  mv  vise-bench  in  the  steeraw,"  savs  Jewitt 
the'  armorer,  "where  I  was  enn)loyed  in  cleaning  muis- 
ki'ts.  I  had  not  been  there  more  than  an  hour  wlivii 
]  heard  the  men  hoisting  in  the  long  boat,  whicli,  in  a 
fevv'  minutes  after,  was  succeded  bv  a  jii-eat  bustle  and 
coni'u.sion  on  deck.  I  innnediati'lv  ran  ui)the  steeia-'-e 
stairs,  but  scarcely  was  my  head  above  deck,  when  I 
was  caught  by  the  hair  by  one  of  the  savages,  and 
lifted  from  my  feet;  forlunately  for  me,  my  hair  l>eing 
s]i<;rt,  and  the  i-ibbon  with  which  it  was  tied  sli])|)ing, 
I  I'ell  iVom  Ills  hold  into  tiie  steerage.  As  T  was  falling, 
be  struck  at  me  with  an  axe,  which  cut  a  deep  gash  in 

'"Miuiuinna  toM  .Tcwitt  liitt-rtlmt  In-  liml  ncvcnil  titncs  Itoon  ill-tnvitcil  !>>' 
forci'jii  visitor.  Ciiptiiii  I'awiiiiiKtoii,  (■iiiiimimiliiij^  a  mIkidiici'  vliiih  \\\'.\- 
tciTil  jit  I'lii'lldly  ('i)Vi',  liiiil  riittTcil  .M;n|iiimi;r;i  Iiounc  ill  Lis  iiliscm-d  ii'wl 
liiki'ii  40  lino  Hitiiis,  Itt'siilt's  tViylitcnini;  tlic  woiiumi.  Tlifti  Miii'lim/  !i;i'l 
kiiliil  f()\ir  cliic'fs;  uinl  ttouii  iiftiT,  < 'attain  U/.iintt  of  the  .s'l  ■(••Y/c;-  liail  linil 
niic  II  tlic  (anoos  and  kilh'tl  ovi-r  twenty  of  tlw  iiativi-.s,  Mai|iiimia  luiii>i!f 
lia\  iii;i  to  swim  for  his  lif«i.  Ilia  ilcsirc  for  n-vonge  wii«  ivUiiulk-d  liy  ( 'apt  liii 
Saltt  r's  iiKailt. 

"Ill  till'  ai'i  (Hint  given  to  !!o\van.  tlie  IndiaiiM  are  Maid  tn  have  nlitaiiied  in 
iidv;iiiie  pel'ir.i.shion  to  liii\e  a  daiiee  on  liourd  an  a  eeniiiniiial  liiakiiiy-iip  after 
tlie  reeeut  i.!i»iiute,  till  as  imrt  of  a,  plot  to  sieizc  the  vunacl. 


CAPTURE  OF  THE  BOSTON. 


315 


a 


n  1 

aiul 

li  in 

|\\  in- 
iDwl 
lia.l 

litiiii 

■a  in 
lifUir 


my  foivlicad,  mul  i)enotratcd  the  skull;  but  in  consc- 
•  jUeiiec  of"  his  losing  his  hold,  I  luckily  cs(';i})e(l  the  full 
force  of  the  blow.  I  fell  stunned  and  senseless  upon 
the  floor."  When  he  regained  consciousness  he  found 
the  hatch  closed  and  judged  by  their  yells  that  tlio 
savages  were  in  possession  of  the  ship.  Presently 
he  was  sunnnoned  before  Maquinna  ami  itroniisrd  his 
\\l\)  on  condition  of  becoming  a  slave  to  make  and  re- 
jtair  weapons  for  his  master.  On  the  quarter-deck  ho 
was  shown  in  a  line  the  heads  of  twenty-five  murdded 
(•oin[)anions,  and  was  ordered  to  identify  each  In'  name. 
After  seizing  the  ship  and  killing  all  on  deck,  th(  v 
liad  sent  a  well  armed  force  to  brinijf  back  the  heads 
of  those  in  the  boats." 

Til  '  Boston  was  moved  from  her  anchorage,  beached 
at  Filcndly  Cove,  strip[)ed  of  the  more  easily  acces- 
sil)le  })ortit)ns  of  her  cargo,  and  a  few  days  later  ac- 
eidenhilly  burned.  ^Meanwhile  another  man,  .bdni 
Thompson  the  sail-maker  was  found  in  tht'  hold, 
wheie  ho  had  concealed  himself  after  I'eceiving  a 
knife-wound  in  the  nose.  Jewitt's  life  was  sjiai-ed 
because  of  his  skill  in  making  weaj>ons;  and  Thomp- 
son's at  the  intercession  of  Jewitt,  who  re[ircsentcd 
him  as  his  father;  though  there  were  many  who 
^\i^^lK•d  to  kill  btjth.  The  two  survivors  lived  among 
the  savages  in  ^laquinna's  service  for  thi'ee  years, 
ucnerally  well  enough  treated,  and  suflering  such 
har(l:<hips  only  as  were  naturally  C(tnnected  with  the 
situation.  Jewitt  lived  for  a  time  with  a  native  wife, 
and  they  travelled  considerably  over  the  isknid;  but 
escape  was  ever  in  their  minds.  The  traders  avoided 
Xtjotka  after  the  massacre;  but  letters  were  sent  in 
various directioiis,  and  finally  in  July  ISO'),  the;  J.i/i/in, 
Cajitain  Jliil,  anchored  in  the  port.  !Ma([ulnna  v.as 
desirous  of  renewing  the  old  conunercial  n-lations, 
and  he  went  on  board,  carrying  such  a  letter  of  reconi- 

''Acconling  to  Rowan  tho  mnssncro  whs  Iwguii  Mliilc  tin;  ilainf  «;is  ;:i>in;{ 
oil.  lit  It  nijnul  fi-oiu  tho  eliiuf,  a  crowd    f  imtivos  btiug  cluijo  al  liaml  in  tlitir 

CUllUCD. 


% 


SIO 


LAST  OF  THE  EXPLORERS. 


incnilation  from  Jcwitt  as  caused  his  iminodiato  arrcijt 
as  a  liostago  for  tho  ca|)ti\\.''s  release.  After  a  tradiiii^ 
cruise  the  two  iiieii  left  the  vvoast  in  Au<,mst  180C),  and 
before  the  end  of  1807  arrived  in  Boston  cia  China. 
Jewitt  was  an  Englislinuin,  only  twenty  years  old  at 
the  time  of  his  capture.  He  had  shipped  at  Iluli  Ini' 
this  voyai^e,  and  kept  a  diary  during  his  cai)tivitv,  from 
Avliich  a  book  was  published  on  his  return  in  1807,  and 
afterward  in  many  different  editions.  The  narrative 
is  a  fascinating  one  of  the  author's  personal  adven- 
tures, containing  also  much  valuable  information  on 
the  manners  and  customs  of  the  Nootka  Indians. 
For  details  of  the  captivity  beyond  what  has  been 
presented  I  have  no  space." 

A  few  tlays  after  the  capture  of  the  Boston  two 
shi[)s  were  seen  approaching  the  port  at  Xootka,  but 
they  were  frightened  away  by  the  hostile  denioii- 
f^trations  of  the  natives,  who  opened  fire  upon  tlKiu 
\v)th  muskets  and  blunderbusses.  "After firing  a  iVw 
rounds  of  grape  shot  which  did  no  harm  to  any  one, 
they  wore  ship  and  stood  out  to  sea.  These  sliijis,  ;is 
I  ai'terwards  learned,  were  the  Mary  and  Juno  of 
Bost(»n.  They  were  scarcely  out  of  sight  wlien  Mii- 
quinna  ex[)ressed  nmcli  regret  that  he  had  permitted 
his  people  to  fire  at  them,  being  api>rehensive  tliut 
they  would  give  information  to  others  in  what  nuuuur 
they  had  been  received,  and  prevent  them  from  coming 
tt)  trade  with  him."" 


: 


".!  nnrrnl'ire  of  tho  ndvenfiirea  niul  miffirinrjs  of  John  I?.  Jrintt ;  oiili/  mir- 
rlcnr  <;/'  l/w  rreir  of  the  Hhi/),  Jioxtoii,  diirimj  a  cu/itirilji  of  iivurl'i  thm'  iiiai\< 
ttinoiiij  llii'  siiniijii  <;/'  Xoo'k'd  Siiiniil;  irilh  on  (vruiii  I  if  t/n'  iiumniri.  tiimli-  if 
I!  rill;!,  iiii'l  ri  Hi /ions  n/iiiiionnff  l/ii'  itntlnn,  emhrlHnhnl  irt/h  ii  plali'  fi'jiri'ffii'inil 
tin-  sh'iii  'lit  III!'  )ii>.i!»itnh,n  if  the  "nruijix.  \uw  York,  ISKi,  I'Jmi),  "JiWiii).  This  is 
iiiiiikt'il  ',\i\  ('ilitii)U.  1  have  l)of(ii'u  me  aiiotlu'i-  of  Ithaoa  l<S4!t,  I'Jiiui,  I'ili  pp.. 
'niihflli.shed  with  t'ngrivviiij^a.'  Aeconliiig  to  Salnii  the  original,  piihli.-hcl  i;i 
iJoston  IS(>7  ami  New  York  l.SPJ,  was  entitled.  A  .Iniininl  /.rjif  at  .\iii,fi:i 
.Siiiiiiil  lii/Jii/iii  It.  -fi  "■'''^  etc.  ]{eals()iiote.s  thirteen  other  editions,  .statiiigth.it 
one  \<rKion  was  comitiled  from  .lewitfs  oral  relutionH  hy  Iliehard  Al.sop,  nnd 


hy  W.  K.  l'..ni 


aiiotlitr  edited  l>y  (ioodrich,  or  '  I'eter  I'arley.'    Sproat,  Sn  iicn  mi'/  Sfinriin,  ."i, 
f;ivi's  .some  slight  reminiscences  of  .lewitt's  captivity  obtained 
lieltl  from  an  old  Indian  w  iio  had  known  the  captive. 

"./( )C(7/'.i  Xnr.,  'Mi.  'I'he  Juno  was  one  of  the  precedinj'  year's  veshcls;  tlir 
Alnnj  was  owned  l>y  (<ray  of  lk>8ton  and  comioaudud  by  liowlcs,  who  is  said 
tt>  Lave  died  during  the  voyage.    I'ufta'  Lint. 


OTHER  SHIPS  FROM  BOSTON. 


317 


Two  other  traders  suffered  this  year  from  Iiulian 
liostilities,  tlie  Alexandet',  Captain  John  Brown,  and 
tlic  IJiiziirif,  Captain  James  Rowan.  They  nuule  their 
;ij)lH;arance  at  San  Francisco  on  the  11th  of  Au<i,ust, 
iti!niiij4'  fioni  the  north  in  distress, and  asking  for  iclii'f. 
C;i])tain  Brown  was  known  in  California,  havinij^  heen 
(Irtcctcd  at  the  hejjjinning  of  the  year  in  sniuij^i;lini^ 
operations  at  San  Diejjfo,  and  having  subsequently  oh- 
liiini'd  supplies  at  San  Franeiscf)  under  false  pretences. 
Tlicnfore  no  attention  was  paid  to  his  present  demand, 
jiiid  he  was  ordered  away  from  the  poi-t.  He  suc- 
ceeded hetter  at  ^Eonterey,  where  he  obtained  supi)lies, 
riuming  away  at  iiight  to  avoid  payment  for  the  same. 
The  nature  and  extent  of  the  Alexaiulers  injuries  on 
tlie  northern  coast  are  nf>t  known.  Captain  Rowan, 
on  tlie  other  hand,  was  well  treated  and  allowed  four 
(lays  for  refitting,  having  presented  a  written  state- 
ment of  his  vessel's  condition,  the  truth  of  which  was 
veiitied  by  Comandante  Arguello  by  a  })ersonal  in- 
spection. The  JLizaril  had  been  several  times  attacked 
by  the  natives  in  Chatham  Strait,  and  had  narrowly 
escaped  capture,  besides  receiving  damages  fi'om 
striking  on  a  rock.  None  of  her  men  had  been  lost, 
but  her  hull  and  rigging  were  riddled  with  balls,  the 
Indians  having  been  well  provided  with  hre-arms.  On 
Ills  way  south  Rowan  had  touched  at  the  strait  of 
I'uca,  where  he  heard  of  the  liostoiis  disaster,  anil 
Ijiought  the  news  to  California." 

The  (fOdn,  Captain  Joseph  O'Cain,  sailed  from 
]>oston  January  2:3,  1803,  and  reached  Sitka  before 
the  end  of  the  year.  Jonathan  Winshii»,  one  of  the 
owners,  made  his  first  visit  to  the  coast  on  this  vessel. 
It  does  not  clearly  aj)pear  that  she  touched  (Mi  the 
Xortliwest  Coast  proper  this  year;  but  the  voyagt; 

'  '.bv7i.  Ciil.,  MS.,  St.  Pap.,  Miss.  aiidCol.,  i.  84-9.  Sec  ffiM.  Cttl.,  ii.  oliai). 
i.,  tliis  series,  fur  mune  tidditiunul  pai'ticulurs  ulMJUt  the  cxpuricnce  of  r.ruwii 
Mild  lUiWitn  in  California.  The  IJn-.urd  is  said  to  huve  hud  .'(()  men  und  '22 
Minis.  In  Xili'n'  Jx'vijiM)  r,  xviii.  418,  she  is  said  to  havt-  wuled  from  Ikjston  lit 
Siptiiiiliir  ISO'J,  rctuniiug  on  the  Oth  of  May  1805,  under  Swift  us  niasUran.l 
Smith  us  mute;  so  ulso  in  TuJ'tn'  Lint;  and  ua  the  SiNiuiurds  write  the  nuniu 
Asiir  there  i&  u  possibility  that  ilowaa  cumiiuuidod  aaother  vessel. 


} 


31S 


LAST  OP  THE  EXPLORERS. 


lasted  three  years,  and  wc  shall  hear  more  of  this 
crai't.'"  Mr  Gray  names  the  Alert,  conimanded  hy 
Ehht'tts,  and  the  Vancoucci'f  by  Brown,  among  tliu 
vessels  tliat  visited  the  eoast  this  year." 

William  Sturgis,  prol)ahly  rommanding  the  Boston 
ship  Caroline,  arrived  at  Kaigan  early  in  1804.  On 
a  previous  visit  he  had  noticed  the  high  value  at- 
tached l)y  the  natives  to  the  ermine-skin,  and  lie  had 
obtained  about  five  thousand  of  them  at  a  cost  of 
about  thirty  cents  each  in  ]^oston.  The  result  was 
that  in  half  a  day  he  purchased  five  hundred  an<l  sixty 
])rnnc  ott(T-skins,  worth  fifty  dollars  each,  for  half  of 
ids  ermines,  or  'clicks,'  as  the  Indians  calK-d  them." 
The  L('/i(i  li)jr<l  was  a  ship  that  had  caused  sonic  ex- 
citement on  the  (*alifornian  coast  in  180.'^,  and  in  I  S04 
she  came  l)ack  und(>r  the  command  of  Cajttain  William 
8halcr.  (  'oming  from  China,  she  arrived  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Columbia  on  the  1st  of  ^Tav,  but  ibr  ei-jlit 
days  was  ud'-.Mo  to  cross  the  bar,  and  finally  jwo- 
eoedcd  down  the  coast  in  search  of  a  more  acccssiMo 
l)ort,  entering  Trinidad  the  0th  of  May." 

The  J/<r:ai'd  also  came  back  from  the  Hawaiian 
Islands  this  year,  as  is  shown  by  records  in  the 
archives  of  California.  Having  obtained  su[>plies  at 
San  Francisco  in  February,  Captain  Kowan  sailed 
for  the  Northwest  Coast.  Of  his  operations  there 
nrjthing  is  known,  Imt  in  Sej)tember  he  reapj)eared  in 
the  southern  ])orts,  as  usual  in  great  need  of  [int- 
visions.'-"  Smu'4'dinijr  and  an  illicit  fur-trade  on  llie 
coasts  of  up[)er  and  lower  California  were  becoming 
much  more  attractive  to  the  Boston  men  than  the 
barter  of  old  with  the  northern  savages,  who  had 

"■•A'lw/ojf  111  the  Xnrthiixsf,  MS.,  11-1*2. 

^'(li-dil'x  llisl.  Of.,  \l. 

'",S'/»/;/m'  yorfhirist  I'll)'  Trade,  .">30;   Tii/tn'  List. 

^"S/mli  r'n  ,/oiiniiil,  l.SS-i).  Tlio  oiifi'iitioiiH  of  the  Mia  Bi/rd  on  tlio  Cali- 
foi'iiiitn  coast  in  ISd.'f-,")  jirii  n-lati'd  in  l/iit.  Cnl.,  ii.,  clia|>.  i.-ii.,  this  Hfries. 

'"An-h.  ('■<!.,  .MS.,  I'r„i\  St.  r,i}>.,  xviii.  XM,  IKil,  'Mli,  ;<7(i  !»;  I'r-r.  /,W., 
xi.  10:J;  .St.  I'ujK  Siv.,  V.  70.  (Jruy,  llixl.  Or.,  14,  tolls  us  that  the  IVikiiis 
C'oinpauy  sent  tlio  l/itzunt  umlor  Swift  to  the  (/'olmiihia  in  1804;  aUo  that 
Tlicudurc  Lyman  sent  the  Uautiinouii,  Cuptuiu  Uuniateud,  fruni  Itostuu. 


CAPTAIN  OCAIS. 


sto 


Oil 


tl..' 

s  at 

sailt'tl 

thoro 

vi'd  ill 

pi'o- 

lu  the 

n  tli»' 
)  luul 


Ihf.  TiiU- 

\i:  /.'<■•., 

lUo  tliut 
lu. 


now  acquired  now  ideas  respecting  the  value  of  their 
fuis,  had  become  hostile  and  revengeful,  often  with 
iiuich  cause,  and  who  had  heconie  somewhat  too  well 
supi)lied  witli  fire-arms.  Captain  O'Cain  had  the 
h()ii(»r  of  introducing  a  new  development  of  the  fui-- 
tiade  this  year.  He  was  still  prepared  for  haiter 
witli  the  Indians,  and  he  was  still  alive  to  the  cluirni ; 
and  profits  of  smuggling;  but  his  genius  demanded  a 
broader  field.  On  his  arrival  at  Sitka  in  the  fall  of 
180:1,  he  induced  the  manager  of  the  Russian  estab- 
li.limeiits,  Raninof,  to  furnish  Aleut  otter- hunters 
with  their  bidarhts  for  a  hunting  tour  in  the  soutli, 
the  product  to  be  divided  between  the  Russian  com- 
j)any  and  the  Boston  owners.  The  result  of  this  fii'st 
trip  of  the  (JGiin  was  eleven  hundred  otter-skins 
carried  from  the  Californian  coasts,  chiefly  from  those 
(f  tlie  peninsula,  to  Alaska  in  June  1804,  the  vessil 
thence  directing  her  course  to  China  and  homeward.'* 
This  new  system  of  hunting  on  sliares  was  continued 
fur  years  with  some  profit  to  tlie  contracting  parties, 
I'  pi'cially  to  the  Americans;  but  it  was  at  last  ter- 
minated by  the  Russians  when  they  convinced  them- 
SL'hes  that  their  Yankee  partners  could  neither  be 
trusted  nor  watched,  besides  arousing  the  enmity  of 
Spain  by  their  unlawful  operations.  The  whole  sub- 
jeet  is  fully  treated  elsewhere  in  this  work,  mainly 
coiicerninij:  Califi)rnia  and  Alaska.  Hunting  under  this 
iirw  arrangement  was  chiefly  confined  to  the  southern 
(Masts,  almost  exclusively  so  far  as  the  records  show. 
Naturally  the  Spanish  archives  mention  only  coiii]»li- 

•  at  ions  with  the  Californian  authorities;  the  Russian 
records  deal  only  with  the  contracts,  outfits,and  results; 
while  but  few  loij-books  are  extant.  Yet  as  these 
\  tssels  passed  each  year  u[>  and  down  between  Alaska 
and  California,  it  seems  necessary  to  mention  them  in 

•  •oiinection  with  the  maritime  annals  of  the  Northwest 
Coast,  even  if  no  records  appear  of  their  occasional 
laii(linj>s  and  adventures  within  that  territory. 

■'HwtoH  in  the  Xoi-fhiresf,  MS.,  11-12:  KIMmih/,  Zapidi,  8;  Tikhm>''ii</, 
I-ilur.  OlM/zranh;  upp.,  27.-5.     Set:  uluo  Wut,  Cat.,  ii.,  cUup.  ii.,  tLU  series. 


8120 


LAST  OF  THE  EXPLORERS. 


i 


No  traders  visited  Californiaii  waters  in  1805,  or  at 
least  they  left  no  record  of  their  visits;  hut  there  are 
a  few  items  extant  r(3specting  tlieir  movements  in  the 
north.  The  ship  Aty'huatjxt,  Captain  ().  Porter,  dc- 
spatclied  hyLymanof  Boston,"  was  attacked  hythe  sav- 
ages in  Millbank  Sound,  and  her  ca})tain,  mate,  and  six 
seamen,  were  killed ;  after  whieli  tlie  other  seamen  suc- 
ceeded in  repellingtheassailants  and  savingthe  vesscl."^^ 
The  ship  Caroline  was  still  on  tlie  coast;  and  new  ar- 
rivals incjluded  the  Boston  ships  FancoiiaY'r,  Brown, and 
Pearl,  Ebhetts,  despatched  by  Lyman  and  Lamb,  re- 
spectively.^' Lewis  and  Clarke  reaching  the  moutli  of 
the  Columbia  by  an  overland  journey,  learned  from  the 
Indians  tlieir  version  of  the  names  of  a  dozen  foreij^neis 
who  had  been  wont  to  visit  their  country  in  eommaiid 
of  vessels;  but  none  of  the  nanu^s  can  be  identified.'* 
The  L]fdia  of  Boston,  commanded  by  Sanmel  Hill, 
arrived  at  Nootka  to  rescue  Jewitt  and  Thompson, 
as  we  have  seen,  in  July  1805.  Tlie  ship  then  made 
a  cruise  to  the  north,  entered  the  Columbia  for  sj)ars, 
returned  to  Nootka  in  November,  and  finally  sailed 
for  China  in  August  of  the  next  3'ear.'"'  The  J  mm, 
Captain  De  Wolf,  very  likely  visited  this  region  this 
year,  as  late  in  the  autunni  she  was  sold  to  the  Rus- 
sian American  Companj'^  at  New  Archangel.*' 

^■Oreeu how's  Or.  and  Cnl.,  2G8.  He  says  the  Afahmtlpa  was  from  Ehclo 
Island,  (^ray,  Hist.  Or.,  14,  tells  us  she  was  sent  from  Bostf)U  in  1H()."»  hy 
Lyman  and  (/ompany.  Henry  A.  I'eirce,  Menuirfnii/a,  MS.,  7-8,  aftcrwaid 
sailed  with  Nicholas  Wrenthein,  who  Iiad  heen  mate  of  the  Afahiinl/i(i,  w  hi) 
said:  'The  natives  ))ccamc  sauey,  the  mate  not  liking  the  look  of  tiiiuLM 
told  tlie  captain,  who  pcK)i»-poohed,  hut  the  natives  made  an  attack  on  tlie  criw. 
They  were  at  last  beaten  oif  by  tlie  crew,  but  they  had  no  sooner  done  thin 
than  they  saw  the  Indians  sawing  away  at  the  hempen  cable.  The  captain 
took  his  blunderbuss  and  lired  at  tiie  natives,  kilting  six  of  them...Tlio 
boatswain  was  named  (Jriffin.  Captiiin  I'orter  was  stabl>ed  in  the  bade  iiii<l 
tlirown  overboard.  He  was  carried  on  shore  and  lived  a  few  days.'  In  Ti(j'/n' 
List  the  AtahHaljia  arrived  in  1804. 

"aritii'nJJM.  Or.,  14;  Tiijls'  Lint. 

^^Leiv'm  and  Clarke's  Journei/,  497.  The  names  were  as  follows:  Haley, 
the  favorite  trader,  stays  some  time;  Zallamon,  not  a  trader;  Callalanut, 
with  a  M'oodeu  leg;  Davidson,  a  hunter;  Skelley,  only  one  eye;  aljseut  for 
several  years ;  Youens,  Sivipton,  Moore,  Mackey,  Washington,  Mesship,  Jark- 
Bon,  and  Bolch. 

'^■>J('wHVx  Xar.,  154-6.3.  Gray,  Hist.  Or.,  15,  speaks  of  the  Li/dia  as  Kout 
from  IJoston  to  theColumbia  by  Lyman  in  1800.    Tufts  says  she  sailed  in  l.S()4. 

'^licztinqf,  Zupixki,  203-4.  She  left  Boston  in  1804,  being  owned  as  well 
as  comniauded  by  De  Wolf.  Tvjh'  List. 


TYINSniP  AND  DARAXOF. 


m 


Tlic  imperial  inspector  Tlcztinof  from  Alaska  in 
ISOG  iirj^eil  upon  liis  t'ompany  and  his  {^ovcrnnK'nt  the 
importance  of  f'ountlinjjf  a  liussian  estahlishment  «»n 
the  C'olumhia  River,  with  a  view  of  j^aininif  exclusive 
])<)ssession  of  the  fur-trade.  "To  aecomplisli  this  it 
would  Ix'  necessary  to  huild  as  soon  as  possihle  an 
aimed  \n\ii;  to  (hive  away  the  Bostonians  from  this 
trade  forever.  From  the  ( 'olund)ia  we  could  i^radually 
advance  toward  the  south  to  tlie  port  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, which  forms  the  boundary  line  of  California. 
I  tiiiidv  I  may  say  that  at  the  ('  lunihia  we  could 
attract  population  from  various  localities,  and  in  the 
course  of  ten  years  we  should  hecouie  stroma  enoui^h 
to  mak<'  use  of  any  favorable  turn  in  Euro[)ean  poli- 
tics to  include  the  coast  of  California  in  the  liustsiaii 
possessions." 

"Captain  Winship  told  Mr  Baranof  that  last  au- 
tumn sixty  men  had  started  from  the  Cnited  States 
oveiland  I.W  settle  on  the  Columbia  Iliver,  which 
V  uld  have  been  easier  for  us  than  aiiylxxlv  else. 
The  American  states  claim  the  right  to  thosi^  shoi'es, 
sayinu^  that  the  headwaters  of  the  Columbia  are  in 
their  territory;  but  on  the  same  prinei]»le  they  could 
extend  their  possessions  all  over  the  world,  wbcro 
tliere  v.as  no  previous  ]:An'opean  settlement.  ]^ui  I 
think  they  have  determined  to  settle  there,  because 
the  S[)aniar(ls  have  opened  to  them  four  [)orts  on  the 
eastern  sick' of  America  under  the  condition  that  llicy 
should  not  touch  on  their  westei'U  coasts.-^  This 
happened  after  Winshi[t's  ik-parture  from  Bostoii, 
and  is  yet  unknown  to  the  American  vessels  Iici-c. 
Four  ]joston  .ships  are  at  present  cruisinu^  and  tradin;^' 
in  the  sounds,  namely:  Captain  lleale  on  the  brig 
JJila;'^  Cajttain  J*orter,  brotlier  of  the  one  killed,  on 
the    shi[>  Jldiiii/toii;'^''   Caj)tain    JJrown    ou    tht.'   ship 

'''  I  <l;^  not  undefstand  thin  allusion. 
•'*'l'liij  iii:iy  lio  till!  Hiili'y  of  l^cwis  iind  rinrko's  list. 
Oray,  /i.'x'.  Or..  15,  m^'iitioiis  tin-  /liiiiiHtnii,  ('<ii|itaiu  L.  I'cIlts.  a.i  having; 


Ix'i'ii  Hviit  to  tho  ( 


gives  tliu  iicUiu^  L.  I'oi'tcr  uixl  tliu  datu  IMMJ. 
Uwi'.  N.  W.  Coast.  Vol.  I.    21 


ihiu  liv  !.vin;i;i  of  Hostuii,  aniviii;'  iu  IHOT.   '1  iiits,  Lint, 


322 


LAST  OF  THE  EXPLORKRS. 


Vitncnxror;^  and  Captain  Oldiitz  in  tlio  nliip  Prrtrf.^^ 
At  Kai<,^•lll  tlaTt'  aic  also  several  vessels  tra«liii^^,  the 
Unx/c/,  II((Z(H'(/^"  l*rn(inh\  and  others.  When  shall 
wo  drive  those  unwilconie  quests  away?"  Kezunof 
hinistlt'  went  down  to  (*alifornia  on  the  ./'o^o,  as  is 
fully  related  in  another  volume  of  this  work,^  and  in 
his  litti'is  he  writes:  "f  had  the  intention  to  explore 
the  C(»luinl)ia  ]{iver.  We  sij^hted  its  mouth  on  the 
14th  ()f  March,  hut  contrary  winds  ('omi)elled  us  to 
stand  off.  After  keepin«(  a  northerly  course  for  a 
time  we  returned  next  day  and  expected  to  run  in, 
but  the  stronif  current  had  carrie<l  us  sixty  miles  to 
the  noith,  and  we  were  o|>j»osite  Gray  Harbor.  We 
sent  off  a  bidarka,  in  which  I)r  J jan!L»s<lorff  entered  the 
liarbor.  We  tried  aj^ain  to  run  into  the  Columbia  as 
the  only  harbor  this  side  of  (California  to  obtain  fresh 
provisions,  and  we  a|)i)roaclu'd  it  on  the  evenini^  of 
the  l^Oth.  The  f«»llowin<^  day  we  expected  to  enter, 
but  a  rushinj^  tide  and  a  channel  covered  with  hinli 
breakers  opposed  us;"  and  four  days  later  they  reached 
San  Fraiicisco.^ 

The  Pcfiroch;  named  in  Rezjinof's  list,  left  Boston 
in  Se^jteuiber  IHOj,  doubli'd  (Jape  Horn  in  C()m})aMy 
with  the  iiizni'iJ,  and  came  to  California  fr()m  tlu; 
Hawaiian  Islands  in  February  IHOG.  She  is  de- 
scribed as  of  one  hundred  and  eiu^ht  tons,  with  eii^ht 
guns  and  fourteen  men;  and  was  commanded  by 
Ca[>tain  Kimball,  said  to  havi>  bi'eii  a  brother-in-law 
of  ()'(*ain.  Thouj^h  l»ound  for  the  north  with  sup- 
])lies  for  the  Russians,  she  attempted  smugglinj^ — 
that  is,  applied  for  provisions — at  several  southern 
ports,  and  in   conseijueir^-e  lost  four  men,  who  were 


'"Kent  out  to  meet  Lewis  niid  Clurkc,  but  not  arriving  until  after  their 
departure,  aceonling  to  <iray. 

"  The  captain's  name  wun  KblwiU.  Slie  was  fitted  out  by  Laiub  and 
Company,  aceordiny  to  Tntts. 

''-  Left  IJoston  .July  '2rl,  1H(V).  under  Willium  Smith  as  master ;  and  returned 
July 'J.'{,  I  SOS.  A'/V<.<' /,V«//V,r,  xviii.  418;  Tii/tiC  L'mt.  IJray  says  she  was  sent 
out  un(U;r  Smith  in  1807. 

'^'■^//ist.  Cat.,  ii.,  ehap.  iv. 

^'Uezdnof,  Zajiiski,  '2;{3,  '2o4,  279;  see  also  LattgaJorff'ti  I'oyagex,  ii.  97  ct  seq. 


TIIK  SHIP  O'CAIX. 


.so  i'M^iifU", 


ancsti'd  at  San  Dicjjo  and  sent  to  San  Bias.**  An- 
ntlkr  vessel  oi'  the  year  was  known  to  the  Spaniards 
as  the  Jfi'tzos,  thouj^h  there  nuiy  he  some  eri-or  ahout 
the  name.  She  was  apparently  en<^a»jfe(l  in  otter- 
iiuntinj^,  or  at  least  was  in  company  with  other  vessels 

r»'d  *' 
■>     *•  _ 

Tile  (f'Cai)i  came  back  this  year,  havinj(  left  Boston 
ill  Oetoher  1805,  muler  the  connnand  of  Jonathan 
Winship,  with  Nathan  Winship  as  mate.  She  had  a 
force  of  thirty  men,  a  co})peied  l)ottom,  not  common 
in  those  days,  and  was  sj)ecially  fitted  out  for  huntinLj 
a>  well  as  trading.  A  hundred  Aleuts  with  fifty 
hid.ii'kas  were  obtained  at  Xew  Archaiigel  in  April, 
and  .some  attenn)ts  at  hunting  were  made  on  the  way 
soiitliward.  Winship's  chief  operations  were  confined, 
h(»\vever,  to  the  Baja  California  coasts  and  islands, 
v.iiere  he  left  his  hunters  and  returned  by  the  Sand- 
wich Islands  to  Kadiak  with  skins  valued  at  .sf;o,000.  '^ 
.\notlu'r  vessel,  not  named,  but  conunanded  by  Cap- 
tain Cam})bell,  possibly  Kimball  of  the  Pi'ucock,  laade 
a  contract  in  October  for  hunting  on  .shares,  and  came 
back  to  Alaska  the  next  August  with  12.30  skins.^ 

The  Winships  on  the  fJCani  with  a  now  party  of 
fil'tv  hunters  left  Kadiak  in  January  1807.  Touchinijf 
at  tlie  Farallones,  at  the  islands  of  the  Santa  Barbara 
Channel,  and  at  San  Pedro,  Winshij)  rejoined  the 
hunters  he  had  left  on  the  })eninsular  coast,  where  he 
rcTaained  until  April,  and  then  returned  to  the  north 
v.ith  the  whole  force  of  Aleuts.  There  were  over  two 
hundred  souls  on  board,  two  more  at  the  end  than  at 
tlu'  bcirinninsj:  of  the  trii)  northward,  and  the  lo*' 
shows  some  narrow  esca[)es  from  shipwreck  on  the 
wav.    With  a  caru'o  worth  !?13G,000  the  Odiin  sailed 

''■'Arch,  ffj/.,  MS.,  Pror.  St.  P,ip.,  xix.  l.%-8,  15:}-.-),  174-C;  Prov.  I,:,:, 
xii.  4(»;  i'f'.i'i)iof\  Zniiiski,  'J7.'{. 

'••J  ;•-■/,.  ( V(/.",  MS.,  /'/-oc.  .SV.  Pap.,  xix.  liJO-SO,  i:U-(>,  Ul-.*}.  The  ciipUiiii's 
iiaiiie  is  cfillftl  O'Ciiiii  ami  in  ouo  ))luce  is  written  I'oeiiicar. 

'■  Jiostoii  in  the  Northiri-st,  MS.,  1.V20  ;  Khkbiiikof,  Znpinki,  9-10,  137i 
Baii'iiiiij\  Sh'i-in'Ojii-isitHli',  107-8;  Tikhmdnef,  Ixtor.  Obccrank',  1.  1G7. 

'"Khkbiiiku/,  Ziqpiiiki,  J). 


i 


324 


LAST  OF  THE  EXPLORERS. 


iginnino    of  tlio 


for  C'liina  in  October;  and  at  tlio  Ik 
next  year  started  for  }3oston  in  company  wiili  tlu 
Af(i/iH((/pft  and  Ai((fHstus,  captains  Sturi,ns  and  lliil.'"' 
Meanwliile  the  old  commander  of  the  ship,  Josejjh 
O'Cain,  was  on  tho  J'Jcl ipse,  a  vessel  chartered  hy  Uw. 
Ilusfsian  company,  which  was  wrecked  among  th»! 
Aleutian  Islands  in  September  of  this  year,  the  ( ap- 
tain  and  his  men  saving  their  lives  after  many  hard- 
shi|)s.*"  According  to  a  Russian  authority,  (  'aptain 
Swift  in  the  Derhij  made  an  otter-hantii>g  trip  to 
(California  this  year  under  an  arrange  nent  similar  to 
that  of  the  Winships;  but  nothing  further  is  known 
t)f  the  voyage  except  i\Ir  Gray's  statement  that  the 
Dcrhj/  e!itere«l  the  (\-)luml)ia  ]liver  the  next  yeai." 
Tht^  (iiKifiiiKizin,  (illanville  master,  Lyman  owner, 
l<^ft  ]^oston  in  July  ISO. J,  and  was  on  the  coast  *Vom 
March  1H07  to  September  1H08.  Slie  entered  t!i.' 
( 'ohniibia,  and  her  trading  ojxrations  extended  i.p  to 
!)\f  .'{()'.  On  July  4tli  the  men  had  moose  and  sahi;on 
for  dinner  on  the  Columbia;  and  a  pewti".-  mi-dal  \v;>.s 
found  which  Juul  been  given  to  the  Indians  by  Lewis 
and  Clarke." 


The  Boston  ships  Pccwl,  Captain  Snter,  and  ]'(ii)- 
cofd'i't',  Ca])tain  Wliitteujore,  owned  and  fitted  out  l»y 
l\'rkins,  we»"e  on  the  coast  in  18()H-  9,  according  to 
Tufts  and  (irav-  In  tliesc  vears  also  the  Mrrci'ru, 
coinmaiided  bv  Geor<n>  WashiiiLrton  Avri-s,  was  cii- 
gaged  in  hunting  <»n  shares  under  a  <'ontract  with 
the  Kussiaiis.  Captain  Ayics  lost  some  deserters  in 
Caiilbiiiia;   hut  he  obtained  two  thousand  and  eighty 

'"'/^.«^(/(  hi  thf  Xortfni-rnt,  MS.,  Vl-T,.  TUc  Atfihunl/xi  is  in  'JW'^'  /.'>' 
for  ISOT,  "iwiifii  liy  Lyiiian. 

*"('niiiiilii  ll'n  I  (///.,  !'(»  ",  42  H.  'I'Ik'  autlior  Milfd  on  llii.s  vcs-irl  IV' wi 
Ciiina  iiiiilrr  tiic  assuincil  uiiiiu!  of  M'liiidi'.  In  .•j  jmic  <<i  flic  liiiHsiaii  aiitu  "■ 
itit's  \\\v  i'dij,:!-  is  x|iiii<rii  ui  an  vi.sjtin^;  tlic  HD.itlurii  cda-.t,  hciiif,'  ihtIiii;ih 
coiit'immlcil  witli  il»'  O'Caiit. 

*^/'iU(iiiiii'f\  /h'ii:  HlMi:raiiii',  i.  171;  (irni/'s  llUi.Or.,  1.1;  Tiii'i<  I. 'if, 
owiinl  iiy  i'ctliiiis. 

*-Sirtii,\  Xiirtliinut  <  'ii'ist,  '(<N>  7.  I'.M.  with  n/ifxiiiii'i'  'if  tlic  irR'il:il  ;  '/'';(/'<' 
Li<>.  .Mr  TiiftM,  who  fmnishcil  thf  iitfuiiiiation  imMisii'  n  liy  S\v;iii,  v.,m 
«iii|M'rcai-;;<i  nf  tiie  llinttiimi'.ni  on  thi.i  voyaifi'.  Till'  viwsi  i  wus  \\ri-'flii'<l  in 
1810  on  liic  New  JcTHcy  cuuut. 


OTHER  BOSi'  N  SHIPS  9$$^ 

soa-otter  skins  foi-  sliarinjj^/^  Grccnhow  tells  us  that 
Mr  Astor,  in  I  HOD,  "despatched  the  ship  IJittvrjjriin', 
under  Captain  JChhetts,  an  intelligent  and  ex]>erienoed 
seaman  and  tra«ler,  to  make  ohservations  at  vai'  dus 
])lii('es  on  the  ncti'th-west  coasts  of  America,  and  par- 
iiculaily  at  the  liussian  settlements,  and  to  prep;n-o 
the  way  lor  the.  new  estahlishments;"  hut  notIiin;jf 
further  is  staU-d  ahout  the  V()ya_L?e."  Captain  Kuskof 
visited  California  in  ISOU  with  a  view  to  selectinjjf  a 
sit(!  for  the  proposed  liussian  settlement;  hut  he  (Hd 
hot  t(juch  on  the  coast  betwe.n  Alaska  and  Tiinidad. 

In  IS  10-1 1  four  shij)s,  the  O'Gilii,  Alhatros.<,  h,t. 
hffld.  and  Mei'cm'ji,  <'omn»anded  respectively  I>y  Jon- 
ntlian  and  Nathan  Winshi[»,  Williiim  11.  Davis,  and 
(jreoijjje  W.  Ayres,  were  engaged  in  hunting  otters 
under  JUissian  contracts,  Tiiev  also  did  a  very  largo 
and  proiitahle  husiness  in  hunting  fur-seals  on  the 
Farallonc's  and  at  other  i)oints.  1'heir  hunting  opera- 
tions were  exclusivi-ly  in  soutjiern  waters,  and  are 
recorded  in  another  volume  of  this  W(»rk/'  Jt  is  proh- 
alfle  that  they  traded  to  some  extent  in  the  north, 
hilt  of  their  niovements  on  the  Northwest  Coast 
nothing  is  known  beyond  their  trips  to  and  iVo  be- 
tween Alaska  and  Califoi-nia.  Thern  is,  howevei-,  one 
iinpi»rtant.  exception  to  be  noted  in  tlie  case  ol*  this 
Afhafross.  The  \V  inships  had  itlanned  a  permanent 
settlement  oi  *ra(nng-[)ost  on  the  Columbia,  and  v.ith 
that  end  \n  \'n  ^^  Captain  Nathan,  on  his  first  arrival 
fi'tini  tlie  Sandwii-h  Islands,  spent  neai'ly  two  months, 
fioni  May  "Jiith  to  July  I'Jth,  in  the  river.  A  site  was 
selected  at  a  place  called  ()aU  Point,  on  the  sor.thi'rn 
haul:,  alxait  forty  mile^;  from  the  nioutli.  .Xfter  <-on- 
siderable  ]»rogress  had  l»een  made  on  a  building,  and  in 
)tr('paiing  land  for  planting,  an  inundation  I'oiccd  t hrm 
to  move  the  foundation  to  ji  higher  spot  nearby;  and 

*' /liir<iiii<t\  Slir.iii'ii/i!M^itii!f.  Ill;  KhUlinib'f,  /injii'^Li,  'J;  Anh.  (.'(«'.,  MS,, 
J'riu:  /.'.v..  viii.  !I7  S;  is.  |-_>(>;  xii.  'js:M. 
'Uiri<  iihiiii'^M  ih'.  mill  ''n/.,  -".(■">. 
*^!St;o  //m<.  VuI.,  ii.,  this  HcritH. 


m 


LAST  OF  THE  EXPLORERS. 


I,    iH 
I' 


;    '.I 
'I 


thon  the  liostilo  attitude  of  the  IiuHans  orused  the 
|>r(iijc"t  to  bo  alKindoned  alto;:fethor,  .s'nice  altlioiinli 
tlu'  Indians  nn<j:lit  easily  have  heeii  eoiitrolled  (hiriii"- 
tlie  sliij»'s  presence,  it  was  not  deemed  safe  to  Icavi'  a 
small  party  ex j)osed  to  such  danufei'.  Full  particulars 
of  this  earliest  attempt  at  settlement  in  ()re<,'<)n  will 
l»e  j^iyen  in  a  hiter  chapter  of  this  work.  Cii]>tain 
Ayrcs  also  entered  the  Cohnnhia  in  the  Mcrcurif 
while  Winship  was  there.  It  seems  that  Ayrcs 
took  ten  or  twelye  naiiyes  from  theNo()tka  rcj^'ion  to 
serye  in  the  south  as  hunti'rs;  and  instead  of  hrinu^iiiL;' 
tiiem  hack  to  their  home,  as  he  had  jnomised,  hi-  left 
tliem  on  some  desert  islan«ls  on  the  Californian  coast.*" 
Kuskof  starte«l  this  year  on  a  new  ex|)edition  to  (';il- 
ifoinia;  hut  touchinj^  at  Queen  Charlotte  Islands  he 
was  attacked  hy  the  Indians,  who  killed  .seyeral  <4 
liis  men  and  left  hin>  in  such  a  <'ondition  tliat  he  was 
forced  to  return  to  Alaska.*' 

liesid<>s  th(^  four  (»tter-huntin;j;  craft  in  southern 
waters,  fiye  yi'ssels  were  seen  in  the  sununer  of  Isl  I 
at  KaiiJ^an,  in  the  north.  These  were  the  Ac/'* 
Jlnzuril,  Captain  Xyi-;  the  Li/ditt,  (^iH)tain  Hemiett; 
the  Offrr,  (*aptain  Kill;  and  two  ships,  not  named, 
imdei"  captains  l*oi-ter  an<l  l^laiu-hard,*'*  the  hitters 
\essel  heiuLf  the  ( 'af/icn'iir,  which  was  hunting-  for 
the  Hussians  on  shares.  (*aptain  Jihmchard  ar.d 
Ciiptain  Thojnas  Met'k  of  the  Anirf/ii/sf  deliyerecl  to 
the  company  this  year  oyer  fourteen  hundred  se.i- 
otter  skms.  The  C/itiroii,  connnanded  hy  Captniii 
^VIlitt^'more,  Wits  .-mother  of  the  huntiuii;  ci';ift,  which 
cairied  north  eiinhteen  hundred  skins,  and  wns  found 
at  the  Karalloiu's  hy  Winship  the  next  year.*"  The 
( }fft  r  is  said  to  have  heeii  attacked  hy  the  natives  ;it 


^ 


No(»tka, 


several  o 


f  tl 


le  crmv  heinLr  Ki 


iUed. 


su 


'nun  hi  n  .1 


IS- 


T'Uii 


rl\  /.•'^l;•.  nliiisntiili'.  i.  'J08. 


"■  LiM' (if  the  Alhiiintt-i,  ill  A'lw'i 


ih<-  \»Hhii''^i.  MS.,  .-.a. 


'  Kill'  l>ii'ik"l\   /iiiiiiki,    !(    10;     ltiirtiiiiil\   Sfii:iii<i/ii^.«iiiii ,    llf*-«l;    Hiinfon 


till  Siii-thinxl,  MS.,  li' 


"/'. 


.1/. 


imifil  ,'in<l    wjiM    \\i>iiiii 


ilii,   MS,,  14.     'I'll"'   writer'?!  ^rutln'r,   .luscpli,   wiiv  (.n 
Ifil.     ( ',i|'t;iiii    Hill    is  n|«iki'H  of  iirt  father  of  tin' aetur 


\ 

known  ita  Viinktc  liiU.     I'lie  liule  \n  uiven  tut  I61U. 


THE  SHIP  TOXQUIN. 


m 


The  annals  of  tlie  Pacific  Fur  Company  and  the 
foundation  of  Astoria  on  tlio  (Columbia  arc  picscntcd 
fully  elsewhere  in  this  work;  bare  mention  of  the 
subject  in  its  maritime  jthases  will  suffice  here.  The 
]>arty  that  actually  founded  the  establishnuMit  camo 
ill  the  shij)  7oin/i(iit,  (.^aptain  Jonathan  Thoin,  which 
left  Xew  York  in  Si'pteuiber  1810  and  entered  the 
river  in  Afarch  1811.  After  the  crew  luul  .issisted 
ill  the  |>ieliininary  work  of  the  post,  Captain  Thorn 
sjiiled  for  the  north  to  enj^aL(e  in  trade  for  the  coni- 
p.iiiy.  Two  years  later  a  native  interpreter  who  had 
siiili'd  on  the  vessel  returned  to  Astoria  with  tho 
fdllowinjjf  roj)ort,  as  quoted  fron»  (jlreenhow:  "Tho 
Ti'iHfiiiii,  after  (piittin<^  the  river,  sailed  northward 
aloiin"  the  eoast  of  the  contin  nt,  and  anchored,  in  tho 
middle  «»'('. Fune,  !8l  1,  oj)posite  a  villaj^^e  on  the  b;iy  of 
Cl.iyocpiot,  near  the  ontrarrce  of  the  Strait  of   Fuca. 


SI 


le    was 


tl 


lere   immec 


liiitely 


surroun* 


led   1 


)v   trowus 


h 


of  Indians  in  canoes,  who  continued  for  some  d;iys  to 
trade  in  the  most  pt'aceable  manner,  so  as  to  disarm 
C.tptain  Thorn  and  Mr  McKay  of  all  suspicions.  At 
leip^th,  either  in  conse(pience  of  an  affnMit  j^iveii  by  a 
ciiief  to  the  captain,  or-  with  the  view  of  jihiiidering 
the  vi'ssel,  the  natives  embraced  an  ojiportunity  when 
the  men  wt?re  disi»ei*sed  on  or  below  the  decks,  in  tl 


JO 


performance  of  their*  duties,  and  in  a  moment  |)ut  to 
de.itli  ever'\  one  ol'  tli«'  er'ew  and  passengers,  except 
the  interpr"eter', who  leaped  into  n  canoe,  and  was  saved 
by  some  women,  and  the  eler'k,  Mr-  i^ewis,  who  re- 
ir-eati'd,  with  a  few  sailors,  to  the  cabin.  The  sm\  ivors 
<»f  the  crew,  by  the  eiiijiloynient  of  iheii-  lir-e-arMiis,  suc- 
ceeded in  dr'i\in!^'  the  savaLil'es  irom  the  ship;  and,  in 
tlic  ni^lit,  four  of  Ihtiii  (|iiitted  hc>'  in  a  boat,  leavinijf 
on  lidard  Mr  Lewis  and  some  other's,  who  w(  re  severely 
womided.  On  the  Ibllowiiij;'  tlay,  the  natives  aLjain 
•  •rowdi'd  ar'oirrxl  arrd  on  l>oar'd  the  Tnin/i'i'ii;  and  whiK; 
they  wer-e  eULfaj^ecl  in  r'illiiii;'  hei',  she  was  blown  up, 
most  probably  by  the  wounded  men  left  below  deck. 
The  seamen  wl'o   had   endeavored  to  escape  in  tlio 


i 


328 


LAST  OF  THE  EXPLORERS. 


l)oat  were  soon  retaken,  and  put  to  deatli  in  a  most 
cruel  manner,  by  the  Indian^  tlio»inter[)reter  was  pre- 
served, and  remained  in  sla\ery  two  years,  at  tlie  end 
of  wliicli  time  lie  was  sutl'ered  to  dei)art."''''  It  should 
also  he  stated  here  that  a  seh«>oner  of  thirty  tons,  the 
frame  for  which  had  heen  l>roui,dit  from  New  York, 
was  laimche<l  on  the  2d  of  October,  named  tlu;  7^"////, 
and  used  thereafter  for  river  navijj^ation,  heiiiii^  too 
small  foi"  eoastinj^  voyages,  for  which  she  had  been 
intended/' 


111? 


i  1 9' 

m 


Cajttain  Jonathan  Winship  came  l)ack  on  the  ^1/Imi- 
fi'ossi'}  ('iilil'oiiila  in  I.sl2  fr  the  pui'pose  closing-  up 
his  fur-tradin;j^  and  huntini^  operations,  havin;;;  made 
arrau'^eim-nts  to  end»ark  iti  a  new  enterpiise,  the 
saiid;il-W(»od  tra<le.  He  did  not  ufo  farther  noriii  tlian 
Drake  iJ.iy  on  this  ti'ip,  and  this  !>:'ems  to  have  been 
his  last  visit  to  the  western  coas;,  thoujj^Ii  we  shall 
meet  the  vessel  au;ain.°^    Tlie  onlv  vess^jl  known  to 

''U,'rfnilin,r'n  Or.  itinlCnI.,  .100;  Imw/.i  Asloi-hi,  4."»  .S4,  KW-Ki;  (!;.l.ri.l 
Fraiiclii  II'  <:iiiii!  nut  oil  till'  Toiii/inii,  unit  in  liis  Xnrrnilrc  of  it,  Vniiinji'  j,'iv('i 
a  full  iK'i'diiMt  of  tlio  ti'i)).  TliiH  IxMik,  pp.  I.Si)  <),  uIhd  contains  tlu;  fuilt'st 
account  of  till!  niiiMHiiciT,  us  rcportuil  liy  tiu;  Intlian  intt'r[nvtcr.  ('i|il.'iiii 
Smith  of  t!n'  .  I ///•(/;-i).<.<,  according,' to  P'raiiclii-rc,  attri))iit<-il  tlic  disaster  iiiri^cly 
to  tlio  action  of  Caiitain  Ay  res  of  tlic  Mii-niri/,  who,  as  iilrfaily  iioti'd,  had 
taken  ten  or  a  do/eii  natives  of  the  Xootkii  ri'^'ion  a*  htintci's,  ami  had  laileil 
to  return  thcin  to  tlieir  homes.  I  sliall  tjive  a  full  descrijition  of  llio  voya^^^ 
ttlid  captiiro  of  tlu^  '/'i/c/ii'//  in  coiini>ctioll  with  tliu  Astol'  expedilii 


HIS. 


'/•', 


i:i(). 


[  i|iiote  from   /»'o-.Vi/ 


l/ii'   .\ort/iirinl,  MS.,  |).  TiS  ct   sec).,  as  follows: 


'The  i'a|ilaiii->  WiiiHliip  retiir:ied  to  lioston  diiriii;,'  Isltiaixl  ret  in  d  from  liio 
■a.  .  ..Vnd  now,  in  iiariin.L;  \.'\iU  the  iiaiitical  jNirt  of  Caittain  ■lonathan  Win 


nil  as  :i  eommamlei 


lie 


'11 


le  writer  wiis 


hliili's  lilr,  ti  pasMiiii;  trilmte  u  dm  to  I 
personally  acijiMinted  with  him,  and  k>'^<II.V  I'ccord.'i  his  own  opinion  with  thi! 
t<'stiinoiiy  (if  other  nun  of  the  Nca  who  knew  him  inlimatcly.  As  an  early 
]iioiieer  to  the  Noll li- West  coast,  ami  as  ajjeiit  for  th<^  company  and  chief  in 
eiininand  of  the  h;liijis  of  th.'  (  '.  .ililioii,  he  nnist  freniiently  have  hecn  called 
to  the  lirme;;t  e\crtion  of  aiithoiily  ami  command.     Ilis  humanity  is  iippaiciit 


froi 
f.a 


n  hi:<  treatment  ot 


natives,  while  'lie  jie.dth,  the  conx'ellii'lice.  mill   as 


il   coillil  I.e  admitted,  the  eiijoymel  t  of  his  Kcaiiien  were  the  eoiistalit 


olijects  of  hi  I  aite  itimi ; 


kind 


and  coiirteoMs  t'tiill,  he  w;m  iimiily  and  honor 


ahic  in  the  traiisueiions  of  the  miiltifarioiis  Imsiness  in  w  hicli  he  \\a  <  eii'/a'.:eil, 
whelher  with  the  Ha\a;^esof  N'ootka  Smiiid,  the  Nava.;e  kill'.;  of  the  Isliiiuls, 
or  till'  more  eivili/ed  Miihjccts  of  the  I'lowery  Kin','dom.  As  a  si'aman  and 
na\  i.;at<a'  he  r.'inked  amoii^  the  fnrcmost.  Ilis  hrothcr  a[ipears  to  have  hci  n  a 
»'omiterp;irt  of  himself,  and  an  aide  conperator.  .  .Captain  Winship  wa<  sorely 
dis^ippiiinled  at  thi'  result  of  his  hrothcr's  attempt  at  the  |('olund)ia|  liivir; 
III'  hoped  to  liaxe  planted  a.  (iarden  of  i'Mcn  on  the  hhores  of  the  I'licilic,  uwi 
made  that  wildurucMn  tu  bluitHuni  like  the  t'osc.    Uepulsed  uu  tliu  wcsitern  slo[iu 


1812  AND  THE  WAR. 


have  toucliod  tlu'  Xorthwost  Coast  iit  IHIJ  was  the 
Jirdirr,  eoiiiuiaiKk'd  l)y  (iH)tain  ('oiiR'lius  Sowles, 
Slu'  broiiLflit  from  Xew  York  another  (Ictachiu'iit  of 
Astor's  liir  (•oni[)aiiy,  and  entered  the  CohiiKhia  on 
the  lOtli  of  May.  She  left  the  river  in  Au.jr.st  aiul 
]»i-(K'ieded  on  a  tra(hn_L(  tour  up  the  coast.  The  intf  n- 
tion  was  to  return  to  Astoiia,  hut  the  vessel  |»roreed<d 
instead  IVoni  Sitlva  to  the  Sandwich  Ishmds  and  to 
China,  where  slie  remained  (hirin;^'  the  war  Ix'tweeu 
Kii'dand  and  the  United  States.** 

Tlie  Mar  of  1812  14  caused  a  conj|>kte  sta'^nation 
in  maritinje  all'aii's  on  the  Northwest  Coast.  ( )nly  two 
Vessels  are  known  to  have  readied  th )  Cohiiuhia  ip 
ls|:5.  Jt  does  not  ai^ear  tliat  any  lOnj^dish  vessels 
!it  this  time  were  en.L(uii:ed  in  the  i'ui--tra  le;  and  tin; 
.\iiie»iean  traders,  reai'in;^'  with  much  reason  caj>tui-e 
hy  l>riii>h  cruisers,  hastened  to  take  rel'mji;  in  ncuti-al 
ports  on  receipt  of  the;  news  that  hostilities  ha<l  lie<4;un. 
The  Jii'iirrt'  from  Astoria,  having  landed  Mr  Hunt, 
chief  a_eent  of  Astor's  coinj)any,  at  th(>  San«lwieh 
J>lan<ls,  was  fortunate  (Miough,  as  we  have  seen,  to 
ri'ach  Canton.  "1  had  sent  orders  to  the  <Mptain 
to  rt'turn  to  Astoria;  hut  he  was  t'earful  i>f  l»eing 
(•Mjitui'ed.  and  remained  safely  at  Canton  till  tlu'  war 
Was  i>\fr,  wlu'U  he  came  home."'""  The  (*'('ifiii  ami 
Js(il)(//(i  ai'e  said  to  have  heen  hlockatled  at  the  Sand- 
wii-h  Islands  for  m-arly  thre(>  years,  whih'  the  Clnmni 
was  so  unlucky  as  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  t'le  foe.'* 

Another   We^l    knoV.n    vessel    of    the    lleef,  elig;; ;;ed    in 

the  liussian,  fur-hunt  in^T,  and  contrahand  mix  ice,  the 

i)f  till'  CDiitiiK'iit,  lu'  iftiinu'd  tit  tin'  la  («'iii.  .  .  In  liin  native  txwiiof  r>ri;;lit>>n 
\'r  laid  <i, it  mill  c;ilti\at<'il  the  iiiuNt  ixtciisivM  I'nnli'iis  of  tln'  kiiiil  tlicu  ia- 
i'tia','  1)11  the  ccpiitiiHiit  <it  Aniciica,  fiilcil  witli  \.\>-  ilinii'fst  jilatils  iiinl  :^linil>- 
l»  r>  .  .  .  Hi  <  latiir  Jiarn  Wvw  pciui  tilljv  >|m1i!  aiii'Hi';  liiilsof  lli,  i  ^  ..  11.  ili<'<( 
mil  <ii^  liis  KIM'S.     How  useful  ami  liiiii<>ialile  the  life      liiiw  lieailtlli:!  it-*  eliru-.' 

-1    Ij.ij^     I    '.IV  \  tl  !<•    >>t  II  t-A    ^     1,11      t^.i     I    ',  it  rl  ilitllil      I}'  III    ii        i>'iilt>l      iillf      iill       lki'il>il      III       tl.i 


n> 


II 


(' 


.\ili'<  iifiiii  1  I'll  Ikr  <  1111111411111  A'.'ci ;',  eaaie  ctut  nil   Ihianl  nl   tlii) 


iiti'i  r.    St'i) 


ll.Hil  f  I 


.h 


\lllV  H  I  >l\  (till 


ic 


■J!l.-| 


'M\   AstHi'M  letter,  in  A/.,  «4.»; 


t'l'iiii'lii  ir'.i  S'ir.,  I."il  (il  ;  Irviiiiji*  Axtitriiii  'Xi't  S,  KLVTH. 


A^t. 


letter  ill  'irniiliiiir'.i  Or.  tlii'l  <  '<if.,  -nil. 


•''ili,.-i<ii  ill  III,  .\<irf  limit,  MS.,  (i;{.  'I'Ih-  aiillior  incIii<le.-«  till'  Alfni/rii'ii  » ith 
till' <<tliei:. ;  Mill  it  i-i  |iu>Hili|e  that  hIu' wuH  ilutuiiieil  iit  tile  IsIuikIh  alter  livr 
I  e  turn  ti'uiu  iliu  L'oluiubitt  iu  li>l3. 


sno 


LAST  OF  THE  EXPLORERS. 


I  ^ 


Mftriii'ij,  Jllt]l!)U<f^  she  kept  out  of  tlio  way  of  Bi-itisli 
niL'ii-oJ'-war,  was  captured  Ity  tlie  Si)aiiiar(ls  in  Juiii; 
near  Santa  liiiibara,  (Vilifornia,  and  was  <'i>nti seated 
as  a  snuiijj'lc'i'.'^^  Tin;  <;ovei'innent  at  Washinj^ton 
oould  send  no  protection  eitlier  for  American  sliip[»in«if 
in  the  western  ocean  or  fortlie  Aniei-ican  tradinjL^-post 
on  tlie  ( 'olunibia,  l']ni,dand  increased  the  force  of  her 
Paciiic  s(pia(b-on,  and  at  last  succeeded  in  capturinir 
tlie  fri^Mte  Esacx,  Connnodore  Porter,  the  only  United 
States  man-of-war  in  these  waters.  Meanwhile  eaily 
in  I  H  1 .5  Mr  Astor  despatched  the  ship  Lxi-k,  laden  with 
.supplies  for  the  Columbia  River;  hut  this  vessel  was 
V.  recked  at  the  Sandwich  Islands,  hoth  Khi[)  and  cargo 
being  a  total  loss.""* 

In  June  the  AlhntrosH,  Captain  Winship,  arrived  at 
the  Islands  from  the  Indies  with  the  news  that  war 
had  broken  out,  and  that  fear  of  English  cruisers  had 
forced  her  and  her  three  consorts — perhaps  the  Isn- 
hill<(,  O'Ctiiii,  an<l  Chunni  —  to  sail  i)reci[)itately,  I'e- 
porting  also  the  detention  of  the  liciirn'  at  (\uiton. 
The  A/hafross  had  on  board  some  Lifoods  for  Astoiia ; 
and  she  was  chartered,  under  the  conunand  of  Ca})tain 
William  Smith,  to  carry  these  goods  and  other  su[)- 
}»lies  with  chief  agent  Hunt  to  the  (\>lumbia.  She 
arrivv  d  at  Astoria  on  the  4th  of  August,  remaining 
in  tlu'  river  until  the  end  of  tlie  month.  Meanwhile 
the  n>sident  ])artiiers  and  <»tlu'i-s  liad  determined  to 
abandon  thf  |)ost  in  conse(|nen«e  of  the  war.  Mr 
Hunt  was  ;)blig.'d  against  his  will  to  concur  in  tlii> 
K'soKc;  and  as  ('aptain  Smith's  vessel  was  under  tu- 
gagt^nents  that  did  not  ]H'i-mit  her  to  wait  and  caiMV 
away  the  people  and  their  etlUts  as  was  •iesirecb  the 
agent  I'eturned  on  lier  to  tb  Islands  in  search  for 
anotiu'l-  vessel  to  eiiect  the  r(  luoval.'''' 

'•'For  |particiiliirs  sn'  //^■^^  ''nl.,  iL,  this  xerius. 

■^i\stiii's  li'ttt  r,  as  lii'tmo  i-jtud. 

'•'^  I'm  II 'III  ri  .1  \iir.;  <iriiii/iiiii'',H  Or.  mnl  <  'iiL;  Irt'in'i't  Astnria,  4"'^  "I't  sf'i|. 
It  is  imt  Mi'cussary  tu  jjivo  iniiniti;  rfttTciu'cs  lifto,  us  tlu'  iimi.ils  ot'  Astm  i.i 
aiv  to  )ic  fully  rccordi'cl  in  lat«'r  ('lui{it<'rs  of  this  wiok.  «  aptain  smith's 
«'i;;iith  voya.i;!'  I'unnil  thf  wuiM  is  nii-u'iihcd  in  Sil'^'  /I'ljifti  r.  xviii.  Us,  as 
I'ijUowh:    '  Suileti  .luly  (i,  l,S()!l,  in  the  nUip  AIImiIium.  Nu'lmn  Wil»^hil>.  nm»t<i'> 


FORT  GKORCiR. 


331 


Besides  the  traders,  most  of  wliicli  manaufed  to  keep 
out  of  danj^er,  the  Columbia  post  v.as  tiie  only  prize 
i'xj)()sed  to  ea[)turc  by  British  cruisoi's.  One  of  the 
several  men-of-war  sent  to  thf  Pacific  was  <lctaclu'd 
from  the  s(|uadron  for  this  juirpose  in  the  south'-ru 
(K'ean,  This  was  the  sloo|)-of-war  Iiacrooii,()\'  twenty- 
six  truns,  commanded  by  Ca[)tuin  William  Hlack.  Sho 
arrived  at  Astoria  on  the  last  day  of  Xovcnjbcr, 
but  l)efore  that  the  Pacific  Fur  Company  had  sold 
out  the  whole  vstablishment  to  the  Xorthwest  Com- 
pany, so  that  all  was  now  J^ritish  property.  Formal 
])osscssion  was  taken,  however,  for  EnLjIand  on  \)v,- 
cember  I2th;  the  British  tlaij  was  raised,  and  tlie 
name  was  changed  from  Astoria  to  Fort  (jJeorge, 
After  niaking  some  surveys  at  the  rivers  mouth,  tho 
lidcciKtn  sailed  for  the  south  at  the  end  of  !)i'<'embe:', 
]\vv  ofHcei's  nuich  disappointed  at  the  profitless  chai- 
acter  of  their  sciizitre.  They  had  exj)ected  to  secui'o 
not  onlv  an    Americaii    fort,   but   divers    American 

and  rotunied  in  the  n\\i\i  O'Cn'm,  K(>lK.'rt  MfXoill.  innster,  OctolitT  I."),  |SI7. 
I'lirjilxnit  Hi'vc'ii  yearsof  tliin  VDva.^'e  lii'  ciiuuiiaiiih'il  f  lio  AIIkiU-c-',  wliicli  vissil 
w.is  cmiiluvt'd  iiltcxn,  tour  years  of  tlie  tiim;  in  trauM|M)rtin,t5  snidal  wood  i\n\n 
tlic  Sand\vii;Ii  isla  j  Is  to  Canton,  foi-  cants  Wni.  H.  |)u\i.s  and  .lima.  Win- 
.sliiji  .  .Imt  in  consci|Ut'nce  of  tin- war.  and  tlif  arrival  of  t!if  Kn^Hsli  ^sllK)|>;^(lf 
w.ir  liiiirijiiii  nui\  < 'III  riih,  tlio  i-ontia<t  was  ln'okrn,  tln-ou;.di  tin-  inti'iferenou 
"f  tl.u  (.'oniinandcrs  of  tliosi-  vessels  ;  tin;  reniainderof  the  time  eaiit.  Smith  was 
ernisin^;  i)i  the  I'aeitic  <»eenn  in  i|uest  <  f  seal  isl:in<ls,  ;ind  tnnling  on  tlu'  coast  nf 
<  'alifiirnia.  ( >n  tliiseiKist.  Iv:.>  ing  gone  ashoro  in  the  lioat.  he  was  taken  prisoner 
\i\  the  Spaniards  with  liis  t-oiat's  crew  ,and  after  a  iletention  of  two  months  wa.s 
released,  uiid  pioceeiled  to  tile  Sunchsii'li  Islands,  w  her«!  he  joined  the  shi|t 
"'  'mil,  in  which  he  came  lionie.'  (Hy  the  same  authority  it  .Mpiiears  that  on  his 
jiinth  voyau'e  on  the  /lunn  n.  which  ii  f*  liostun  in  |S|7,  he  \>  as  wrecked  .January 
'_'S.  Islll.  near  Kaigan,  among  i  lie  Haidahs,  losiuLrall  his  journalsof  earlier  \  oy- 
ages.  lie  returned  to  ImisIom  mi  IS'JO,  ami  sulisei(Ueiitly  cai.ie  to  ('alifornia, 
whci«-  he  sjient  the  i>st  of  his  life  «  hen  jiot  eng.iged  in  pleasure  voyages  on  the 
l'aci!ic.  Sonu'thing  alMiut  this  man  s  lite  u  ill  lie  found  in  connection  with  the 
Itisliiriio/  i  'ii/ii'iiriiii.  'J"he  author  of  linslun  in  llii  Shi'Iiu'^I,  MS.,  (»,'{  et  se  |., 
gives  an  .11  count  ••(  the  s; nd.il  Wood  cont'';ict  and  the  \\a\  it  «as  lii-oken.  'I'lie 
.[lliiilro.'.x  ]ierhaps  cari'icil  the  V\  inships  hack  to  Moston  in  l>'l(i,  and  nevir 
Icturned  to  the  I'aiitic.  I  ipi'le  li  oni  this  M>.  a-i  follow  s  ;  'The  nierchants 
ot  lloston  sent  out  the  fast  sit'ling  schoom-r  '/'iniiii'iliiii'in/i  to  the  I'jiiillc  at 
the  »Mmmencem»'nt  of  the  war.  to  warn  the  .Vnierican  ships  on  the  north-west 
coast  of  their  ilanger.  The  warning  w.is  a  timely  oui  .ind  those  at  the  llns- 
sian  ports,  and  at  the  Sandw  i  'i  Isl.'inds,  mostly  remained  Jit  the  neutral  jmi'tH 
uliere  tile  schooner  found  tin  ■.  Most  of  their  furs  and  some  ot  then  crews 
Were  taken  il«>wn  to  t'hina  liy  the  7'iii>i'--i/iiiiii'ili.  under  tin-  commmd  of 
e.ipt.iill  I'ortei.  The  ship  ./(f'()// ./«>;((.<  was  fitted  out  in  Ivistoli,  and  sailed 
dining  the  war  under  tin-  command  of  CaptuLa  Holn-i-ts.  .She  was  a  heavily 
armed  letter  of  laainue  l>ouinl  to  (.'iiiiton." 


I 


f  ■■  (1/. 


332 


LAST  OF  THE  EXPLORERS. 


tradiii}^  craft  lailcii  witli  rich  furs  as  prizes.""  From 
tlu!  ('()lmiil)ia  ihv  If ticcoi HI  ran  down  the  coast,  and 
ill  the  uiid<lle  of  Fehriiarv  made  lier  appearam-e  in 
San  Francisco  liay.  C'a[»tain  l^lack  hoasted  of  iiavin;^' 
captuicd  an  American  Ijattery  in  the  nortli;  hut  in 
suhseipunt  collision  with  another  vessel  his  sl(M)p  had 
r.ccived  some  injuries,  which  with  his  need  of  sup- 
plies l)rou;jflit  him  t«)  California.  He  departed  for  the 
Sandwicli  Islands  on  the  IDth  of  April.''* 

^Feanwliile  >[r  Ifuntat  the  Ifawaiian  Islands  oh- 
tained  the  l)ri;;-  Pcd/ci,^^  i\nd  taUinj^  on  hoard  Captiiin 
Northrop  with  the  survivors  of  the  unf(»rtunate  A<o/.', 
sadi'd  ior  Astoria,  wiiere  he  airivi'd  at  the  end  «»f 
J'\l>iuary  IHI4,  only  to  learn  of  tiuj  transfer  of  the 
pi-oi>er(y  to  an  English  comj)any.  lie  accordin^^ly 
took  on  hoard  a  lew  Americans  who  had  not  joined 
till'  Noitliwcsf  ('ompaiiy  and  pi'cferred  a  sea  voyai^c! 
to  tile  ovi  rland  trip,  sailin;^  early  in  Afiril  for  New 
York.'"'  lie  is  sai<l  to  have  reached  his  destina- 
tion after  a  tedious  voyaj^c,  impliedly  perfornu'd  for 
tile  whole  distance  on  the  l\dl<i\  One  event  of  the 
voyai^e  was  the  l»ri;^'s  capture  <it  San  J^uis  Ohisjto  in 
Aui^iist  hy  a  Spanish  Ncssd.  'V\\v  charj^e  of  smui^'i^liiiL,^ 
could  in»t  he  suhslantiated,  and  slut  was  released,  "^riie 
story  told  at  the  invest ijjcat ion  was  that  she  had  conu! 
i'roni  the  Sandwich  Islands  with  a  car«,'o  for  Koss,  eii- 


'"I'rnnc/itir'i*  Xtir.,  l!Kl-"3)J;  i 'oj'h  A<lit'ii.,i.'2iV\  otnoq.;  Irvtii'/n  Attorht, 
4.s<l-.s. 

•K\,rli.  r,,l.,  Ms.,  /',7,c.  /},,:,  xii.  l»2(^-8  ;  i\.  I.'VJ-.S;  /'ror.Sl.  /'.(/'..  xi\. 
iV'i''  7";  Xili'illi.ilim,  hilii  It  l\iiliiiiiil  l!iiM<,  (i;  SihiI-'k  Aiiiki/s  iiJ'  Sitii  rrniiiiro. 
(■;ix,  .•<//•»■«.,  i.  •.'S.V(i,  Hjiys:  'Tliin  Vfsm'l,  <iu  niiittilli^  tlu;  ( 'tiluiiiliiii,  stnii'k 
m'ViTiil  tiiiiisiiii  till'  Imc,  mill  \\;is  ho  Hovi.-ivly  <laiuii;,'('<l  in  I'diiwcijiit'iu'i',  tli;il 
hIh'  was  <ilili\'(il  (ii  iumUc  I'oi'  Sail  I'riiiu'isi'u,  \vlii<-li  jiort  mIic  rraclicil  in  ti  hIiiU- 
iiii;  :itiiti',  wiili  Hcvi'ii  Ifct  111'  wiitrr  in  Irt  ImM.  Fiiiiliii;^  it  iiiii«mHiliii)  to  jh'o 
I'liic  till'  ni'iiNiiiy  iiiatfi'ialM  IIictc  to  rciiair  tlu'  ilaiiia^^c,  ('a|itaiu  Ulai'U  iiml 
liis  iitliccri  liatl  iloicniiiiicil  to  aliainloii  tlif  vcssil,  anil  pnH'iH'il  oViTlainl  to  tlm 
(iii!f  (it  .Mf\ii'o.  .  .lint  wluii  tlu^  /«««('  'J'od  arri\i!tl  they  tiuccccik-il,  with  ia'f 
u.i'<i.-iiani-(',  ill  Hto|ijiin,L;  tlic  li'aUs. ' 

'  ■' l''raiu'lii'i('  ha_\H  hIh'  wax  piircliiiHi'il  at  tlic  Mai'(|urflnH ;  (^ix  and  Irviii;.', 
that  hIic  was  iiiirciia.stil  at  Oaliit ;  ..<i(l  (■rcciiiiow  tliut  hIjo  tvus  cliartt  i'imI  at  tin^ 
Saiiilw'icli  IhI  Hills. 

''('ox,  ^lilciii.,  i.  270,  btutca  thut  Hunt  uftvrwurd  Ix-cuiuc  govi-iiior  of 
MiH.Miuri. 


TIIK  NORTHWEST  COMPANY. 


tA'riiij^  S.iii  Luis  Ijccauso  slic  mistook  her  cjijilor  fir 
ii  llnssiaii  ship,  to  which  Ji  part  of  the  cari^o  was  to 
he  (loliverotl.  Tho  vi'sscl  liad  hoth  Amciifaii  and 
liussian  passports.  Thf  otti<x'rs  had  iiothiiij,^  to  s,»y 
of  att'uirs  at  Astoria,  though  oiu?  <»!'  thcui  aihuitttMl 
that  they  liad  touched  at  tlio  Cohinihia.'"'* 


Alio 
couiiuaui 


tthur  vessel  of  the  year  was  the  ship  Tsoac  Tixhl, 

auded  hy  Captain  Frazer  Smith.     She  had  lucii 

despatched  from  London  with  a  caigo  of  supplies  for 
thi!  Northwest  (\)mpany,  as  part  of  the  sclienu!  foi 
seizing  the  American  estahlishnunt;  and  her  an-ival 
iiad  hei'n  e::pected  by  representatives  of  tlu;  English 
cduipany  who  came  oveiland  to  Astoria.      The  T<kI<1 


J .^    ,  ~     •' •   ;     - 

•allied   a   letter    of    manpU',   and    started    with    thi; 

I!(ic<-(»>ii  and  other  inen-of-war,  hut  jiarted  from  tlieiu 

hcfore  entering  the  Pacific,  and,  having  tonclie*!  at 

.liian  I'\'rnandez  and  the  (;!allapagi>s,  made  her  apjx'ar- 

ance  at  Monterey  in  .Tanuaiy  IHI  I,  and  suhsecjueiitly 

nut  i\\v  Hcurooii,  perha|)s  at  San  Francisco.    The  story 

<i|'  Captain  Smith  in  California — it  would  nevci-  do  to 

till  the  Spaniards  the  truth— was  that  the  T<>(fi/  was 

iiii  lOn-'lish  merchantman  l)ound  to  Manila  1"' )r  a  car* 'o 

of  iva.     She  lost  several  deserters  and  left  three  men 

1o  ri'cover  from  the  scurvy.     Tlu'  former  wei(!  ciirie'd 

;i\vay  hy  thi>  I'dccx^n;  and  one  of  the  latter  was  dohn 

(Jilroy,  the  first  permanent  foreign  resident  of  Cali- 

She  finally  reached  l-'ort  (leorge  on  tlu'  17th 


1i>|-|||;|. 


"1"  April,  greatly  to  the  relief  of  the  comiKiny,  several 
partners  and  cK-rks  oi'whieli  wei-e  on  hoard,  as  well  .-is 
iiiueh  lu'eded  sii|)|.lies;  and  she  Mxdi  sailed  lor  China.'''' 
in  I  s  I .')  the  Xoi't  liwest  ( 'onipany  sent  theirsehooner 
('iiliiitil>n(  down  to  (  aliioniia  inidi'r  the  connnand  of 
(  aptain  .John  Jennings.      W'iiere  this  schoonei-  canH; 

"'.I/./,.  r,(/.,  MS,,  I'm,'.  SI.  /'(I/...  \\\.  :ts:i;  /,/.,  /;,„.  .i///.,  xiv.  :'.  (i; 

J'l-iir.  i;,,\,  ix.  i;!();  .I(v7i.  Ar.<ili!:<i»t'lt>,  MS.,  ii.  Ktl. 

''\l/v7i.  I'ul..  MS.,  i'lor.  SI.  /'(ii>.,  xi\.  .'UiS  T'h  /'n>r.  /,Vf.,  \ii.  'J'.';!  7; 
Cn.r'n  .|(/)v».,  i.  "J.S't  (j;  /•'ruiir/ii  rr'.<  S'ur.,  ItH.  Cox  j^'i\c<  iiii  iiiim.siii'.;  m ciii'.nt 
I't'  the  iidvi'iit  <if  .Miss  .liiiic  Ikiriu's,  nil  lltiijlisli  ti.ir-iiiiiiil,  wlioi,i  uncnt'  tlio 
<  "luiMiiiy  nun  liad  linm^lit  as  ii  ruihpiiijivn)  ili-  roiin'jt .  .'^Iid  wen!  I'iiL-l;  ti> 
'  Inii.i  ci;i  the  '/\i  .'il,  uiitl  iliil  licit  tlie.vloiv  liocoiut'  a  |>i.'riiiaiiciit  ivnivkiit  of  tiio 
N' •nil west  C'»iiHt. 


m 


i't 


LAST  OF  TIIK  EXPLORERS. 


from  (locH  not  appear,  there  hein^r  a  possiljility  that 
it  was  the  little  />"////,  purchased  t'roin  the  Paeilic 
company  with  the  other  property.  Jenninj^s  had  no 
trouble  in  j^ettintjf  all  the  HUp[»lies  he  needed  for  his 
vessel,  hut  he  failed  in  his  ehief  purpose,  that  of 
estai»lishin^  a  rej^ular  trade  between  Monterey  and 
Fort  (jleorj^e,  and  of  leavin«^  an  a^^ent  in  California. 
The  Sj)aniards  were  suspicious  that  t'ontrahand  and 
not  le<,ntimate  trade  was  the  aim.  (Governor  Sola 
favoreil  the  traffic,  hut  would  not  pennit  it  without 
instructions  from  ^fexico;  and  those  instructions, 
when  they  came,  were  unfavorable.*"  Two  Russian 
vessels,  the  Ch'u'ikof  and  I/iiu'ii,  were  in  California 
this  year,  the  latter  beinj^  enijfa<i^ed  in  fur-huntiniif  as 
well  as  trade;  but  it  does  not  appear  that  the  Russian 
craft,  in  their  constant  trips  bi'tweeii  Sitka,  Ross, 
and  the  Si>anish  |)orts  in  these  years,  came  at  all 
into  contact  with  the  Englishmen  of  the  Columbia, 
or  even  touched  on  the  coast  between  the  latitude  of 
42°  and  55  . 


Notwithstandinuf  the  refusal  of  Governor  Sola  in 
1815  to  permit  the  establishment  of  trade  between 
California  and  the  Xoithwest  Company  at  Fort 
CJeorijfe,  it  seems  that  the  com])any's  schooner  was 
ex])ected  to  return  in  ISK't,  and  that  the  missionaries 
had  promised  a  car<^o  of  })roduce  in  exchanjjfe  for  much 
needcid  ^oods.  The  j^overnor  indeed  |)ermitted  them 
to  do  so  tinally,  confessini^  to  the  Mexican  authorities 
that  he  acte<l  ille<>allv,  but  pleadim;  urj^ent  necessity. 
The  Cohiiithia  did  not  come,  but  in  her  place  the  Com- 
pany's bri«^  Coloiu'l,  conunanded  by  Captain  Daniel 
with  McDoUi^all  as  su}»ercarjjfo.  She  arriv'ed  at  ^[()ll- 
terey  late  in  August  and  obtained  flour,  wine,  and  otlur 

'•''Arrh.  f'fiL,  MS.,  I'rov.  Si.  I'(ii>.,  xix.  ;W7  9,  WS-O;  /Vor.  /.'"•..  i\. 
l.V>,  \'.M;  lhi,I.SI.  /'(I/).,  iv.  l.")(i-S;  dm  rrii.  Doc.  Jllsl.  Cul.,  MS.,  vii.  II. 
Antonio  Roclm,  a  l'iirtu},'ui'fie,  was  left  in  ('iilifornia  on  this  trip.  TIkj 
8i'li(M)n(ir  viijitcil  lioilc^'a  also.  Ai'cunling  to  u  statunicnt  in  Jtrnoks'  ./(i/itui'  sr 
Wniks,  10,  till!  Forn'stcr,  Captain  I'ickftt,  was  on  the  Californian  iip;i-t 
tliis  year;  antl  the  Fonrtlcr  is  also  nieutimieil  as  under  the  eonunanil  of  .luhu 
Jennin^'s  in  ISia.     Tliere  may  bo  some  confusion  of  uume  and  vessels  iiere. 


TIIK  TUAVKLLKR. 


m 


a  111 

Fort 
was 
iiii-'s 
mull 
ln'iii 
ities 
sity. 
't)iii- 

lUH'l 

lOii- 

tlli'V 

III.  11. 

T1..3 

\itiiii  •"' 

l(lM>t 

'.lohu 


»r<)(Uifts  to  tlio  valuo  <»!'  al>t)ut  st'wnty  tli(Misiin<l  dol- 
ai's,  lor  thf  northern  lumti-rs.     I  kn(»\v  hittliiii;;' alxnit 
tlio  niovc'iUL'Uts  of  ilk' company's  vessels  in  these  years 
except  what  is  leaiiied  IVoni  CaUloinian  recoj'ds.'''' 

I  have  no  iocord  of  any  othir  vessel  that  actu- 
iiily  touched  at  the  Cohnnhia  oi'  on  any  part  ot* 
the  Northwest  Coast  in  I8l(i.  Two  American  <rait, 
however,  cominj^  I'rom  tin*  Russian  estahlislunents  in 
Alaska  were  in  trouhle  in  January  on  the  Calilornian 
coast,  ])rol)ahly  hy  reason  of  theii*  snuii^ijfrm;^'  proclivi- 
ties. Their  adventuies  are  fully  descrihed  in  anothtjr 
part  of  this  work,  having'  hut  a  slioht  hearing'  on  my 
icsent  topic.  One  was  the  schooner  Li/<li<i,  Captain 
lenry  (jJyzelaai',  which  was  seized  with  her  crtJW  and 


I 


unci 


I  n 


w   several    niontUs 


deti 

old  ac(juaintance,  the  .l/h<ift 


OSS, 


Th 
still 


le    other   was    our 


c(Mnman(le( 


I   I 


Captain  Smith,  who  j)retende<l  to  he  bound  from 
New  Archanijel  to  the  Sandwich  Islands.  The  ship 
escaped  capture;  hut  Smith  with  a  hoat's  crew  was 
taken.  The  chariji'  of  snuii>;<>liii«>'  could  not  In;  proved 
and  the  |)risoners  were  released,  sailing  on  the  /.i/dlti 
in  March.  The  Afh<>fr<iss  on  iH'achinL^  the  Islands 
seems  to  have  sailed  for  l^oston  with  Captain  Win- 
ship,  never  to  visit  tlu-  Pacific  aj^ain;  Captain  Smith 


wo 


cut  to  J^oston  on  tlu*  O'CmH  the  next  year 
other  Boston  ships  which  i-ntered  Californian  poi'ts 
this  year,  hound  ostensibly  to  or  iVom  Sitka,  wert;  the 
S'i/f((ii  or  Sii/f<(iio,  and  the  Alain  or  Af/iis,  the  latter 
under  Captain  Kelley,  and  the  I'ormer  perha[)s  under 
Captain  lleynolds. 

The  Trtircf /<'!•,  a  s(^hoonor  oonunanded  by  James 
Smith  Wilcox,  came  t<»  Santa  i^arbara  in  Jamiary 
Isl7,  and  spent  a  lai'Lje  part  of  the  yeai"  <»n  the  Cali- 
lornian coast,  the  captain  beiuLf  on  most  friendly  terms 

'■'.l.-'A.  Sniila  Jiiifliiini,  MS.,  ix.  Ii)7  IW,\;  Arrh.  Ai-nili'tMinvln,  MS.,  iii. 
l>t.  i.  0J-.">,  71,  S7-1I7,  I -JO  I  ;  Arrh.  Cil.,  MS.,  /Voc  !!,<.,  ix.  Ill   "lO. 

'*AI/iiilriis.-i  mill  l.ijdiii.  Colli II iiiriir'iiiint,  «'to.,  M.S.  A  full  uciount  of  tlio 
wlioK'all'air,  svilli  iiiiiiil'I'oiu  iffi^i-ciicrs  to  original  iiupcrs,  isgivfii  in  lli»l.  ('iil., 
ii.,  tlds  sfiics.  Si'f  iioU'  .V.lof  llii.s  c'liaiitcr  I'ur  luoiitiuii  of  Siiiilir«  cai)tivity  in 
u  nuotatiou  from  A'i/w'  IliyinUi: 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER  NY.  14580 

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336 


LAST  OF  THE  EXPLORERS. 


with  the  Spanish  authorities  and  people.  That  this 
vessel  cauie  down  from  Sitka  is  the  only  reason  for 
naniin<^  her  here.** 

The  Bordelaiii,  a  French  merchantman  under  the 
command  of  Lieutenant  Camiile  de  Roquefeuil  of  the 
navy,  engaged  in  a  voyage  round  the  world,  witli  a 
view  not  only  to  immediate  trade  but  to  a  prospective 
enlargement  of  national  commerce,  coming  from  San 
Francisco,  arrived  at  Nootka  at  the  beginning  of  Sep- 
tember. This  was  the  first  visit  to  Nootka,  since 
Jewitt's  disastrous  experience,  of  which  we  have  any 
details,  and  it  is  the  last  trading  voyage  to  be  described 
in  connection  with  my  present  topic — that  of  maritime 
exploration.  At  Nootka  Roquefeuil  was  well  received, 
and  soon  had  a  visit  from  the  old  chieftain  ^laquinnn, 
who  was  saluted  with  seven  guns,  and  was  as  ready 
for  barter  as  in  times  of  old,  showing  himself  "an  im- 
portunate and  insatiable  beggar,  as  Vancouver  describes 
him,  and  not  the  generous  prince  that  !Meares  would 
make  him."™  After  a  stay  of  three  weeks,  in  wliich 
the  region  of  the  sound  was  pretty  thoroughly  ex- 
plored, the  Frenchman  went  down  to  Barclay  Sound, 
where  some  furs  were  obtained  before  the  Bordchii.'^ 
started    for  California   earl\  October.     I    append 

some  not  very  clear  inforii.  .)n  derived  from  the 
natives  respecting  the  fur-traders  on  the  coa:>t  in  late 
years.  It  would  seem  that  the  Indians  were  as  much 
in  the  dark  on  the  subject  as  modern  writers  have 
been." 

^^Wihox;  Cartas  Varia%  1817,  MS. 

'"'Xoak  [an  inferior  cliiet'  willi  whom  tho  Frenchman  had  much  to  do] 
gave  nio  iiii  iioconnt  of  tho  dcnth  of  ("anicnm  [(\al!iciini],  who  v.iui  killed  ))y 
SlartiiieH,  wlioiu  he  luul  bitterly  ro[)roiiche(l,  enl'iiiij;  him  a  rolibcr,  on  iiceninit 
of  tho  jilnnderinij;  of  .1  lint  l)y  his  neojilc.  Except  this  oflicer,  tho  iuitiVe3 
speak  veil  of  the  Spaniards,  and  iiave  adopted  many  words  of  their  hni- 
gna«e.'  i'o//.,  2'J. 

''  'Swanimilieh, .  .lived  at  Tchinoidc,  behind  Cnpc  Flattery,,  .as'imcd  1110 
that  thei'c  wero  at  that  place  four  Americans,  who  were  left  by  a  ve.s.sel  from 
New  Yoik,  lie  nanu^d  three  very  distinctly,  Mes.srs  Chirk,  Lewis,  and  Kcaii. 
'I'hcy  luid  a  honaeof  their  own,  in  which  they  were  to  i)ass  tin;  winter:  he  ti  Id 
me  that  sever;; I  iiliipa  came  every  year,  and  mentioned  an  l'"n  ,liH!i  ves-el  c:ilk'd 
the  (tirii)/.'  Noiik  told  me  that  at  Nootka  'the  I']n,\;iisli  foriiicilv  had  a  lioune, 
that  the  .Spiviiiardu  liud  11  larger  one,  but  that  both  wereabandoUed.  lie  aildi'd 
thai  thirty  months  l>cforu  ni  English  N-easel  had  come  into  the  cove,  th<'  captain 


M.  CAMILLE  DE  ROQUEFEUIL. 


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(l.lr.l 

ptuiii 


After  a  trip  to  the  Marquesas,  wlicre  lie  met 
Captain  Sowles,  formerly  of  the  Beaver,  Roquefeuil 
came  back  to  New  Archangel  in  April  1818,  where 
lie  formed  a  contract  to  hunt  sea-otters  on  joint  ac- 
count M'itli  the  Russians.  This  enterprise  having 
failed,  the  trading  voyage  was  resumed,  and  the 
Bordelah  coasting:  southward  reached  the  latitude  of 


55 


about  the  middle  of  August. 


SI 


le 


entered  Perez 
Strait  under  the  American  flag  and  otherwise  dis- 
guised, in  the  hope  of  seizing  Indians  to  be  held 
i'or  ransom,  and  thus  avenging  past  wrongs  at  their 
hands;  but  this  plan  not  being  successful,  Roquefeuil 
steered  for  Port  Estrada  and  enijaijed  in  trade  along 
the  northern  shore  of  Queen  Charlotte,  not  with 
mucli  profit  for  lack  of  suitable  articles  for  barter. 
Passing  down  the  strait  between  the  island  and  the 
main,  he  arrived  at  Nootka  on  the  5th  of  September. 
!Maquinna  gave  his  visitors  a  warm  welcome,  and 
though  he  had  not  collected  the  skins  promised  tlio 
year  before,  he  showed  an   unabated  willingness  to 

t,'  '  o 

receive  [(resents.  I  append  in  a  note  some  interesting 
items  a1)()ut  old-time  happenings  at  this  port  as  ob- 
tained from  the  aged  chieftain."    The  southern  ruler 

of  which  hail  a  wooden  leg,  and  that  he  stopped  only  three  days ;  that  before 
that,  and  after  the  departure  of  the  Englisli  and  Spaniards,  only  two  vessels 
hadeiiteail  tlic  15ay,  one  English,  tlie  other  American  ;  that  they  had  anchored 
fit  Mawina ;  that  at  present,  and  for  a  long  time  since,  liis  countrymen  sent  tlio 
furs  to  Xnspati'-  (iit  the  western  extremity  of  the  island),  where  they  exclianged 
tiiem  for  liandsomer  blankets  than  ours.' 

'^ '  He  then  explained,  in  a  very  intelligible  manner,  that  he  had  concluded 
a  treaty  with  the  Spaniards,  which  he  made  us  understand  by  signs,  liiid  been 
put  in  writing;  tliat  by  tiiis  convention  he  had  ceded  to  them  a  piece  of 
ground,  on  the  coast  of  tlie  Iwy,  in  return  for  a  quantity  of  iron  instruments, 
woollens,  etc.,  which  tiiey  delivered  to  him  at  stated  periods;  that  thvy  lived 
together  on  the  most  friendly  footing,  (the  Spaniards  occupying  one  part  of 
the  cov(!  ami  the  Indians  the  other);  that  tiiey  had  built  large  houses,  and 
erected  batteries  upon  tiie  little  Islands  at  tlie  entrance  ;  that  theii  preseiico 
was  very  advantageous  to  liim,  well  as  on  account  of  the  useful  things  which 
he  reoeived  from  tliem,  as  the  terror  they  inspin.'cl  into  his  enemies.  He  ex- 
presseil  great  regret  at  their  departure,  sjioke  in  high  terms  of  the  com- 
luaudeis,  Ciiadia,  Alava,  .•.nil  Fidalgo,  and  gave  to  all  the  Spaniards  in  general, 
except  to  Martinez,  praises. .  .Maeouina  spoke  also  in  praise  of  Vancouver, 
liroughton,  and  the  English  captiiins  who  frerpicnted  Nootka  at  tlie  same 
time.  He  mentioned,  among  others,  Meares,  who,  he  said,  had  built  a  small 
house,  in  a  place  which  he  pointed  out  to  me,  in  the  western  extremity  of  tlio 
village.  I  took  this  opporttuiity  to  ol)taiu,  at  tlu;  fonntain-he:i'l,  iiifoniiatioii 
on  a  subject  which  has  liecomc  interesting,  on  ace j«nt  of  the  quarrel  to  which 
UiBT.  N.  W.  Coast,  Vol.  I.    ii 


888 


LAST  OF  THE  EXPLORERS. 


Wicananish  was  understood  to  be  still  in  power  at 
Clayoqiiot  Sound,  but  was  not  visited.  Afhor  a 
week's  stay  at  Nootka,  the  Bordclais  sailiid  a<:fain  for 
California,  there  to  obtain  with  considerable  dilficnlty 
a  cargo  of  produce,  whicli  was  carried  to  Sitka  in  Ov- 
tober;  after  which  M.  Roquefeuil,  leaving  the  coast 
in  December,  sailed  for  the  Sandwich  Islands,  China, 
and  France,  reaching  home  in  November  1819,  after 
a  voyage  of  thirty-seven  months  around  the  world." 
In  Alaskan  waters  Roquefeuil  met  two  vessels 
which  apparently  had  touched  at  ttifferent  points 
below  latitude  55°  in  1817-18,  though  no  particulars 
about  their  movements  are  given.  One  was  the 
Boston  brig  Brutu.9,  Captain  Nye,  which  s(?enis  to 
have  traded  on  the  shores  of  Queen  Charlotte; 
and  the  other  was  the  British  brio;  Cohnnhia,  com- 
mander  not  named,  which  had  left  England  in  1817, 
and  had  perhaps  visited  the  Columbia  River.  The 
same  vessel  is  said  to  have  touched  at  INIonteroy  in 
September,  coming  from  the  north.'^*  Tlie  oidy  foreign 
trader  of  the  year  besides  the  Bordcla/s  mentioned  in 
the  Californian  records  is  the  Clarion,  Captain  Gyzc- 
laar,  from  the  Sandwich  Islands,  not  known  to  have 
visited  the  northern  ports,  though  she  })robal)l3'  did 
so."  There  are,  however,  both  in  Roquefeuil's  narra- 
tive and  in  the  Californian  records  a  few  van'ue  alhi- 
sions  to  American  trading  craft  not  named,  and  which 
there  are  no  means  of  identifying. 

it  gave  rise.  The  result  of  my  inquiry  was,  that  Mearea'  house  Iiad  been  built 
vith  tlie  jiermidsiou  of  Macouiua,  liut  that  then;  had  not  ))i'eu  any  actof  ces- 
sion or  treaty  between  them.  These,  then,  are  the  buildings  erectecl  liy  Means, 
and  his  riylita  to  ilistricta  and  portions  of  land,  rights  which  JJugland  pretends 
were  tran.sl'en'ed  to  it  by  Meai'es,  who  went  from  ilacao  to  .Vnieiica,  under  tlu; 
I'ortuguesc  flag,  without  any  public  character  whatever.  Such  was  t'.ic 
Buljject  of  the  (juarrel,  which  was  on  the  point  of  kiiidliuL;  a  war  between  tht;. 
three  great  maritime  powers,  in  1790,  and  for  which  France  alone  (itteil  out  45 
Bliipa  of  the  line.'    Toy.,  90-7. 

'■Kl  Voifiije  round  (he  world  between  the  years  H^IG-ISJO.    Jli/  M.  Cinnilli>. 

.  (1e  Ho'iiiefi'iiil,  in  the  shij)  Le  Jiordelain,  Lcmdon,  1S23,  8vo,  1 12  pp.    Tiiis  work 

is  printed  in  English  as  part  of  the  A'cw  Voi/ajen  and  Trcrdu,  ix.    The  Frencli 

original,  if  any  was  published,  I  have  not  seen.     M.  Roi|Uefcuil  gives  inter- 

•  csting  deseri]itions  of  tlife  various  countries  and  peoples  visited. 

'•lioiiuefend'n  I'oi/iu/e,  81-2,  85,  107. 

''■'Gtwn'u,  Doc.  hik.  C'al.,  MS.,  iii.  110,  89-90. 


THE  ONTARIO  AXD  BLOSSOM. 


339 


The  United  States  sloop-of-war  0/j^«r/o, commanded 
l)y  Captain  J.  Biddle,  visited  the  Columbia  in  1H18. 
]^y  the  treaty  ending  the  war  of  1812  all  places 
taken  by  either  party  during  the  war  were  to  bo 
restored.  Captain  Biddle  was  sent  as  conunissioner 
for  the  United  States  to  receive  possession  of  Fort 
(Jeorge,  which  he  did,  in  a  manner  not  definitely  de- 
scribed in  any  document  that  I  have  seen,  on  the  Dth 
of  August.  Then  the  Ontario  proceeded  southward, 
touching  at  Monterey  at  the  beginning  of  September.'^*' 
But  Biddle's  act  not  being  deemed  satisfactory  iu  all 
respects,  the  British  frigate  Blossom,  Captain  J. 
]Iickey,  sailed  from  Valparaiso  for  the  Columbia, 
carrying  also  J.  B.  Provost  as  commissioner  for  the 
United  States.  These  gentlemen,  together  with  J. 
Keith  of  the  Northwest  Company,  accomplished 
the  restoration  in  due  form  on  the  Gth  of  October,  the 
establishment  remaining,  however,  as  before,  in  tlio 
hands  of  the  English  company."^  The  Blossom,  like 
the  Ontario,  visited  California  on  her  voyage  to  the 
south,  lier  arrival  at  ^Monterey  at  the  beginning  of 
November  bein<r  recorded  in  the  archives.'^^ 


^Maritime  exploration  of  the  Northwest  Coast  as  an 
historical  topic  may  be  conveniently  regarded  as  end- 
ing with  the  voyages  of  the  Ontario  and  Blossom  in 
IS  18.  So  far  as  the  furnishing  of  real  geographical 
information  is  concerned  the  series  of  exi)edition;i 
might  have  been  suspended  n)any  years  earlier;  l)ut 
the  meagre  annals  of  fur-Jumting  voyages  could  not 
be  so  appropriately  presented  elsewhere.  The  few 
visits  by  sea  to  be  noticed  in  later  years  connect 
tliumselves  naturally  with  the  progress  of  affiiirs  on 

'^l-lrrh.  Cnl.,  MS.,  Prov.  Dec,  ix.  197. 

''' a rei)ihow'ii  Or.  dial  Cnl.,  .S08-10,  with  references  to  nrnl  f(uotiilion.s  from 
till'  iiiesitlent's  inessagea  aiul  aeuoinpuuyiug  (locuiiieiita  of  April  1."),  17,  1S22. 
I'r  'vost  wrote  a  report  from  Monterey  dated  \ovember  1 1th. 

''Arch.  C'a/.,MS.,  Prov.  St.  Pa/>.;  Jjhi.  Mil.,  xHx.  28,  (fiirrra.  Dm:  Hist. 
^''tl.,  MS.,  iv.  20-1.  'Vinoal  ho  Columbia  con  la  comisioa  du  veriiicar  su 
I'Utivga  il  los  Americanos,  ii  cuyo  fin  conduce  ;l  los  coiui.sionadoj  por  lo3 
ll^itado.s  Unidos,  y  Heguird  su  viage  el  10  6  el  11,'  writes  (jlovernor  Sola  to 
Cuptaiu  Guerra  ou  November  8tli. 


m 


LAST  OP  THE  EXPLORERS. 


shore.  The  topic  of  the  Oregon  title  also  begins  with 
1818,  the  date  of  the  first  treaty  between  the  rival 
claimants  to  this  broad  territory.  Before  proceeding 
to  consider  inland  developments,  however,  I  shall 
devote  a  chapter  to  the  maritime  fur-trade  of  past 
3'ears. 

Herewith  is  appended  a  list  of  such  vessels  as  have  come  to  my  knowledge 
that  ui'o  known  to  Iiave  touched  on  the  Northwest  Coast  from  1819  to  li>40. 
It  lias  Ijeen  niadi'  up  of  such  fragmentary  records  as  could  be  found,  many  of 
them  neither  official  nor  accurate.  The  files  of  Sandwich  Island  newspapois 
were  a  useful  source  of  information  on  this  suhjcct  after  1S.1G.  Tlic  C'nli- 
fornia  arcliives  also  afforded  some  items  not  elsewhere  appearing ;  and  it  is 
IH'oliablo  that  others  of  the  vessels  named  in  the  California  annual  lists — 
for  which  see  another  volume  of  this  series — slioiUd  be  added  to  this,  but 
there  are  no  means  of  knowing  which  ones.  Printed  memoirs  of  the  Oregon 
missionaries  contain  some  names;  the  Hudson's  Buy  Company's  archivis 
others;  while  I  have  a  few  old  log-books  or  fragments;  and  for  the  rest  mc 
are  obliged  to  depend  on  the  manuscript  reminiscences  of  men  who  in  those 
days  went  down  to  the  sea-  in  ships.  I  do  not  include  in  the  list  the  Rus- 
sian vessels  iilying  eacli  year  between  Sitka,  Ross,  and  the  Spanish  ports  of 
California,  often  extending  their  trijis  to  Mexico,  South  America,  Asia,  oi- 
the  islands;  nor  do  I  mention  the  whalers  that  visited  the  north  Pacilic  in 
great  nund)ers,  and  are  recorded  as  touching  in  California  and  the  Sandwich 
Islands;  though  it  is  likely  that  some  vessels  of  l)oth  these  classes  touchdl 
from  time  to  time  on  the  coast,  between  latitude  42'  and  5o°.  I  shall  luivo 
occasion  to  present  more  details  respecting  many  oi  the  vessels  an<l  c(jiii- 
manders  here  mentioned,  in  Liter  chapters  and  volumes  of  this  work.  Tiie 
list  arranged  chronologically  is  as  follows : 

[1819-20.]  Borneo,  George  Clark,  American  ship;  wrecked  at  Kaigan  in 
January  1819. 

Voliiii/cer,  .Tames  Bennett,  Boston  ship;  carried  crew  of  Borneo  back  to  the 
Sandwich  Islands. 

Bnitus,  David  Nye,  Boston  brig ;  made  a  trip  to  Alaska  and  probably  down 
the  coast. 

Eaijlc,  Tliomas  Meek,  Boston  ship;  from  Northwest  Coast  to  China.  -Ml 
these  items  are  taken  from  a  sketcli  of  Captain  William  Smith's  life  in  the 
Boston  Daily  AdvcrtUcr  and  Nilei*  Ii'^rjintrr,  xviii.  418. 

[1820.]  A  .Japanese  junk,  laden  witli  wax,  cast  away  on  Point  Adams, 
according  to  Mr  Brooks. 

[1821.]  Arab,  American  brig ;  trading  on  the  coast.  I  have  her  originid 
log.  which  lacks,  however,  both  beginning  and  end.  It  is  in  this  log  that  1 
find  the  following  trading-vessels  of  this  year: 

Fredie,  Stetson,  Boston  brig;  arrived  in  August  and  went  to  Saudwicli 
lolands. 

Pedler,  Meek,  New  York  brig. 

SuUati,  consort  of  the  Fredie. 


TRADING  VESSELS. 


m. 


Kl.     All 
ill  tho 

Adams, 

origiii:il 
that  L 

udwich 


TTnmUlrin,  Lascar,  nnd  J^fciitnr,  all  Boston  vessels;  and  two  commanded 
by  captains  Post  and  Martin,  perhaps  identical  with  some  of  the  precedini,'. 

[IS'JS-").]  Jiob  lioif,  Crosa,  Boston  brig,  owneil  by  Bryant  and  Sturgia; 
tiiidiny  on  the  coast,  also  probably  in  later  years.  Mentioned  in  the  J/emo- 
■niiii/aoi  Henry  A.  Peir  l. 

[IS'24  et  seq.]     Jlcrahl,  Hammatt,  owned  by  Bryant  and  Sturgis. 

Triton,  Bryant,  owned  by  Bryant  and  Sturgia. 

Sidlan,  Allen,  owned  by  Bryant  and  Sturgis. 

Conroi/,  McXeill,  owned  by  Josiah  Marshall. 

[lS"2.">-8.]  Griffon,  M.T.  Pcirce,  Boston  brig,  owned  byBryantand  Sturgis; 
engaged  in  trade  on  the  Northwest  Coast.  Henry  A.  I'eirco,  brother  of  the 
captain,  was  on  board,  and  gives  a  full  account  of  the  trip  in  his  Meinoraniia. 

fKS"27.]  Cudhoro,  Simiison,  British  schooner,  from  Columbia  lUver;  in 
California  in  December. 

[1SiJS-.jO.]    Volunteer,  Seth  Barker,  owned  by  Bryant  and  Sturgis. 

Adire,  Cotting  or  Cotton,  owned  liy  William  Baker  and  Company. 

Louisa,  Martin,  owned  by  William  Baker  and  Company. 

Ou-jihce,  Kelly,  owned  by  Josiah  ^larshall. 

[1828.]  William  «fc  Attn,  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  vessel;  wrecked  insiilb 
the  Columbia  bar. 

[1829-30.]     Owyhee,  Dominis,  Boston  ship;  traded  in  Columbia  lUver. 

Convoij,  Thompson ;  with  the  Oirijhee. 

[1830.]  TmMla,  Hudson's  lisiy  Company's  brig;  castawayinColum1)iaI!ivcr. 

[1831.]  A  Japanese  junk  wrecked  on  Queen  Charlotte  Island,  according  to 
Mr  lirooks. 

[1831-2.]  Dryad,  English  brig;  in  California  from  the  Columbia  Kivcr 
both  years. 

[1833.]    Another  Japanese  wreck  near  Cape  Flattery. 

[1834.]  Llama,  or  Lama,  William  O'Neill,  Hudson's  Bay  Company's 
brig ;  in  California  for  sup})lies,  from  Columbia  Kiver. 

M(ti/  Dacre,  Laml)ert,  American  brig ;  in  Columbia  Itiver  for  trade  and 
Balnion. 

Europa,  Allen,  Boston  trader  on  the  const,  according  to  KcUey's  Memoir, 

[183.J.]     Muij  Dacre,  still  in  the  river;  Wyeth  owner  and  agent. 

Oani/nu'.de,  Eales,  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  bark  ;  in  Columbia  River. 

Dri/iid,  Keplin;  left  Columbia  Biver  for  Sandwich  Islands. 

[1330.]  Joseph  Peahody,  Moore;  arrived  at  Honolulu  from  Northwest 
Coast  and  Kaignn,  sailing  for  New  York. 

Cdhimhiii,  Darby,  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  bark;  at  Honolulu  from  Co- 
luml)ia  Kiver.  At  Honolulu  again  under  Captain  Royal  in  December,  isiid 
sailed  for  London. 

N<  riid.  Royal,  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  bark;  arrived  at  Honolulu  fi'om 
England,  and  arrived  at  Columbia  River  in  August. 

Llirma,  McNeill ;  in  Columbia  River  and  at  Kaigan. 

Europa,  Williau)  WLnkworth ;  from  Honolulu  to  Northwest  Coast  and  to 
Monterey. 

Lortot,  Nye,  Blinn,  an<l  liancroft  8ucces.sively  ;  American  trader,  on  special 
sei'vice,  in  Columbia  Rivi.'r,  Califoniia,  anil  Sandwich  Islands. 


m 


LAST  OF  THE  EXPLORERS. 


Convoy,  Bancroft  ami  later  Burch,  American  brig ;  from  Kaigan  to  Hono- 
lulu and  )>ack. 

Lii  OraiKje,  Snow,  Boston  ship ;  at  Ho jolnlu  from  Kaigan  and  other  porta 
ou  Northwest  Coast. 

Jicdver,  Holms,  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  steamer;  iu  Columbia  River,  the 
first  steamer  to  visit  the  coast. 

[1S37.]     Llama,  Bancroft,  Sangstcr,  Brotcliie.  and  McNeill;  from  Colum- 
bia  River  to  Honolulu  and  California. 

X<  reid;  still  in    Columbia  River. 

Cwlboro,  William  Brotcliie,  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  schooner;  made  a 
trip  from  Columbia  River  to  California. 

Loriot,  liancroft;  from  Cohunbia  River  to  California  and  Sandwich  Islands; 
also  a  trip  to  Mazatlan  under  Captain  Handlcy. 

Sumatra,  Duncan,  English  bark;  carried  missionaries  from  Honolulu  to 
Columbia  River. 

Hamilton,  8.  Barker,  American  sliip;  trading  trip  from  Honolulu  to  the 
Northwest  Coast. 

Jj'iKva,  William  S.  Hinkley,  American  brig;   carried  missionaries  from 
Honolulu  to  Columbia  River ;  trip  to  Co,lifomia ;  name  changed  to  Kamamulu. 

iSiilphiir,  Edward  Belcher,  H.  B.  M.  ship;  ou  an  exploring  voyage  round 
the  world ;  spent  a  week  in  Nootka  Sound. 

StarliiKj,  H.  Kellett,  H.  B.  M.  exploring  ."chooner;  iu  company  with  tlio 
Suliihiir, 

[  I  .S;{8.  ]    Llama,  Bancroft,  later  Robinson  and  Perrier ;  hunting  and  trading 
trips  to  California  and  Sandwich  Islands. 

Xd-dd,  Brotcliie;   at  Honolulu  from  Columbia  River,  also  in  Califoruiu. 

Cadboro,  Robbins ;  in  California  from  Columbia  River, 

Jo.M'ph  Pealioily;  engaged  in  fur-trade,  according  to  Kelley's  Jfemoir. 

Cohtmliia,  Humphries;  from  England  to  Columbia  River  and  return  via 
Sandwich  Islands. 

[IS.")!).]    Nereid,  Brotcliie;    trip  fron;  the  Columbia  River  to  the  Islands 
aud  back. 

Vanconver,  Duncan,  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  bark;  from  London  to  Co- 
lumbia Iviver  and  back  to  Honolulu. 

Thomas  Parkins,  Varney;  left  Sandwich  Islands  for  Northwest  Coast  to 
trade. 

Joseph  Peahody,  Dominis ;  trading  on  Alaska  coast  and  perhaps  further 
south. 

Sulphur,  Belcher;  in  Columbia  River,  July  to  Sijptember. 

Stnrl'nKj,  Kellett;  with  the  preceding. 

[1S40.]     Columbia,  Humphries;  iu  California,  Sandwich  Islands,  and  Cd- 
lumbia  River. 

Foraijer,  Thompson,  English  brig;  left  Honolulu  for  Columbia  River  and 
California. 

Lausanne,  Spaulding,  American  ship;  in  Columbia  River,  California,  aiu'. 
Saudwicli  Islands ;  settlers  and  missionaries. 

Maryland,  Couch,  Boston  brig ;  iu  Columbia  River,  trading  for  sahnon. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE    MARITIME    FUR-TRADE. 
1778-1846. 


The  Sea-otteh — Commentaries  rrox  It — The  RrssiAN  BEnivNixos — 
TiiK  Ciuxe.se  !Makket — Cai'Taix  Cook's  Dlscoveuies — Bolt.s'  Kxteu- 

I'KISE— .lOHX  LeIjYAUD  AND   HIS   I'LANS — Ax   EcX'EXTUlO  YaXKEE— DlS- 

hkahtexixc  Failpues — English  Efeokts  from  India — ILvxxa  and 

Ills  l\)LI.O\VE]tS  —  Ix  LOXDOX  —  I'ORTLOCK  AXl)  DiXON  —  FllEXCII  InVES- 
TIliATIOX  —  La    rEUOrSE  —  MaUCHAXD'S    Exi'EUIEXl'E  —  iJEIilXXIXdS    AT 

Boston  —  Kexdkick  axd  Gray — Roctixe  of  the  Trade — Enclish- 
jien  vkksis  a.merit'ax.s  —  perils  of  the  bcsixkss  —  character  op 
THE  Natives — ^^Ietiiods  of  Barter — Articles  Desired — Statistics — 
The  Trade  in  California — The  Exglisu  CoMrAXiES— .Americaw 
Devices — Declixe  of  the  Fcb-trade. 

The  liome  of  the  sea-otter  was  in  the  waters  of  the 
Northwest  Coast,  Alaska,  and  the  Siberian  islands. 
Tlie  fur  of  this  amphibious  animal,  the  most  precious 
of  all  peltries,  was  the  attraction  that  brought  to  these 
shores  all  the  adventurous  navigators  whose  exploits 
have  been  brieily  recorded  in  the  preceding  chapters. 
A  few  did  not  engage  directly  in  the  fur-trade;  but  all 
such,  with  the  possible  exception  of  Captain  Cook,  came 
because  of  the  operations  of  the  fur-seekers.  jMucIl 
has  been  said  bearing  on  this  branch  of  commerce  in 
tlie  descrii)tion  of  successive  voyages;  but  it  seems 
proper  to  devote  a  chapter  to  the  general  to[)ic,  and 
to  give  the  inlbrmation  mainly  in  the  words  of  the 
participators  and  writers,  the  same  for  the  most  part 
tliab  hove  been  so  often  cited  l)efore  in  this  volume. 

Cook  describes  as  follows  the  first  sea-otter  seen 
by  him  at  Xootka,  he  having  had  some  doubt  before 

(343) 


|l 


III 


■'!! 


J* 


m 


THE  MARITIME  FUR-TRADE. 


if  the  skins  were  really  those  of  that  animal :  "It  was 
rather  youn«(,  weighin_Lf  only  twenty -five  pounds;  of  a 
shining  or  glossy  hlack  colour;  but  many  of  the  hairs 
being  tij)t  with  white,  gave  it  a  greyish  cast  at  first 
sight.  The  face,  throat,  and  breast  were  of  a  yellow- 
ish white,  or  very  light  brown  colour,  which,  in  many 
of  the  skins,  extended  the  whole  lengtli  of  the  bcllv. 
It  had  six  cutting  teeth  in  each  jaw;  two  of  those  of 
the  lower  jaw  being  very  minute,  and  jJaced  without, 
at  the  base  of  the  two  middle  ones.  In  these  circum- 
stances, it  seems  to  disagree  with  those  found  b}'  the 
Russians;  and  also  in  not  liaving  the  outer  toes  of 
the  hind  feet  skirted  with  a  memljrane.  There  seemed 
also  a  greater  variety  in  the  colour  of  the  skins,  than  is 
mentioned  by  the  describers  of  the  Russian  sea-otters. 
These  changes  of  colour  certainly  take  place  at  the 
different  ijradations  of  life.  The  very  young  ones 
had  brown  hair,  which  was  coarse,  with  very  little  fur 
underneath;  but  those  of  the  size  of  the  entire  animal, 
whicli  came  into  our  possession,  and  just  described, 
had  a  considerable  quantity  of  that  substance  ;  and 
both  in  that  colour  and  state  the  sea-otters  seem  t*^ 
remain,  till  they  have  attained  their  full  growth. 
After  that,  they  lose  the  black  colour,  and  assume  a 
deep  brown  or  sooty  colour;  but  have  then  a  greater 
quantity  of  very  fine  fur,  and  scarcely  any  long  hairs. 
Others,  whicli  we  suspected  to  be  still  older,  were 
of  a  chestnut  brown;  and  a  few^  skins  were  seen  tliat 
had  even  acquired  a  perfectly  yeUow  colour."^  "A  full 
grown  prime  skin,"  said  Ca[)taiii  William  Sturgis  of 
Boston,  an  old  trader,  '*  which  has  been  stretched 
before  drying,  is  about  five  feet  lonuf,  and  tw^uty-lour 
to  thii'ty  inches  wide,  c(^vered  with  very  fhie  fur,  about 
three-fourths  of  an  inch  in  length,  having  a  rich  jut 
black,  glossy  surface,  and  exhibiting  a  silver  color 
when  ))lown  open.  Those  are  esteemed  the  finest 
skins  which  have  some  white  hairs  interspersed  and 

'  Cook's  Voi/arje,  ii.  29r>-C.     An  otter  taken  by  La  POrousc  and  apparcntlj 
full  sized  weighed  70  pounds.   La  Pc rouse,  Voyaijc,  ii.  I7(i. 


THE  RUSSIAN  TRAFFIC. 


MT 


scattered  over  the  wliolo  surface,  and  a  peifectly  white 
liead.  Mr  Sturijis  said  that  it  would  now  _!;ive  liim 
more  j)lcasuro  to  look  at  a  splendid  sea-ottiT  skin  than 
to  examine  half  the  pictures  that  are  stuck  up  for  ex- 
]ubiti()n,and  })u{red  up  by  pretended  connoisseurs."'' 

There  were  other  valuable  furs  in  the  country 
besides  that  of  the  sea-otter,  and  which  wei'e  piotit- 
ably  exported  in  connection  with  the  latter;  but  tliero 
were  none  which  of  themselves  would  in  tlic  early 
years  have  brouufht  the  world's  adventurous  traders 
on  their  long  and  perilous  voyages  to  the  coast.  The 
j'ur-seal,  however,  was  taken  in  largo  numbers;  and  in 
later  years  yielded  greater  profits,  on  account  of  its 
greater  abundance,  than  the  sea-otter. 


On  their  first  trips  to  the  new  continent  and  islands 
the  Ilussians  discovered  the  existence  of  tlie  precious 
fur,  and  after  1741  these  people,  embaiking  i'roni 
Siberia  in  their  crazy  craft,  engaged  actively  in  the 
hunti  The  product  was  collected  in  the  Ka  nchatkau 
ports,  and  transported  by  land,  a  ])art  to  llrssia,  but 
most  to  Kiakhta  on  the  frontier,  where  they  were  ex- 
clianged  for  Chinese  goods,  which  were  carried  over- 
land to  Europe.  Notwithstanding  the  distances  and 
consequent  expense  of  transportation,  making  the  price 
of  a  s'iin  at  least  three  times  as  much  at  Kiakhta  as 
at  Okhotsk,  the  traffic  was  a  profitable  one.^    "Furs 

'^ S/iirnin'  Xorthwcit  Fur  Trade,  .").'J4.  'They  arc  sometimes  seen  in;iny 
lc;i<,'uc.s  from  lantl,  sleeping  on  tlieir  backs,  on  tlio  surf.ac  of  the  v.ater, 
with  their  young  ones  reclining  on  their  breast. .  .Tiie  euli.-i  are  ineapahlo  of 
swiiuniiiig  till  they  are  several  niontiis  olil. .  .She  will  not  leave  heryiuuig 
one;*  in  the  moment  of  danger,  and  therefore  shares  their  fate...Th(y  are 
niialjle  to  remain  under  water  longer  than  two  minutes. .  .Tiie  male  otter  is, 
beyond  all  comparison,  more  beautiful  than  the  female.  .  .Skins  of  tld:*  animal 
talicn  in  the  Corean  and  .Japan  seas,  arc  superior  to  tliose  of  llunsia  or  the 
North  Western  Coast  of  America.'  Mtarc.'i'  I'oi/.,  "241-4.  '  Xothing  can  bo 
nioi'c  beautiful  than  one  of  these  animals  when  seen  sv.iinuiing,  esiiecially 
when  on  the  lookout  for  any  object.  At  such  times  it  raises  its  head  fjuito 
above  the  surface.'  JewUl's  X^ar.,  07.  See  full  description,  with  tjuotatiuna 
from  various  authors,  in  ^[urchuml,  Voywjf,  ii.  29-.'i7. 

'  The  llussian  fur-trade  of  the  extreme  north  will  be  fully  treated  in  a  later 
volume  on  the  History  of  Alaska.  Coxe'/i  Iiunsian  JJinnin  ricn,  Londun,  IT-ST,  is 
til!'  authority  by  which  this  trade  was  made  known  to  the  woild.  Coxe  men- 
tions a  specimen  cargo  of  furs  yielding  about  §."iO,()00  in  Kamchatka.  Ir\  ing, 
Aduiki,  33,  takes  the  followiug  view  of  the  overland  tiausit:   'The  llusaiaua 


I 


MO 


THE  MARITIME  FUIl-TRADE. 


form  llio  j)iiiifiptil  and  favorite  dress  of  the  iuliabi- 
taiits  of  the  Northern  iiroviiures  of  China;  and  tlioso 
of  the  rai'ist  kind  and  tiie  hij^hest  j)riecs  are  eaj^erly 
j»ur('has;'(l  hy  them. — From  five  hundred  to  one  thou- 
sand ddllars,  and  even  a  larj^er  sum,  are  frequently 
paid  i'or  a  !-;inu;le  suit  of  this  i)reoious  cloathing."  In 
tlic  southern  provinces  also  everybody  wlio  can  aflbi'd 
it  has  a  sea-otter  cape  at  a  cost  of  $0.  And  after 
tlie  nevv'  system  of  importation  had  l)een  introduced, 
"tlie  repulalion  of  the  sea-otter  skins  brouu^ht.  .  .the 
Northern  Chinese  and  Pekin  mcrcliants  to  Canton,  a 
port  Avhich  they  had  never  befin'C  visited,  and  at  the 
distance  of  near  one  thousand  miles  from  the  places  of 
their  residence. — Yet.  .  .they  found  it  answered  to 
their  entire  .satisfaction,  from  bein<^  able  to  obtain  thi^ 
.same  species  of  furs  which  they  had  been  accustomed 
to  purchase  at  Kiascha,  at  a  price  so  much  below  tlie 
usual  rate  of  that  market.  They  arrived  at  Canton 
laden  with  teas,  silk  and  ivory;  and  took  back  in 
retm-n  furs  and  broadcloths."*  Yet  the  Cliinese,  with 
all  their  extravagant  fondness  for  fur.s,  by  their 
peculiar  commercial  ])olicy  involving  many  burdt'U- 
some  restrictions,  made  the  fur-trader's  road  to  for- 
tune by  no  means  a  straight  and  pleasant  one. 

Wliat  "was  learned  from  ,no  works  of  Coxe  and 
others  respecting  the  Kussian  trade  with  China,  seems 
to  have  made  no  sensation  in  European  commercial 
circles  until  veiilied  and  amplified  by  the  reports  of 

hail  t!io  iiilvnnta^o  over  their  competitors  in  the  trade.  The  hitter  had  to 
tiikc  tln'ir  iH'Urici  to  Canton,  whicli,  however,  was  a  more  receiving  mart. . . 
Tiic  ];ii;.-i;ins,  on  the  contrary,  carried  their  furs,  by  a  shorter  voyage  \':\ 
directly  li>  the  northei'n  parts  of  the  Chinese  empire ;  thus  hein:^  able  to  allon  I 
tliciii  in  the  niailict  witliout  the  aiUlitional  cost  of  internal  transportation.' 
Crccnhow  writf.i:  'Tho  trade  in  furs  had  1)ccn  conducted,  ahnosfc  wholly, 
by  tlio  liritirtli  and  tho  liussians,  between  whom,  however,  there  had  lu'cn 
no  opportunity  for  competition.  Tho  Russians  procured  tlicir  furs  chielly  in 
the  uorliicrn  ]iarts  of  tlieir  own  empire;  and  they  ex])ortcd  to  China,  by  huid, 
all  such  as  were  not  required  for  tlieir  own  use.  The  British  market  w:i.s 
Buppliiil  entirely  from  Hudson's  Bay  and  Canada;  and  a  great  portion  of 
the  sjkuis  there  collected  was  sent  to  Russia,  whence  many  of  t'acni  found 
their  way  to  China,  though  none  had  ever  been  shipped  directly  for  the  latter 
country.'  Or.  iiiKlCdl.,  KJl. 

*  JJmu Li''  Accvuiit  o/'(/ie  'I'rade,  etc,  Ixxxvi, 


A  PnOPER  OUTFIT. 


347 


and 

fcreial 


an  EiiLflisli  voyager.  Captain  Cook's  spoclal  jjuiposo 
ill  liis  expedition  of  1770-80,  so  iar  as  nortli-westei-u 
Anieiica  was  concerned,  was  to  find  a  passage  to  tlio 
Atlantic,  lie  did  not  succeed  in  o[)eiiiiig  a  chaiiael 
l»y  which  Canadian  and  Hudson  Bay  furs  niiL,dit  ho 
ncut  direct  to  China  by  water;  hut  ho  found  wliat 
j)i'oved  to  be  a  richer  store  of  furs  than  that  on 
the  Atlantic  coasts,  and  he  eventually  found  a  good 
market. 

The  explorer  and  his  men  obtained  from  tho  na- 
tives at  Nootka  and  other  points  a  quantity  of  sea-otter 
skins,  of  whose  real  value  they  hnd  no  pio[H  r  i,jea. 
^Most  of  the  furs  had  been  injui'ed  by  being  niiJe  into 
garments;  they  were  used  for  bedclothes  on  the  voy- 
age and  preserved  with  but  little  care;  "  o  tliirds  of 
tliose  obtained  were  spoiled  or  given  away  in  Kam- 
cliatkn.  i!id  it  was  thouijht  that  the  full  vah'  3  \.'as  not 
obtamcd  in  China;  yet  the  renniant  was  sold  for  about 
(  II  thousand  dollars.  Little  Avonder  that,  as  Ca^)tain 
Iviug  says,  "the  rage  with  which  our  seamen  were 
})()ssessed  to  return  to  Cook's  River,  and,  by  another 
cargo  of  skins,  to  make  their  fortunes,  at  one  time, 
Avas  not  far  short  of  nnitiny;  and  I  must  own,  I  could 
not  help  indulging  myself  in  a  project,"  which  was  to 
have  the  work  of  exploration  untlertaken  in  connection 
with  the  fur-trade  by  the  ]i!ast  India  Company,  in  two 
vessels  of  one  hundred  and  one  hundred  and  hl'ty  tons 
which  could  be  fitted  out  at  a  cost  of  six  tliousand 
l)()un(ls.  "Each  ship  shoidd  have  five  ton  of  un- 
wrought  iron,  a  forge,  and  an  expert  smith,  witli  a 
jinuMieyman  and  apprentice,  who  might  be  ready  to 
forgo  such  tools,  as  it  should  apjiear  tho  Indians  were 
most  desirous  of.  .  .It  is  well  known,  that  tlie  fancy  of 
these  people  for  articles  of  ornament,  is  exceed in;,',ly 
capricious;  and  that  iron  is  the  only  sure  conunodii^y 
for  their  market.  To  this  might  be  added,  a  few 
gross  of  largo  pointed  case-kni.os,  some  bales  oi' 
•  •oarso  woollen  cloth  (linen  they  would  not  acco;)t 
from  us)  and  a  barrel  or  two  of  copper  .aid  glass 


^f 


343 


THE  MARITIME  FUR-TRADE. 


tr-iiikots."     This  enterprise  was  to  be  directed  eliiefly 
to  the  Alaskan  coast." 

"The  last  voyage  of  that  renowned  l^ut  unfortunate 
discoverer,  Captain  Cook,  had  made  known  the  vast 
quantities  of  the  sea -otter  to  be  found  along  tluit 
coast,  and  the  innnense  ])rices  to  be  obtained  for  its 
fur  in  China.  It  was  as  if  a  new  gold  coast  had  been 
discovt'red.  Individuals  from  various  countries  dashed 
into  this  luci-ative  traffic,"  says  Irving;  and  Dixon, 
"A  new  and  inexhaustible  mine  of  w'calth  was  laid 
open  to  future  Navigators,  by  trading  for  furs  of  th(3 
most  valuable  kind,  on  the  North  West  Coast  of  Amer- 
ica." The  information  gained  by  Cook  "became  gen- 
erally diifused  before  the  publication  t)f  the  j<jurnals 
[in  1784-5],  and  it  did  not  fail  to  attract  the  attention 
of  enterprising  men  in  all  maritime  countries.  That 
the  furs  miijht  be  sold  advantai^eously  at  Canton  was 
certain  from  a  comparison  of  prices;  and  it  was  clear 
that  still  greater  profits  might  be  secured  by  a  direct 
ti'ade  between  China  and  the  north-west  coasts  of 
America."" 

But  £o  far  away  was  this  new  mine  of  wealtli, 
and  so  little  was  known  of  the  methods  of  working 
it,  and  so  fullv  foreseen  w-ere  the  danLjers  and  rislcs  to 
be  encountered,  that  the  world's  merchants  "dashed 
into  this  lucrative  traffic"  somewhat  deliberately.  The 
earliest  attempt  in  this  direction,  about  which,  how- 

"^ronL'\H  Voi/ane,  ii.  200,  401;  iii.  370,  4S0-0.  The  best  sea-otter  skins  soil 
ill  Kaiuuhatka  for  30  roubles  each,  but  at  Ki.ikhta,  on  the  (-hinose  fsoiilier,  ;it 
iiioi'o  than  (loriblc  that  price.  Then  they  are  sold  at  a  good  prolit  in  I'ckiii,:,', 
mill  some  of  them  again  at  an  advance  in  Japan.  '^Vhat  a  prodi;,'ioii^ly  ail- 
vaiita!,'eous  trade  might  bo  carried  on  between  this  place  and  Ja[)aii,  \\  hieh  is 
but  aJMJiit  a  fortnight's,  at  most,  three  ^\ccks'  sail  from  it!.  .  .The  fur  (if  these 
animals,  aa  mentioned  in  the  Russian  accounts,  is  ccrUiinly  softer  and  liner 
than  thai  of  any  otli(  rs  ve  know  of;  and,  therefore,  the  disi^overy  of  this  j  uit 
(if  the  (Mmtincnt  of  North  America,  where  s(»  valuable  an  article  of  comiiuice 
niMj-  be  met  with,  cannot  be  .i  matter  of  indiirerence. . .  .Tliei'o  is  not  tlie  least 
doubt,  that  li  very  benelieial  fur  trade  might  lje  carried  on  with  the  inhaliit.uits 
of  this  vast  coast.  Rut  unless  a  northern  jiassuge  siiould  be  found  piin'ticaMi', 
it  seems  rather  too  remote  from  <{reat  Ihitain  to  receive  any  emolument  tVoiu 
it."  Twenty  skins  belonginj,'  to  the  dead  eomnia'idei's  were  sold  for  ."^SOO.  Om,' 
of  the  so.unen  sold  his  for  !j800.     .V  few  line  ones  sold  for  $\'2i)  each. 

'''Iiriiiij'8/Lstoria,  32;  l>U-uii'if\'oi/0(jc,i).  is. ;  O'niii/iow'ii  (Jr.  uiilI  t'al.,  100-1. 


BOLTS  AlH)  JOHN  LEDY^UID. 


349 


over,  vor)^  little  is  known,  was  that  of  William  Bolts, 
wlio  as  earl}^  as  1781  is  said  to  have  "iitted  out  the 
(.'ohciizcU,  an  armed  ship  of  seven  hundred  tons,  for 
tlie  north-west  coast  of  America.  She  was  to  have 
sailed  from  Ti-ieste,  accompanied  hj^  a  tender  of  forty- 
five  tons,  under  imperial  colours,  and  was  equally  fitted 
out  for  trade  or  discovery;  men  of  eminence  in  evei-y 
department  of  science  were  engaged  on  board;  all  tlie 
maritime  courts  of  Euroi)e  were  written  to  in  order 
to  secure  a  good  reception;  yet,  after  all,  this  expedi- 
tion so  exceedingly  promising  in  every  point  of  view, 
was  overturned  by  a  set  of  interested  men,  then  in 
power  at  Vienna."'' 

John  Ledyard  was  an  eccentric  American,  a  native 
of  Connecticut,  and  educated  at  Dartmouth,  who  in 
his  search  for  adventure  had  served  as  corporal  of 
marines  during  Crook's  vova2:e,  an  account  of  wliich 
he  ])ul)lished.  The  prospective  excitement  and  pi'<»iits 
(if  the  fur-trade  in  the  new  regions  visited  made  a 
lasting  im])ressi()n  on  his  mind;  and  on  deserting 
from  the  l^ritish  naval  service  in  1782,  being  then 
thirty-one  3'ears  of  age,  almost  Avithout  a  dollar,  he 
])roceeded  to  devote  himself  with  all  the  enthusiasm 
of  his  nature  to  "the  greatest  commercial  enterpi'ise 
that  has  ever  been  cnd)arked  on  in  the  coimtry;  and 
one  of  the  first  moment  as  it  respects  the  trade  of 
Ameiica"— that  is,  the  fur-trade  on  the  Northwest 
Coast  in  American  vessels.  ''  It  was  clear,  then-fore, 
in  his  mind,  that  tlu.'V,  who  should  first  en«jfa<jfe  in  tliis 
ti'ade,  would  reaj)  immense  profits  l)y  their  earliest 
efforts,  and  at  the  same  time  gain  such  knowledge  and 
experience,  as  would  iMuible  them  to  pursue  it  foi-  years 
Mith  advantares  suiterior  to  anv,  that  could  be  com- 
nianded  by  the  coni])etitors,  who  might  be  drawn  into 
the  same  channel  of  connnerce."    "In  New  York  Ik; 

'  J)'i.i nil's  Voya(ie,  pp.  xx.-i.  ' Uiic  intrigue  dont  on  ignore  et  la  Rourco  ct  li.s 
Jlloy('ll^^  ciillmt^ictittf  I'litivfuisc. '  H' iiririi, in  Mitrilidiid,  I'ki/.,  p.  cxxiii.  'The 
f<  rlilo  tll'oit  of  un  inipi'iuiuiit  niuii  failed  prematurely,  owing  to  caused"  not  e.x.- 
Jiluiuud.  Porlluvk's  loi/.,  'J. 


1: 


330 


THE  MARITIME  FUR-TRADE. 


was  iinsnoccssful;  his  scheme  was  called  wlkl  and 
vi.'iujiiary,  and  set  down  as  bearing  the  marks  rather 
of  n,  v.'arm  imagination,  and  sanguine  temperament, 
than  of  a  sober  and  mature  judgment.  No  merchant 
was  fc:Mid  willing  to  hazard  his  money,  or  his  reputa- 
tion, in  an  adventure  so  novel  in  its  kind,  and  so 
rjuestionablc  in  its  promise.  .  .His  first  inquiries  in 
] Philadelphia  met  with  no  better  favor,  till  Mr  Roburt 
!Mon'is.  .  .entered  into  his  views,  and  made  arrange- 
ments to  furnish  the  outfits  of  a  voyage  according  t(j 
the  plan  he  drew  up."  Then  followed  a  strange  series 
of  obstacles  in  the  matter  of  obtaining  a  suitable  vessd. 
"Thus  a  year  was  spent,  in  a  vexatious  and  fruitless 
struggle  t(j  overcome  difficulties,  Avhich  thickened  as 
he  advanced,  till  his  i)atience,  and  that  of  Mr  ^lon'is 
also,  woukl  seem  to  have  been  exhausted,  for  the  voy- 
age? was  altogether  abandoned." 

New  London  was  the  scene  of  Ledyard's  next 
cft'orts,  and  one  Captain  Deshon  was  almost  per- 
suaded to  embark  in  the  scheme;  but  so  glowing  was 
tlie  })icture  drawn  and  so  extravagant  the  promise  of 
jiroiit  that  Deshon  finally  tleclined  to  place  his  trust 
in  hopes  so  enthusiastic,  afterward  regretting  his 
decisi(Mi,  it  is  said.  "As  far  as  can  be  ascertained," 
says  ]\Ir  Sparks,  "Ledyard's  views  of  the  subject, 
both  as  unfolded  in  tlie  transactions  with  Mr  ^lorris 
and  with  Captain  Desjion,  accorded  exactly  with  those 
acted  U[)on  by  the  first  adventurers,  who  were  I'e'- 
warded  v/ith  extraordinary  success.  It  was  a  part  of 
his  plan  to  purchase  lands  of  the  natives,  and  estab- 
lish a  factory,  or  colony,  for  the  purpose  of  a  continued 
intercourse  and  trade."  "To  some  of  his  friends  Led- 
yard  mentioned  his  intention  of  leaving  the  shi[)  (»ii 
the  coast,  when  the  cargo  slu)uld  be  obtained  and  ex- 
l)lorin«jr  the  countrv  overland  from  Nootka  Sound." 

I.^isappomted  in  his  own  country,  Ledyard  went  to 
Euroj)e.  In  Spain  he  was  encouraged  by  an  English 
conuniiisioner  of  the  emperor  of  Morocco,  but  nothing 
came  of  it.     Then  he  went  to  France  in  1784,  and 


JEFFERSON  BECOMES  INTERESTED. 


351 


and 


at  Tj'Oricnt  **liis  plan  was  received  with  so  miioli  ap- 
[H'obution,  that  within  twelve  days  he  eouipleted  a 
negotiation  v.'ith  a  company  of  merchants,  and  a  ship 
was  selected  for  the  ititended  voyage."  "I  have  been 
so  much  the  sport  of  accident,"  said  he,  "that  I  am 
exceedingly  suspicious.  It  is  true,  that  in  tiiis  L'Orient 
negotiation,  I  have  guarded  every  avenue  to  future 
disappointment,  yet  this  head  I  wear  is  !;o  much  a 
dui^e  to  mv  heart,  and  at  other  times  inv  heart  is  so 
hcwildcrcd  by  my  head,  that  in  matters  of  business  I 
have  not  much  confidence  in  either,"  and  his  fore- 
bodings were  well  founded,  for  it  M'as  deemed  too  late 
to  sail  that  year,  and,  though  the  adventurer  was 
liberally  supported  during  the  winter  by  his  new 
iVieiids,  "we  hear  no  more  of  the  L'Orient  negotia- 
tion, except  that  it  failed,"  like  the  others. 

]\[r  Jelferson,  United  States  minister  to  France, 
"received  Ledyard  with  great  kindness,  and  approved 
most  highly  his  design,"  which  approval  had  no  im- 
mediate eflect,  but  is  said  to  have  suggested  the  idea 
of  Lewis  and  Clarke's  expedition  of  later  years.  Soon 
our  adventurer  formed  the  acquaintance  of  the  famous 
Vnu\  Jones,  who  "eagerly  seized  Ledyard's  idea,  and 
an  arranwment  was  closed,  by  which  thev  aLjrecd  to 
unite  in  an  expedition,  somewhat  larger  than  J^edyard 
had  before  contemplated.  Two  vessels  v/ere  to  be 
titled  out,  and,  if  possible,  commissioned  by  the  king." 
The  scheme  was  arranged  in  all  its  details,  and  "so 
nmch  was  Jones  taken  with  it,  that  ho  advanced 
ni:)ney  to  Lc^lyard  with  which  to  ])urchasj  a  ]>art  of 
the  cartxo,"  besides  "an  allowance  of  mon'v  ;,uili{ient 
for  his  maintenance;"  but  Jones  was  calL\l  away  from 
]*aris  on  otlier  business  and  his  ardor  in  the  new  en- 
terprise cooled  with  reflection. 

Alter  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  organize  a.  com- 
mercial company  in  Paris,  writes  Thomas  Jeilerson, 
"  I  then  proposed  to  him  to  go  by  land  to  F\am- 
cluitica,  cross  in  some  of  the  Russian  vessels  to 
Nootka  Sound,   fall  down  into  the  latitude  of  tlio 


:y 


352 


THE  MARITIME  FUR-TRADE. 


Missouri,  nnd  penetrate  to  and  througli  that  to  the 
TTiiited  States.  He  eagerly  seized  the  idea,  and  onh' 
asked  to  l)e  assured  of  the  pcriiiissiou  of  the  Russian 
goveriuneiit."  The  desired  permission  was  obtained 
from  the  empress  after  sonic  delay.  Meanwhile  Led- 
yard  went  to  London,  where  a  more  direct  means 
of  accomplisliing  his  purpose  presented  itself  He 
actually  emharked  on  an  English  ship  for  the  North- 
west Coast.  His  plan  was  to  land  at  Nootka  and 
thence  "pursue  his  course,  as  fortune  should  guide  him, 
to  Virginia;"  l;ut  "the  vessel  was  not  out  of  sight  of 
land,  before  it  was  brought  back  by  an  order  from  the 
government,  and  the  voyage  was  finally  broken  oft'." 
Then  Sir  Joseph  Baid-cs  and  other  prominent  English- 
men raised  a  little  money  by  subscription,  and  Led- 
3'ard  went  to  Hamburg,  and  started  on  a  tri[)  by  land 
to  Siljcria.  He  reached  St  Petersburg,  after  many 
adventures,  in  the  spring  of  1787.  There  he  obtained 
his  passport,  and  proceeded  to  Yakutsk,  in  Siberia. 
His  usual  ill-luck  did  not  desert  him,  for  while  win- 
tei'inir  so  near  his  destination  ho  w^as  suddenly  ar- 
rested in  February  1788,  in  accordance  with  imperial 
secret  orders,  and  carried  to  Moscow  and  to  the  fron- 
tiers of  Poland,  the  reasons  for  his  arrest  not  being 
known.  The  empress  claimed  to  have  been  actuated 
by  humanity;  but  it  is  not  unlikely  that  the  explorer 
was  stopped  through  the  machinations  of  the  Russian- 
American  Fur  Company. 

Ledyard  reached  London  in  IMay,  and  was  soon 
reconnnended  "to  an  adventure  almost  as  perilous  as 
the  one  from  which  he  had  returned,"  namely,  the 
exploration  of  the  African  interior  under  the  aus])ices 
of  an  English  association.  "When  he  returned  to 
Paris,"  writes  ]\Ir  Jefterson,  "his  bodily  strength  was 
nuich  im])alred.  His  mind,  however,  remained  firm. 
and  he  after  this  undertook  the  journey  to  Egy[)t. 
I  received  a  letter  from  him,  full  of  sanguine  hopes, 
dated  at  Cairo,  the  fifteenth  of  November,  I78S, 
the  day  before  he  was  to  set  out  for  the  head  of  the 


ENGLISH  EFFORTS. 


353 


Nile;  on  which  day,  however,  he  ended  his  career 
and  hfe:  and  thus  failed  the  first  attempt  t(j  explore 
the  western  part  of  our  northern  continent."* 

"The  Russians  were  the  first  to  avail  themselves  of 
Cook's  discoveries,"  says  Grecnhow — that  is,  his  dis- 
covery of  the  sea-otter  to  the  south  of  Alaska — hy 
ori^anizing  a  fur  company  in  17»1,  leading  to  Shelikof's 
expedition.  Otherwise,  and  disregarding  the  vuisuc- 
cessful  efforts  of  Bolts  and  Ledyard,  the  first  to  en- 
gage practically  in  the  new  branch  of  trade  were 
Enuflish  merchants  residing  in  India  and  China.  The 
chief  obstacle  encountered  by  them  arose  from  the 
giout  monopolies,  the  East  India  and  South  Sea  com- 
panies; and  they  were  obliged  to  resort  to  various 
more  or  less  irregular  expedients,  notably  that  of 
sailing  under  other  than  English  colors.  Captain 
Hanna  made  the  first  trip  in  1785  from  China,  and 
was  followed  by  several  others  whose  voj'ages  have 
already  been  described.  All,  save  one  oi-  two  who 
were  shipwrecked,  seem  to  have  1  ocii  successful  from 
a  conunercial  point  of  view.  Meares  was  tl/^  only 
one  of  the  number  who  published  an  account  of  his 
adventures:  and  notwithstandinij:  the  disastrous  ter- 
niination  of  his  own  enterprise,  arising  from  Spanish 
intei'ference,  he  was  very  enthusiastic  respecting  the 
future  benefits  to  be  derived  by  Great  Britain  from 
the  fur-trade.^    Captain  Barclay  also  made  a  trading 


".S'/OTr/i'.s'  Life  of  Labjard,  passim;  Jefferson' i^  IJfv  of  LnrU,  in  Lnrh  avd 
Cl'ir/.r't  E.rped.,  i. 

"MoaiTj.  Account  <f  the.    t  rude  hcfirccn  Nnrfhwcif  Amcricii  anil  C/iinri, 
iiU'.  :ill  branches  of  the  (."hincsc  tra<lc,  the  fiir-trailc  being  hut  a  sniiill 

jKii".  -i'Ut  on  this  and  on  all  parts  lie  is  very  enthusiastic  as  to  the  prospective 
ht'iic'tits  to  (ii'eat  llritain.  He  advocates  also  the  whale-fishery  and  the  acipii- 
i^ition  of  the  Sandwich  Islands.  'On  considering,  therefore,  tlie  pi'odigious 
P'lindation  of  (Jliina,  and  supposing  tlie  fur-trade  to  lie  carried  on  under 
jjiiipcr  regulations,  the  inaccuracy  of  an  opinion  which  has  been  advanced 
^vitii  sonic  degree  of  plausibility  that  the  Chinese  market  may  be  overstocked 
"itli.  .  .fm-s,  nnist  appear  evident  to  the  most  transient  rellection.  On  the 
cdiitrary,  it  is  our  decided  opinion,  that  the  sea-ottor  skins  which  h.ave  been 
iiiiported  to  (Jhina  since  the  commencement  of  the  North  West  American  trade, 
have  not  proved  sulKciont  to  answer  the  demands  of  the  single  province  of 
<-'aiiton.'  lit.,  Ixxxvi.-vii. 

HWT.  N.  W.  Coast,  Voi..  I.    23 


3^54 


THE  MARITIME  FUR-TRADE. 


II 


voyage  to  the  coast  in  178G-7,  sailing  from  Ostcnd 
under  the  flag  of  the  Austrian  East  India  Company. 
The  iirst  successful  attempt  in  this  direction  from 
England,  one  failure  at  least  having  been  n<jted  iu 
connection  with  Ledyard's  career,  was  made  in  1786, 
by  Portlock  and  Dixon.  Says  the  latter:  Cook's 
discovery,  "though  obviously  a  source  from  whence 
innnense  riches  might  be  expected,  and  connnunicated, 
no  doubt,  to  numbers  in  the  year  1780,  was  not  innne- 
diatoly  attended  to.  The  prosecution  of  any  effectual 
])lan  to  carry  on  this  novel  undertaking,  re(|uired  not 
only  [)atience  and  perseverance,  but  a  degree  of  spirit 
and  enterprize  which  does  not  often  fall  to  the  lot  of 
individuals:  however,  in  the  Spring  of  1785,  a  set 
of  Gentlemen  procured  a  Charter  fi'om  the  South  Sea 
Company,  for  the  sole  right  of  carrying  on  this  traffic 
to  its  utmost  extent;"  hence  the  voyage  in  question. 
Besides  having  to  u^et  a  license  from  the  South 
Sea  Comi)any,  "whatever  furs  might  be  procured  in 
our  traffic  on  the  American  Coast,  were  to  be  dis- 
posed of  in  China,  subject  to  the  innnediate  control  of 
the  East  India  Company's  Supercargoes,  and  in  con- 
sequence of  this  consignment,  both  vessels  were  to  bo 
freighted  home  on  the  Company's  account."  The 
expedition  was  a  very  successful  one,  and  both  the 
merchant-navigators  became  enthusiastic  in  their  pie- 
dictions  for  the  future.  To  put  the  fur-trade  on  a 
permanent  footing,  says  Dixon,  "I  should  conceive 
the  most  eligible  })lan  to  be,  to  establish  a  factory  on 
the  coast,  and  the  North  end  of  Queen  Charlotte's 
Islands  seems  peculiarly  well  ada})ted  for  tliat  pur- 
pose; the  situation  is  nearly  central,  between  Cook's 
River  and  King  George's  Sound;  and  we  are  well 
assured,  that  the  furs  to  the  Southward  an?  of  a  voiy 
inferior  quality.  Two  small  vessels  would  not  only 
collect  all  the  skins  in  what  harbours  are  hitherto 
known,  but  likewise  explore...;  besides,  there  are 
othc'r  valuable  articles  to  be  procured  lieie,  sucli  as 
ginseng,  copper,  oil,  spars,  etc.,  and  vast  quantities  of 


FRENCH  VENTURES. 


35r» 


:vo\  of 
111  coii- 
to  be 
The 
Ji  the 
.'ir  pre- 
e  on  ;i 
)n('eive 
:iry  oil 
•lotte  s 
it  pur- 
Cook  s 
L'e  well 
a  very 
t  only 
itlierto 
re  are 
ucli  as 
ties  ot' 


salmon  might  bo  cured."  And  Portlock  to  the  same 
effect:  "The  inestimable  value  of  their  furs  will  ever 
make  it  a  desirable  trade,  and  whenever  it  is  estab- 
lished upon  a  proper  foundation,  and  a  settlement  made, 
will  become  a  very  valuable  and  lucrative  branch  of 
commerce.  It  would  be  an  easy  matter  for  either 
(lovernmcnt  or  our  East  India  Company  to  make 
a  settlement  of  this  kind;  and  the  thinness  of  the 
inhabitants  will  make  it  a  matter  of  easy  practica- 
bility; and  as  the  Company  are  under  the  necessity 
of  ])aying  the  Chinese  in.  cash  for  their  teas,  I  look 
upon  it  a  settlement  on  this  coast  might  be  effected 
at  a  very  inconsiderable  expcnce .  .  .  Another  conven- 
ience likely  to  accrue,  is  from  a  well-known  enter- 
])risiiig-  character  having,  if  ho  meets  with  proper 
eiicouraijement  from  the  country,  intentions  of  ji-oinu: 
overland  to  these  parts... That  such  an  event  may 
take  place,  must  be  the  wish  of  every  lover  of  his 
coimtry;  and  though  the  enterprise  is  fraught  with 
e\ery  danger  that  idea  can  suggest,  yet  what  is  it 
that  British  valour  dares  not  attemj^tr''"  A  subse- 
(jueiit  expedition  was  despatched  by  Etches  and  Com- 
])any  of  London,  in  which  enterprise  that  of  Meares 
^\as  merged  before  the  end  of  1731). 

In  France,  where  attention  had  been  called  to  the 
subject  both  by  Cook's  report  and  Ledyard's  efforts, 
the   famous  La  Perouse  was  instructed    in  his  ex- 

^" Dixon's  Vot/nfje,  ix.  x.  2.%,  .S21-'2;  PortlocF.f  Vrnjaijo,  .S-4.  SO-t-'i.  Of  tlio 
early  voyages  I'ortlock  says:  'These  enterprises  liave  proviid  extremely  iiii- 
ixirtaiit  to  tlio  world,  though  their  jirolits,  considering  the  capital  and  tht^ 
risi|iies,  were  n<fc  enviously  great.  Tliese  enterprises,  howevei',  liy  enlarging 
the,  limits  of  discovery,  made  navigation  more  safe  in  the  North  I'acilic 
Ocean.  .  .They  taught  the  American  savage.^,  that  strength  must  always  ho 
h;ul)i)rdinntc  to  discipline:  and,  having  discovered  ti)e  Aliooa  Jndians  on  tiie 
linrilers  of  Nootlia  Sound,  who  had  so  far  advanced  fi'om  their  savage  state  as 
to  refuse  to  sell  to  Mr  Strange,  for  any  price,  the  peltry  which  tliey  had  already 
eiiuaged  to  Mr  iianna,  these  enterprises  have  ascertained  this  exhilarating 
ti  nth  to  mankind,  that  civilization  and  morals  nnist  for  ever  accompany  eacli 
(itlicr  I"  And  Dixon,  of  the  prospects :  '  Thus  much  we  cr.n  venture  to  aliirm, .  . 
tliat  the  fur  trade  is  inexhaustil)le  wherever  tliere  are  inhaljitauts,  and  tlicy, 
(exiieriencc  tells  us)  arc  not  contined  to  any  particular  oitnatiou.  hut  are  scat- 
tered in  tribes  all  along  the  coast,  which  (as  far  as  concerns  future  traders 
to  examine)  extends  from  40  to  (Jl  degrees.' 


■:% 


m 


THE  MARITIME  FUR-TRADE. 


ploring  expedition  of  178G-90  round  the  world  to 
fully  investigate  the  prospects  of  the  fur-trade  for 
French  enterprise.  Consequently  he  obtained  about 
a  thousand  sea-otter  skins,  mostly  in  pieces,  which 
were  sold  for  ten  thousand  dollars  in  China,  and 
the  proceeds  divided  among  the  crews  of  the  two 
vessels."  "I  believe,"  writes  the  navigator,  "that 
there  is  no  country  in  the  world  where  the  sea-otter 
is  more  common  than  in  this  part  of  America;  and  I 
should  be  little  surprised  that  a  factory  extending 
its  operations  only  forty  or  fifty  leagues  along  tlie 
sea- shore  might  collect  each  year  ten  thousand 
skins  of  this  animal.""  Yet  he  did  not  favor  any 
project  of  a  French  fur-trading  establishment  on  the 
Northwest  Coast,  or  even  the  granting  an  exclu- 
sive right  to  engag>^  in  this  trade  to  a  French  com- 
pany. Such  were  his  views  as  expressed  in  a  memoir 
written  in  December  1786,  on  the  way  from  California 
to  China.  He  had  no  doubt  that  sea -otter  skins 
might  be  obtained  in  unlimited  quantities;  indeed  so 
plentiful  was  the  supply  that  the  Chinese  market  in 
his  opinion  could  not  possibly  maintain  prices  on  a 
profitable  basis.  Moreover,  he  feared  that  an  estal> 
lishment  on  the  coast  might  cause  trouble  with  the 
courts  of  Madrid  or  St  Petersburg.  He  gave,  how- 
ever, an  approval  of  private  experimental  expeditions 
undertaken  by  French  traders.  ^^ 

"ia  Pdrouae,  Voyage,  i.  29-30;  iv.  165-7;  Fleurieti,  ia  Marchand,  Voyage, 
cxii.-cxvii. 

^'^La  Pironse,  Voyage,  ii.  176. 

''■^LaPirovse,  Mdmoire  sur  lecommerce  des  peaitx  de  loutre  de  mer,  in/d. ,  Voy. , 
163-1 72.  '  QuelqiiY'teuclu  que  soit  I'empire  de  la  Chine,  il  me  parait  impossible 
que  les  peaux  de  loutre  s'y  mantiennent  &  tr6s-haut  prix,  loraque  les  ditferentes 
nations  de  I'Europe y  en  apjiorteront  en  concurrence.'  ' J'ai  beaucoup  rt5Hei:hi 
Bur  le  projet  d'une  factorerie  au  Port  des  Fran(;'ais  ou  dans  les  en%'irons ;  ct 
j'y  trouve  de  tr6s-grands  inconvt^niens,  h  cause  de  I'immense  6loignemuiit 
ou  cc  comptoir  se  trouverait  de  I'Europe,  et  de  I'incertitude  des  r^sultats  do  co 
commerce  h  la  Cliine,  lorsquc  les  Espagnols,  les  Russes,  les  Anglais  et  les 
Fran^ais  y  apporteront  en  concurrence  ces  peaux,  qu'il  est  si  facile  de  se  pro- 
curer sur  toute  la  cOte.  On  ne  pent  d'ailleurs  douter  que  notre  compagnie  dfs 
Indes  ne  rdclamftt  contre  le  privilege  qu'il  faudrait  accorder  aux  armateurs 

f)our  qu'ils  pussent  faire  leur  vente  k  la  Chine. .  .Ces  privileges  exclusifs  tueiit 
e  commerce,  comme  les  grands  ai'bres  <5touffent  les  arbustes  qui  les  environ- 
nent.'  'Ainsi,  en  resumant  les  diff(5rens  articles  de  ce  m(5moire,  mon  oi^iniou 
est  qu'on  ne  doit  point  encore  songer  &  I'dtablissement  d'une  factorerie.  qu'il 


LA  PliJlOUSE  AND  MARCHAND. 


8S7 


111 
on  a 
;alj- 
tho 
liow- 
tions 


Vo;/., 
Dssible 
rentes) 
tSfltichi 
lis;  ct 
emciit 
(le  CO 
et  lea 
le  pio- 
ie  lies 
ateurs 
tuent 
(Virou- 
inioii 
quil 


The  papers  of  La  Porouse's  expedition  not  having 
been  published,  "  French  commerce,"  writes  M.  Fleu- 
rieu,  "  had  not  been  able  to  engage  in  any  enterprise 
of  rivalry  with  that  of  other  nations  in  the  fur-trade. 
It  would  have  been  rash  indeed  to  engage  without 
preliminary  examination  in  speculations  which  would 
require  in  order  to  be  realized  that  vessels  should 
make  voyages  round  the  world.  Before  embarking  in 
this  new  career  it  was  essential  that  our  merchants 
should  have  been  able  to  procure  data  nearly  accurate, 
which  on  the  one  hand  might  put  them  in  a  condi- 
tion to  form  a  plan  on  the  conduct  to  be  observed 
with  the  Americans  of  the  north-west  coast,  and  on 
the  selection  of  merchandise  necessary  for  barter  with 
them,  and  which  on  the  other  hand  might  give  them 
a  glimpse  of  the  profits  to  be  expected  from  the  second 
exchange  of  American  furs  for  Chinese  productions." 
But  Captain  Marchand  met  Portlock  in  1788,  and 
obtained  from  him  such  information  as  to  induce  a 
French  house  to  make  the  venture  in  1790-1." 

Marchand  obtained  a  fair  quantity  of  furs,  but  on 
carrying  them  to  China  in  1791  he  found  that  an  order 
had  been  issued  prohibiting  any  further  introduc- 
tion of  peltries  into  the  ports;  therefore  they  were 
carried  home  and  deposited  at  Lyons,  where  they  were 
destroyed  by  worms  during  the  siege  of  that  city, 
involving  the  owners  in  a  serious  loss.  Marchand 
confirmed  the  ideas  of  La  Perouse  as  to  the  abun- 
dance of  sea-otter  skins ;  but  he  also  feared  that  the 

n'est  pas  mfime  temps  d'lJtablir  line  compagnie  exclusive  pour  faire  ce  com- 
merce .'i  ravcnture ;  qu'on  doit  encore  bien  moiiis  le  confier  k  la  compagnie  des 
ludes,  qui  ne  le  ferait  pas,  on  le  ferait  mal,  et  en  d(?goflterait  le  gouveriienient ; 
luais  fju'il  conviendrait  d'engager  ime  de  nos  places  de  commerce  ^  essayer 
trois  expeditions,  en  lui  accordant  la  certitude  d'un  fret  en  Chine.'  M.  Mon- 
neron,  chief  engineer  of  the  expedition,  regards  a  French  fur-trading  post  as 
inexpedient,  and  is  ready  to  argue  the  case  if  the  government  so  desires.  He 
says  also  that  La  Perouse  wrote  a  paper  against  such  an  establishment.  'II 
n'est  pas  difficile  de  pr6snmer  que  I'dprct^  de  ce  climat,  le  peu  do  resources  de 
ce  pays,  son  eloigiiement  prodigieux  de  la  metropole,  la  concurrence  des  llusses 
et  des  Espaguols,  qui  sont  places  convenablement  pour  faire  commerce,  doivent 
Oloigiier  toute  autre  puissance  europt-enne  que  celles  que  je  viens  de  nommer, 
de  former  aucun  6tablissement  entre  Monterey  et  I'entr^e  du  Prince- Williams.' 
JiL,  iv.  120-1. 

^*Fleurieu,  clxxxiv.-v. 


IP 


889 


THE  MARITIME  FUR-TRADE. 


i 


trade  would  not  be  permanently  profitable,  thouirli 
lie  had  no  doubt  the  Chinese  prohibition  would  l)o 
evaded,  unless  it  could  be  regulated  and  systematized.'* 
There  was  another  French  trader  on  the  coast  in  17D2, 
but  nothing  definite  is  known  of  results. 

It  was  in  1788  that  the  Americans  began  their  fur- 
trading  operations  on  the  coast  by  the  expedition  of 
Kendrick  and  Gray,  fully  recorded  elsewhere  in  this 
volume.  In  the  Coolidgc  building,  opposite  the  Revere 
House,  Boston,  writes  Bulfinch,  "was  assembled,  in 
the  year  1787,  a  group,  consisting  of  the  master  of 
the  mansion,  Dr  Bulfinch.  his  only  son  Charles,  and 
Joseph  Barrell,  their  neighbor,  an  eminent  merchant 
of  Boston.  The  conversation  turned  upon  the  topic  of 
the  day, —  the  voyages  and  discoveries  of  Capt.  Cook, 
the  account  of  which  had  lately  been  published.  The 
brilliant  achievements  of  Capt.  Cook,  his  admirable 
qualities,  and  his  sad  fate. .  .these  formed  the  current 
of  the  conversation ;  till  at  last  it  changed,  and  turned 
more  upon  the  commercial  aspects  of  the  subject.  Mr 
Barrell  was  particularly  struck  with  what  Cook  relates 
of  the  abundance  of  valuable  furs  offered  by  the  na- 
tives in  exchange  for  beads,  knives,  and  other  trifiing 
commodities  valued  by  them .  .  ,  Mr  Barrell  remarked : 
'  There  is  a  rich  harvest  to  be  reaped  there  by  those 


who  shall  first 


The  idea  thus  sucrsrested  was 


go  m.      ^_  .^_ .  .„^^. 

followed  out  in  future  conversations  at  the  doctor's 
fireside,  admitting  other  congenial  spirits  to  the  dis- 
cussion, and  resulted  in  the  equipping  of  an  expedi- 
tion," by  Messrs  Barrell,  Brown,  Bulfinch,  Darbv, 
Hatch,  and  Pintard.^*'    It  is  not  unlikely  either  that 

^^Marchand,  Voyage,  ii,  308-72,  391-4,  521-2.  He  learned  also  that  the 
year  before  the  average  price  had  been  forced  by  competition  down  to  tif- 
teen  dollars.  Nothing  of  the  prohibition  appears  in  the  statements  of  otlicr 
traders  of  the  year.  'Alais  le  commerce  dca  FouiTiires  a  des  limites  fixd'ea  j):ir 
la  Nature  et  par  la  Raison : . .  II  est  aisi!  de  concevoir  que  la  nouvelle  intro- 
duction de  I'elleteries  par  la  voie  de  mer  et  lea  Ports  du  Midi  de  la  Chine,  cii 
appelant  les  Anglais,  les  Ami'^ricains,  les  Fran(,'ais,  les  Espagnols  et  les  I'or- 
tugais  an  partage  de  ce  commerce,  en  les  faisant  entrer  en  coneuiTence  et  on 
rivalitt?  uvec  les  llusses,  doit  faire  descendro  les  marchandises  qui  en  sont  Tob- 
jet,  il  des  iirix  qui  ne  pn'senteront  plus  uil  btinefice  suiiisant,'  etc. 

^''liulJiucWii  Oreijoii  and  El  Dorado,  1-3. 


SOLID  MEN  OF  BOSTON. 


S88 


Lodyard's  old-time  enthusiasm  had  loft  an  infliicnco 
still  more  or  less  potent  in  the  minds  of  Boston's 
solid  men. 

Though  figures  are  lacking,  this  first  venture  is  said 
not  to  have  been  profitable,  and  some  of  the  partners 
Avitlidrew  from  the  enterprise;  but  the  rest  persevered, 
and  others  entered  the  new  field  with  largo  but  vary- 
ing success.  Perkins,  Lamb,  Dorr,  Boardman,  Lyman, 
and  Sturgis  are  names  connected  with  firms  that  are 
said  to  have  made  fortunes  in  the  fur-trade.  Down  to 
1788-9  there  had  been  fourteen  English  vessels  en- 
Cfaged  in  the  trade;  but  from  1790  to  1818  there  were 
one  hundred  and  eight  American  vessels  and  onlv 
twenty-two  English,  nearly  all  before  1800,  with  three 
French,  and  two  Portuguese,  so  far  as  recorded,  though 
the  list  of  all  classes,  particularly  of  the  British  craft, 
is  doubtless  incomplete.  Indeed  very  little  is  known 
in  detail  of  Enjjlish  ventures  in  this  direction  after  the 
Nootka  controversy  of  1789-95;  but  it  appears  that 
the  trade  was  gradually  abandoned  by  reas<jn  of  divers 
obstacles,  notably  the  opposition  of  the  East  India 
Company. 

Said  Captain  Sturgis  in  his  lecture  on  the  subject : 
"The  trade  was  confined  almost  exclusively  to  Boston. 
It  was  attempted,  unsuccessfully,  from  Philadelphia 
and  New  York,  and  from  Providence  and  Bristol,  in 
Rhode  Island.  Even  the  intelligent  and  enterprising 
merchants  of  Salem  failed  of  success ...  So  many  of 
the  vessels  enfjaijed  in  this  trade  belonged  here,  the 
Indians  had  the  impression  that  Boston  was  our 
whole  country.  At  the  close  of  the  last  century, 
with  the  exception  of  the  Russian  establishments,  the 
whole  trade  was  in  our  hands,  and  so  remained  until 
tlio  close  of  the  war  with  Great  Britain,  in  1815.  In 
1801,  the  trade  was  most  extensively,  though  not 
most  profitably  prosecuted;  that  year,  there  were 
fifteen  vessels  on  the  coast,  and  in  1802  more  than 
fifteen  thousand  sea-otter  skins  were  collected,  and 
carried  to  Canton.    But  the  competition  was  so  great, 


!     I 
i-    i  i 


300 


THE  MARITIME  FUR-TRADE. 


that  fow  of  the  voyagoH  were  then  profitable,  and 
some  were  ruinous.  Sub.se(iuently,  the  war  with  Great 
Britain  interrupted  the  trade  for  a  time;  but  after  tlie 
peace  in  1815  it  was  resumed,  and  flourished  for  some 


years 


"17 


"In  the  year  1702,  there  were  twenty-one  vessels 
under  different  flags,"  writes  Mr  Irving,  "plying 
along  the  coast  and  trading  with  the  natives.  The 
greater  part  of  them  were  American,  and  owned  l)y 
Boston  merchants.  They  generally  remained  on  the 
coast,  and  al)outthe  adjacent  seas,  for  two  years,  carry- 
injjf  on  as  wanderinj;  and  adventurous  a  connnerce  on 
the  water  as  tlid  the  traders  and  trappers  on  land. 
Their  trade  extended  along  the  whole  coast  from 
California  to  the  high  northern  latitudes.  They  would 
run  in  near  shore,  anchor,  and  wait  for  the  natives  to 
come  off  in  their  canoes  with  peltries.  The  trade  ex- 
hausted at  one  jilace,  they  would  up  anchor  and  off  to 
another.  In  this  way  they  would  consume  the  sum- 
mer, and  when  autumn  came  on,  would  run  down  to 
the  Sandwich  Islands  and  winter  in  some  friendly  and 
plentiful  harbor.  In  the  following  year  they  would 
resume  their  summer  trade,  commencing  at  California 
and  proceeding  north:  and,  having  in  the  course  of 
the  two  seasons  collected  a  sufficient  cargo  of  peltries, 
would  make  the  best  of  their  way  to  China.  Here 
they  would  sell  their  furs,  take  in  teas,  nankeens,  and 
other  merchandise,  and  return  to  Boston,  after  an 
absence  of  two  or  three  years.  "^^ 


"Stiirgis'  Northicft 
American  coasts  uutl  ( 
iu  the  hands  of  the  citi  > 

^^Irviiu/s  Atitorla, 
anclado  en  aquel  ^mc. 
Potcncias  con  el  fin  de  c 
todos  t'stos  A  la  crecida 
tiencn  subre   nuestras  c 
valor  no  es  mas  que  tres 


Fur  Trade,  534-6.  'The  direct  trade  between  the 
•ina  remained,  from  179G  to  1814,  almost  entirely, . . . 
IS  of  the  United  states. '  (.Irceuhow^nOr.  and  (Jul.,  -CO. 
-3.  'Desdo  el  afio  de  1787,  hasta  el  presento  liun 
[Nootka]  veinte  y  ocho  cmlKircaciones  de  varias 
icrciar  con  los  Imlios  de  totla  lacosta. .  .atendiendo 
didad  que  les  promete  el  comercio  clandestino  que 
tas,  pues  por  un  pequefto  pedazo  de  cobre,  cuyo 
fales  en  Niieva-Kspafla,  logruu  comprar  una  j)iel  de 
nutria,  que  venuida  en  '  Jiton  asciende  su  precio  -A,  eieuto  y  veinte  pesos,  o  A 
ciento  y  ochenta,  segun  la  calidad  que  estiman  los  Chinos,  siendo  la  mejor  la 
mas  grande  y  uegra,  con  la  coudicion  que  tenga  el  hocico  bianco.'  Tobar, 
In/orme,  157-8. 


SPANIARDS  LOOK  INTO  IT. 


861 


An  EngliHli  navi«rat()r  of  1792  writes:  "  The  vessels 
employed  in  coniniorcial  pursuits  this  season  on  the 
north-west  coast  of  America,  have  I  belie  ve  found 
their  adventures  to  answer  their  expectations:  many 
were  contented  with  the  cargo  of  furs  they  hatl  col- 
lected in  the  course  of  the  summer;  whilst  otiiers 
who  had  prolonged  their  voyage,  either  passed  tho 
winter  at  the  Sandwich  islands,  or  on  the  coast,  where 
they  completed  small  vessels  which  they  brought  out 
in  frame.  An  English  and  an  American  shallop  were 
at  this  time  on  the  stocks  in  the  cove,  and  when  fin- 
ished were  to  be  employ'-J  m  the  inland  navigation,  in 
collecting  the  skins  of  the  sea-otter  and  other  furs; 
beside  th'-se,  a  French  ship  was  then  engaged  in  the 
same  ])ursuit,"  and  the  Spaniards  were  also  collect- 
ing information  on  commerce.*"  And  a  Spanish  voy- 
ager of  that  year  says,  Dixon's  profits  excited  the 
cupidity  of  traders,  and  thus,  "although  various  cir- 
cumstances have  caused  a  considerable  diminution  of 
the  profits  which  this  traffic  yielded  at  nrst,  twenty- 
two  vessels  engaged  in  it  have  been  counted  in  1792, 
eleven  English,  eight  American,  two  Portuguese,  and 
one  French;  and  the  American  Mr  Gray  has  col- 
lected by  himself  alone  3000  skins.  Hardly  is  there 
a  point  on  the  coast  from  37°  to  GO"  which  is  not 
visited  by  these  vessels  ;  so  that,  if  we  lack  a  detailed 
anil  accurate  map  from  the  reports,  explorations,  and 
surveys  of  these  navigators,  it  is  because  those  who 
discover  a  port  or  entrance  not  known  before,  where 
tliey  find  inhabitants  and  an  opportunity  to  procure 
skins  advantageously,  take  advantage  of  the  occasion 
and  conceal  the  news  of  the  discovery  \vlth  a  view  of 
doing  an  exclusive  trade  for  a  long  time.'"'''' 

"TancoKt't'r's  Voyage,  i.  408.  'Ainsi  V Europe,  YAnie,  ct  VAmrri'/iie  clu 
Koril-E4,  par  un  inouvement  simultoniie  ont  dirigcS  leurs  vaisseaiix  vei-s  les 
Cotea  tl\i  Nord-OwHt  du  Nouveau  Monde,  et  ont  multipliu  i  lY'iivi,  sjina 
principea  conimo  sans  nieaure,  de  spciculationa  hasard(5es.'  Marchand,  Voywje, 
li.  :«•!. 

'^'Sutil  y  Mexicaiia,  Vlaije,  112-13.  'Sabemos  tambien  que  la  nacion 
iuglesa,  ansiosa  de  extender  sii  comercio  per  todo  el  globo,  oyd  con  gusto  laa 
uotieias  del  Capitau  Cook  sobre  cl  traiico  de  pieles  cu  lau  costaa  al  N.  0.  de  la 


ii 


THE  MARITIME  FUR-TRADE. 


"There  are  better  ships  nowadays,  but  no  better  sea- 
men," says  one  of  the  old  Boston  commanders;-^  and 
another,  "The  vessels  usually  employed  were  from  one 
hundred  to  two  hundred  and  fifty  tons  burthen,  cacli. 
The  time  occujjied  for  a  voyage  by  vessels  that  remained 
upon  the  coast  only  a  single  season,  was  from  twenty- 
two  months  to  two  years,  but  they  generally  remained 
out  two  seasons,  and  were  absent  from  home  nearly 
three  years.""  "The  American  vessels,  employed  on 
the  N.  w.  coast,"'  says  a  writer  whose  patriotism  was 
excited  in  1822  by  rumors  of  Russian  interference,  "are 
well  armed,  and  amply  furnished  with  the  munitions  of 
war.  Separated  from  the  civilized  world,  and  cut  off, 
for  a  long  time,  from  all  communication  with  it,  they 
have  been  accustomed  to  rely  on  their  own  resources 
for  p.utection  and  defence;  and  to  consider,  and  treat 
as  enemies,  all  who  attempted  to  interrupt  them  in 
the  prosecution  of  their  lawful  pursuits.  To  induce 
them  to  relinquish  this  conunerce,  'persuasion'  will 
be  unavailing;  'threats'  will  be  disregarded,"  and 
force  will  be  met  by  force — unless  the  odds  appear 
too  great.  "^ 

English  writers  did  not  always  greatly  admire  the 
American    methods    of   carrying    on    the    fur-trado, 

AmC'rica,  quo  lo  emprcmli<i  inmediatamente,  que  cogi(')  sus  primicias,  y  que  lo 
contim'ia  con  actividail,  (juizii  con  otras  iniraa  tie  mayor  iiitert-a ;  pero  sii  laa 
ganancias  ilo  ac^uel  triitico  pucdun  liaberse  niiuorado,  taiubien  hay  razoncs  (|ue 
pci'snadcn  :i  que  csta  adquisicion  so  vaya  liaciendo  cada  dia  mas  dilicil  y 
costosa.  Frccueufam  aquelloa  mares  muclioa  buques  <lo  distintaa  naciones: 
todos  se  omplean  cu  el  comercio  de  picles.'  lieviUa-Giiicdo,  Iiifonin'  1 !  <lc 
Ahril,  1791,  pp.  147-"'l.  For  half  a  century  or  more  after  declaring  their 
independence  of  Ureat  Britain  the  people  of  the  United  .States  conducted,  l\v 
sea  and  land,  a  lucrative  connneree  with  the  north-west  coast.  During  this 
time  discoveries  were  made  and  possession  taken  of  many  places  whicli  slirewd 
nid'ciiants  did  not  regard  it  advantageous  to  their  business  then  to  make 
known.   I-'raiirluirc'if  Nar.,  17. 

'^^Jlonlnii  ill  the  Xortliircxt,  M.S.,  ,S1.  ,  'Such  is  the  spirit  of  enterprise  anil 
the  activity  of  these  mariners,  who  arc  inured  to  danger  and  fatigut',  that  an 
American  lias  been  known  to  leave  a  detaclnnent  of  his  crew  at  the  Falkland 
Islands,  to  d.ouble  Capo  Horn,  ascend  to  the  north,  leave  a  second  detach- 
ment on  the  rocks  before  St  Francisco,  in  California,  SoOO  leagues  from  tiie 
other,  then  repass  the  Cape  with  some  men,  collect  his  detachments  on  both 
coasts,  and  purihasi^  in  Clliina  with  the  produce  of  their  lishery,  a  cargo  for 
the  I'nitcd  Slates.'  lio'i'ifjciiirs  I'oyitiji',  17. 

'^-S/iir<i!s'  XorthwiH  Fur  Tnidc,  Mil. 

■'■^Xiirt/i  Aiiwrhaii  It'cvkw,  xv.  3'Ji{-4.  The  >vriter  scema  to  luive  been 
Captain  Sturgis. 


THE  AMERICAN  METHOD  CRITICISED. 


363 


L's  ([lie 

licil  y 

ioiics: 

11  lie 

their 

a,  l)y 

in;  this 

iirewil 

make 

/.c  anil 
hat  ail 
Iklauil 
i'tai.'h- 
lU  thu 
l)()th 
'()  fur 


bceiv 


though  it  nowhere  appears  that  those  methods  dif- 
fered materially  from  those  of  the  British  traders, 
except  in  their  greater  success  and  more  energetic 
application.  Says  Alexander  Mackenzie  in  1800:  The 
Pacific  trade  "is  at  present  left  to  American  adven- 
turers, who  without  regularity  or  capital,  or  the  de- 
sire of  conciliating  future  confidence,  look  altogether 
to  the  interest  of  the  moment.  They  therefore  col- 
lect all  the  skins  they  can  procure,  and  in  any  manner 
that  suits  them,  and  having  exchanged  them  at 
Canton  for  the  produce  of  China,  return  to  their 
own  country.  Such  adventurers,  and  many  of  them, 
as  I  have  been  informed,  have  been  very  successful, 
Avould  instantly  disappear  from  before  a  well-regu- 
lated trade" — such  as  Enijland  is  urged  to  establish 
by  opening  overland  communication  across  America.-* 
Another  writer  describes  the  operations  of  the  Yankees 
in  a  manner  by  no  means  so  uncomplimentary  to  the 
latter  as  it  was  intended  to  be,  as  follow,-^:  These 
"adventurers  set  out  on  the  voyage  with  a  few 
trinkets  of  little  value;  in  the  southern  Pacific  they 
[)ick  up  some  seal-skins,  and  perhaps  a  few  butts  of 
oil;  at  the  Gallipagos  they  lay  in  turtle,  of  which 
they  preserve  the  shells;  at  Val])araiso  they  raise  a 
few  dollars  in  exchange  for  European  articles;  at 
Nootka  tmd  other  parts  of  the  north-west  coast  they 
traffic  with  the  natives  for  furs  which,  when  winter 
connnences,  they  carry  to  the  Sandwich  Islands  to 
dry  and  preserve  from  vermin;  here  they  leave  their 
own  people  to  take  care  of  them,  and  in  the  spring 
enihark  in  lieu  the  natives  of  the  islands  to  assist  in 
navigating  to  the  north-west  coast  in  search  of  more 
skins.  The  remai]ider  of  the  cargo  is  tlien  madi^  up 
of  sandal,,  .tortoise-shell,  shark-lins,  and  jicarls  of  an 
inferior  kind,,  .and  with  these  and  tlieir  dt)llai's  tiiey 
l)uiv]iase  cargoes  of  tea,  silks,  and  nankeens,  and  thus 
roniplote  their  voyage  in  the  course  of  two  or  three 
years." -^ 

'*  JftirlviKU's  Vi'i/'TJC.   tW. 
'^■'(Juarterlj/  Jitvicic,  xvi.  84. 


364 


THE  MARITIME  FUR-TRADE. 


In  reply  to  the  unfavorable  imputations  referred  to, 
Mr  Greenhow  says:  "It  would,  however,  be  easy  to 
show,  from  custom-house  returns  and  other  authentic 
evidence,  that  the  greater  number  of  the  vessels  sent 
from  the  United  States  to  the  north-west  coasts  were 
fine  ships  or  brigs,  laden  with  valuable  cargoes  of  West 
India  productions,,  .and  that  the  owners  were  men  of 
large  capital  and  liigh  reputation  in  the  commercial 
world .  . .  The  American  traders  have  also  been  ac- 
cused, by  British  writers,  of  practising  every  species 
of  fraud  and  violence  in  their  dealings  with  the  na- 
tives of  the  coasts  of  that  sea;  yet  the  acts  cited  in 
support  of  these  general  accusations  are  only  such  as 
have  been,  and  ever  will  be,  connnitted  by  people  of 
civilized  nations, — and  by  none  more  frequently  than 
the  British, — when  unrestrained  by  laws,  in  tlieir 
intercourse  with  ignorant,  brutal,  and  treacherous  sav- 
ages, always  ready  to  rob  and  murder  upon  the  sliglit- 
est  prospect  of  gain,  or  in  revenge  for  the  slightest 
aftVont.  Seldom  did  an  American  ship  complete  a 
vovauje  throuifh  the  Pacific  without  the  loss  of  some 
of  her  men,  by  the  treachery  or  the  ferocity  of  the 
natives .  . ;  and  several  instances  have  occurred  of 
tlKi  seizure  of  such  vessels,  and  the  massacre  of  their 
whole  crews.""" 

Among  the  acts  of  hostility  connnitted  by  the  na- 
tives from  time  to  time  against  the  voyagers  of  differ- 
ent nations,  as  already  recorded,  may  be  mentioned 
the  following:  Seven  of  Heceta's  men  in  1775,  landing 
in  latitude  47°  20'  for  wood  and  water,  were  killed  by 
tlio  andiushed  Indians  for  no  other  apparent  motive 
than  to  obtain  the  nails  which  held  the  boat  together. 
In  1778  the  natives  farther  north  made  an  absuid 
attempt  to  plunder  one  of  Cook's  ships  and  steal  her 
boat.  Hanna  in  1785  inaugurated  the  fur-trade  Ijv  a 
tight  with  the  Nootka  people.  Barclay  had  a  boat's 
crew  of  five  men  murdered  in  1787.  Ca])tain  (Cray's 
men  were  attacked  in  1788  at  Murderers'  Harbor,  or 

''^Gieenhow'a  Or.  and  CaL,  207-8. 


DIVERS  DISASTERS. 


895 


Tillamook,  and  one  man  was  killed,  others  escaping 
with  serious  wounds  after  a  desperate  resistance.  In 
the  same  year  Meares'  boat  was  assaulted  by  the  sav- 
ages within  the  strait  of  Fuca,  and  several  men  were 
wounded.  Kendriok's  men  were  attacked  at  BarroU 
Sound  in  1791,  and  the  same  commander  had  several 
nii:!or  conflicts  with  the  natives,  of  which  not  much  is 
known;  and  Gray  lost  his  mate  and  two  men  in  the 
north. 

The  reader  is  familiar  with  the  plot  of  the  Indians 
to  seize  the  Clayoquot  in  1792.  The  Boston  was  seized, 
all  her  men  but  two  beingf  massacred  at  Nootka  in 
1803;  and  other  trading  craft  were  annoyed  by  hostile 
demonstrations  about  the  same  time.  Eight  men  of 
the  AtahiialjKi  were  killed  in  1805 ;  and  the  crew  of  the 
Tonquin  was  massacred  in  1811. 

Thus  it  appears  that  the  ordinary  perils  of  long 
ocean  voyages  were  not  the  only  ones  the  traders  had 
to  encounter.  Indeed  I  do  not  remember  that  on 
the  Northwest  Coast  proper,  or  on  the  voyage  to  and 
from  Boston,  England,  or  China,  there  is  any  definite 
record  of  a  shipwreck  among  trading  craft  in  early 
times, though  there  were  several  on  the  Alaskan  coast. 
There  is  hardly  one  of  the  voyages,  however,  whose 
log  would  not  afford  more  than  one  thrilling  descrip- 
tion of  situations  where  wreck  seemed  inevitable  and 
impending  death  was  faced  l>y  the  bold  mariners. 
Besides  what  w^as  suffered  from  the  hostilities  of 
north-western  Indians,  several  vessels  came  to  fjriuf 
at  the  hands  of  Hawaiian  Islanders,  or  dwellers  on 
other  inhospitable  coasts  and  islands  of  the  Pacific. 
And  the  scurvy  was  an  ever  present  scourge,  that  de- 
stroyed not  a  few  lives  in  sj>ite  of  all  precautions. 
IMoiity  of  molasses,  sugar,  and  tea,  as  well  as  warm 
clothing,  was  deemed  essential ;  and  a  variety  of 
vegetables  and  fruits  was  obtained  from  the  Islands 
as  a  preventive.  Spruce-beer  was  also  a  standard 
rtiiiedy  and  luxury  to  all  who  visited  the  coast,  yeast 
Ijcing  brought  for  the  purpose,  and  the  brewing  of 


1] 


' 


'  It  ^ 

1^1 


lilil  £      ^f  < 


366 


THE  MARITIME  FUR-TRADE. 


beer  being  as  regular  a  duty  at  each  anchorage  as  the 
obtaining  of  wood  and  water. 

Tliere  can  bo  no  doubt  that  in  some  cases  the 
hostile  acts  of  the  natives  were  provoked  by  M-rongs 
committed  by  unscrupulous  traders,  though  in  most  in- 
stances evidence  respecting  the  exact  causes  is  not  ob- 
tainable. Englishmen  accused  Americans  of  frequent 
outrages  on  the  Indians;  Gray  and  Kendrick  repre- 
sented that  Mcares  and  his  companions  took  i)rop- 
erty  by  force,  giving  in  return  what  they  chose ;  and 
in  turn  the  Americans  were  accused  by  the  Indians  of 
doing  the  same  thing,  in  one  instance  killing  seven 
of  their  number  in  order  to  get  possession  of  tlieir 
furs.^^  Respecting  the  causes  of  these  troubles,  Cap- 
tain Belcher  writes:  "When  offering  objects  fur  sale 
they  are  very  sulky  if  their  tender  is  not  res[)onded 
to .  . .  Upon  mature  consideration  of  what  I  Inixc 
seen  and  heard  respecting  this  subject,  I  think  many 
of  the  unprovoked  attacks  we  have  heard  of  hnvo 
originated  in  some  transaction  of  this  nature — refusal 
to  trade  bein<j:  deemed  almost  a  declaration  of  war. 
Facts,  however,  which  have  been  acknowledged,  prove 
that  wanton  malice  has  visited  upon  the  next  tribe 
the  sins  of  their  offending  iieisjhbours.""^  There  can 
be  no  doubt  that  the  Spaniards  treated  the  natives 
more  justly  and  humanely  than  did  either  English  or 
Americans;  but  it  is  also  true  that  they  had  less 
I)rovocation  for  injustice.  The  Indians  were  not  only 
tickle  and  thievish,  but  they  seem  to  have  been  as  a 
I'ule,  if  not  ferocious  and  blood-thirsty,  at  least  dis- 
])osed  to  attach  no  value  to  a  foreigner's  life,  and  to 
have  been  kept  in  check  solely  by  iear  of  detection. 


■'Stit'dy  Mcxicann,  Via(ie,  24.  On  this  subject  the  Spanish  editor  says: 
'TIii))icndo  liaxiuhi  el  valor  respectivo  del  eobre  por  la  coneurreiieia  ile  his 
eniliarcaciones  I'Juropeas,  el  capitan  mercante  quo  viene  A  traliuac  hin  e^ti! 
coiRieiniiento  calcuLv  sohrc  el  valor  <jUO  antes  tenia  para  proporeiunar  sii 
cari,anicnto :  llega  il  negociar,  halla  quo  los  Indies  lian  subido  el  precio  di'  l.i'* 
pieles,  y  que,  baxo  el  cand.iio  quo  quicren,  lo  van  d  resultar  crecidas  pi'rdidas; 
olviila  los  principios  de  eipiidad,  cree  iuavcriguablcs  bus  operacioucs,  y  f-o  valo 
de  la  fucrza  paiu  sus  veutajas.' 

^Jielcher'a  Voyage,  i.  101. 


INTERCOUESE  WITH  NATIVES. 


367 


The  traders  for  safety,  had  to  depend  on  constant 
watchfulness;  and  thoj  could  not  trust  to  apjH'ecia- 
tion  of  kind  treatment.  Of  foreiofners  as  of  aboriij:- 
ines  it  may  be  truly  said  that  one  l)arty  had  often  to 
suffer  for  wrongs  inflicted  by  another ;  and  on  both 
sides  there  were  instances  of  unprovoked  outi'age.^'' 

''  In  trafficking  with  us,"  writes  Captain  Cook, 
"some  of  them  would  betray  a  knavish  disposition, 
and  carry  oft"  our  goods  without  making  any  return. 
But,  in  general,  it  was  otherwise;  and  we  had  abun- 
tiant  reason  to  commend  the  fairness  of  their  conduct. 
However,  their  eagernoss  to  possess  iron  and  brass, 
and  indeed  any  kind  of  metal,  was  so  great,  that  fow 
of  them  could  I'csist  the  tem[)tation  to  steal  it,  when- 
ever an  opportunity  oftered."*^  And  !Meares:  "The 
natives  now  favoured  us  with  their  daily  visits,  and 
never  failed  to  exert  their  extraordinary  talents  in  the 
art  of  thievery.  They  would  employ  such  a  slight 
of  hand  in  <;etting  iron  materials  of  any  kind  as  is 
hardly  to  be  conceived.  It  has  often  been  observed 
when  the  head  of  a  nail  either  in  the  shii)  or  boats 
stood  a  little  without  the  wood,  that  they  would 
api)ly  their  teeth  in  order  to  pull  it  out.  Indeed, 
if  the  diiferent  losses  we  sustained,  and  the  manner  of 
them  were  to  be  related,  many  a  reader  wouhl  have 
reason  to  suspect  that  this  page  exalted  the  puiloin- 
ing  talents  of  these  peo[)le  at  the  expence  of  truth. "^^ 


'■"•  It  ia  noticeable  that  nowhere  in  tlie  records  of  the  fur- trade  tlocs  it  appear 
tliat  finy  troubles  arose  from  irregular  sexual  relations  lietwecu  tlie  vi-^itors  ami 
native  women.  Most  voyagers  represent  the  latter  as  apparently  enM-hloodeil 
iis  well  as  <lestitute  of  personal  attractions,  while  the  men  Mere  jealous  and 
vigilant.  The  French  sailors  found  the  wimien,  liowevtM',  at  several  points  on 
tlio  coast  more  coni})laisant  than  cleanly  when  they  could  elude  the  watchful- 
ness of  their  husbands;  and  oneAmei-ican  e;iptaiii  of  IS'2,")  tells  us  that  native 
Wduieu  were  regularly  admitted  to  the  ships  to  sleep  with  the  crew. 

''•'(  V)o/:'n  Voj/fiiji',  ii.  ',U  1.  '  lis  traversjiicnt  un  bois  tres-fouiTe,  dans  Icqncl 
il  nous  etait  impossible  de  penOtrer  lo  jour ;  et,  se  glissant  snr  le  ventre  cduune 
lies  couleuvrea,  sans  remuer  proscpio  nne  feuille,  ils  jiarvrnaicnt,  malgri'  nos 
seutincUes,  ti  derober  (juehpies-uns  do  nos  ellets:  enlin  ils  eiu'i'ut  laddresse 
d'eiitrer  de  nuit  dans  la  tente  oil  couelmient  MM..,  qui  etaicnt  do  garde  i"i 
I'libservatoire;  ils  eideverent  mi  fusil  garni  dargcnt,  ainsi  <pie  h's  luii)its  de 
CCS  deux  ofliciers,  (jui  les  nvaicnt  place-s  par  precaution  sous  leur  chevet.'  La 
Pd-oitxe,  Voyu'jp,  ii.  178-1). 

"Ll/mrcs'  Voyage,  xiii. 


if 


THE  MARITIME  FUR-TRADE. 

Haswell  pronounces  one  tribe  "  like  all  others  on  this 
coast  without  one  exception,  addicted  to  theft.  "^"  A 
peculiarity  of  their  charact.  r  was  that  when  detected 
in  a  theft,  even  from  a  visitor  who  had  treated  them 
most  generously,  they  were  not  in  the  slightest  de- 
gree abashed;  if  the  detection  preceded  the  comple- 
tion of  the  theft  they  gracefully  admitted  their  defeat, 
but  if  it  was  later  they  could  never  understand  that 
the  original  owner  had  any  claim  to  an  article  success- 
fully stolen.  And  the  traders  generally  found  it  to 
be  best  to  adopt  the  native  view  of  the  matter  and 
trust  to  precautions  only. 

"  Trade,"  says  Captain  Sturgis,  "was  always  carried 
on  alongside,  or  on  board  the  ship,  usually  anchored 
near  the  shore,  the  Indians  coming  off  in  their  canoes. 
It  was  seldom  safe  to  admit  many  of  the  natives  into 
the  sliip  at  the  same  time,  and  a  departure  iiv^m  this 
prudent  course  has,  in  numerous  instances,  been 
followed  by  the  most  disastrous  and  tragical  results." 
Dixon  tells  us  that  at  Cloak  Bay,  Queen  Charlotte 
Island,  "A  scene  now  commenced,  which  absolutely 
beggars  all  description .  .  .  There  were  ten  canoes  about 
the  shi[),  which  contained  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty  people;  many  of  these  brought  the  most- 
beautiful  beaver  cloaks;  others  excellent  skins,  and,  in 
short,  none  came  empty  handed,  and  the  rapidity  with 
which  they  sold  them,  was  a  circumstance  additionally 
pleasing;  they  faii-ly  quarrelled  with  each  other  about 
which  should  sell  his  cloak  first;  and  some  actually 
threw  tlieir  furs  on  board  if  nobody  was  at  hand  to 
receive  tliem.  Toes  were  almost  the  only  article  we 
bartered ...  In  less  than  half  an  hour  we  purchased 
near  three  hundred  beaver  skins."  Each  cloak  was 
made  of  three  sea-otter  skins.*'    Meares'  trade  is  de- 

■^'^If(t/i>rrll'ii  Voyar/e  of  the  Columbia,  MS.,  21. 

^^/>/ao«'.s  I'o'KKje,  '201,  2*22.  On  Queen  Charlotte  Island,  he  saya,  'The  chief 
usually  truilea  for  the  whole  tribe;  but  I  have  sonietinica  observed  that  when 
his  method  of  barter  haa  been  disapproved  of,  each  separate  family  lias  claimed 
a  right  to  dispose  of  their  own  furs,  and  tlie  chief  always  complied  with  this 
request.'  And  Haswell,  Voi/.,  MS.,  02,  says  that  at  Barrell  Sound  the  chief 
bartered  for  all  hia  subjects. 


ROUTINES  OF  TRAFFIC. 


ic  chief 
It  when 
llaiiuod 
[th  this 
le  chief 


scribed  as  a  ccrciiionial  cxcliangc  of  presents  diiofly. 
"Oil  our  arrival  at  the  habitation  of  the  cliiefs,  where 
a  great  number  of  spectators  attended  to  see  the  cere- 
mony, the  sea-otter  skins  were  produced  with  fj^reat 
shoutings  and  gestures  of  exultation,  and  then  lanl  at 
our  feet.  The  silence  of  expectation  tlien  succeeded 
among  them,  and  their  most  eager  attention  was  cm- 
])loyed  on  the  returns  we  should  make."  One  tribe 
would  not  sell  a  skin  until  the  women  permitted  it."'* 
At  one  [)lace  on  the  Oregon  coast,  says  Haswell, "  They 
would  liand  their  skins  on  board  without  scruple  and 
take  with  satisfaction  whatever  was  given  in  I'eturn. 
This  w'e  very  seldom  found  to  be  the  case  in  any  other 
jiart  of  the  coast."""*  "In  all  our  connnercial  trans- 
actions with  this  people,"  says  INIeares  at  Clayoquot, 
'•we  were  more  or  less  the  dupes  of  their  cunning; 
and  with  such  peculiar  artifice  did  they  sometimes 
conduct  themselves,  that  all  the  precaution  we  could 
employ  was  not  sufficient  to  prevent  our  being  over- 
reached by  them.  The  women,  in  particular,  would 
l)lay  us  a  thousand  tricks,  and  treat  the  discovery 
of  their  finesse  with  an  arch  kind  of  pleasantry  that 
bafHed  reproach."^** 

Iron,  copper,  and  coarse  woollen  goods  were,  one 
year  and  one  place  with  another,  standard  articles  of 
hai'ter,  while  beads  and  gewgaws  had  less  value  than 
with  savages  in  most  other  parts  of  the  world.  So 
far,  however,  as  any  one  place  at  any  one  time  was 
c(jncerned,  the  choice  of  a  cargo  to  suit  the  taste  of 
customers  was  a  mere  game  of  chance,  so  fickle  and 
whimsical  were  the  native  traders,  so  peculiar  and 
varying  their  ideas  of  value. ^^    Articles  given  by  the 


^MAr^rcv'  r0.vrt.7c,  120,  .•?24. 
^''  /f(i.^iirir,f  I'oi/iuje,  MS.,  "24. 


'"''J/'  ■or.'*'  \'ni/mj(\  148 ;  Marrhand,  To//.,  ii.  G.  'On  pent  dire  que,  sous  Ic  r.ip- 
liiirt  do  I'intt'ret  et  dii  tnitlic,  ils  out  dcjii  fait  do  grands  pas  dans  la  civiliza- 
tiiii,  ot  (|iie  les  Hebreux  inodemea  auroient  peut-etro  pen  do  chose.>  .1  lour 
iqipvcndro.' 

^'  '  The  iirst  adventurers  employed  iron,  beads,  glass,  and  Indian  gew- 
gaws as  the  medium  of  barter;  but  those  who  succeeded  them  udilod  llritish 
Wdiillcus  to  the  trade,  and  whole  vdlages  of  American  natives  woio  soon  clad 
ill  bluukets. .  .After  some  time  the  IndiaiiH  became  so  fond  of  wooleu  articles, 
Hist.  N.  W.  Coast,  Vol.  I.    2k 


I 

4  I 

iji  I 

1; 


370 


THE  I^IARITIME  FUR-TRADE. 


,1 


ml 


Winsliips  In  1800  averaged  fi'om  two  to  fifty  cents 
eacli  tor  sea-otter  skins.  Captain  Sturgis  "liad  seen 
prime  sea-otter  skins  obtained  for  articles  that  did  not 
cost  tiftv  cents  at  lionie,  and  had  seen  given  for  thi^ni 
articles  that  cost  here  twice  as  much  as  the  skins  would 
sell  for  inChina."  "  Such aswere  drestjod in  fui's," wi-ites 
another  trader, "instantly  stripped  themselves,  and  for 
Ji  m(jderate  quantity  of  large  s})ike  nails,  we  receixetl 
sixty  fine  skins."  It  has  already  been  recorded  how 
Haswell  got  two  hundred  skins  for  one  small  cliisel 
on  the  shores  of  Queen  Charlotte  Island.  An  old 
woman  on  the  same  coast  contemptuously  refused  all 
of  Dixon's  offers  of  axes  or  anything  else  for  a  curious 
li[»  ornament,  but  when  some  bright  buttons  ap- 
peared she  yielded  to  the  temptatit)n.  "Brass  pans, 
pewter  basons,  and  tin  kettles,"  were  the  articles  most 
esteemed  at  one  place,  while  at  another  near  by  only 
'toes'  were  i)rized.  Yet  Dixon  found  iron  the  staple 
connnodity,  "everything  else  depending,  in  a  great 
measui'e,  on  fancy  and  caprice."  Sayn  Captain  Cook: 
"Six  o{'  the  finest  skins  purchased  by  us  were  got  for 
a  dozen  lartje,  tureen,  iflass  beads."  Elsewhei-e  thev 
rejected  all  pieces  of  iron  that  did  not  exceed  eiglit 
inches  in  length.  Of  the  articles  carried  Ijy  ^Marchand, 
co[>per  and  tin  pots  and  kettles  were  preferred;  also 
weapons,  iron  things  generally  not  being  cared  for; 
but  onlv  for  articles  of  clothinij,  of  which  there  M'cro 
none  save  those  kej>t  in  stock  for  the  sailors,  they 
would  give  tlieir  finest  furs.'"'^ 

that  IK)  ti'iulo  could  lie  carrieil  on -without  thorn.  '  TIic  fickleness  tliat  they 
at  times  tliscovere<l  in  their  tratlic,  was  ocija«ionally  very  troublesome.  At 
one  time  copper  was  their  favorite  object;  at  another,  iron  w.as  the  only 
connnoility  in  estimation  among  them;  beads  would  also  have  tlieir  turn  of 
preference.  Hut  this  hesitation  in  their  choice  was  generally  determined  by 
a  medley  of  them  all.'  Mearc-i'  Voi/unv-i,  IxiK.  121. 

^*nn.-<l(,ii  hi  the  Xui-thircxt,  MS.,  17;  Stun/is  Xorfh west  Fur  7Wiil<',  r-:M: 
Mcarcx'  roi/iiijrx.  xv.  Haswell,  To//.,  MS.,  '24,  (il-'i,  who  says  clothing  was 
more  in  demand  than  iron  at  IJaiTcU  Sound,  adds :  '  We  pui'cliavsed  a  nuni- 
ber  f)f  otter  skins  for  knives,  axes,  adzes,  etc.;  but  had  we  iiad  copiier,  a 
piece  two  or  three  inches  square  woulil  have  been  far  more  valuable  to  tlicni ;' 
Dixon,  Vonu'ir,  &2,  (>8,  H)-2,  '20.3,  208,  22S-9,  24.'),  suys:  'Saws  were  not  cared 
for.  At  our  first  trading  the  natives  took  toes  and  blue  beads,  but  the  toes 
iire  held  in  the  greatest  estimation,  a  middling  sized  t<je  fetching  the  best 
otter-skiu  they  had  got... The  uumber  of  sea-otter  skins  purchased  by  us 


FICKLKNESS  OF  THE  NATIVES. 


871 


i  cents 
(I  seen 
Aid  not 
[•  tlieui 
i  would 
'writes 
and  lor 
jeeived 
■d  liow 

chisel 
kn  old 
ised  all 
curious 
us  ap- 
is })ans, 
ss  most 
by  only 
i  sta})le 
a  great 
1  t'ook: 

o'ot  lor 
tliey 
eii;'lit 

eliand, 
also 

xl  for; 

fe  were 

s,  they 


that  tiny 

lOIlR'.       At 

the  (inly 

turn  "f 

iiiiuc'd  liy 

rfiih\  r;,'?7: 
ithing  \v:is 
cd  ii  umii- 

to  tlii-'in  ••' 

not  caix'd 

it  the  toes 

l;  the  ht'st 

sod  by  us 


The  Indians  were  often  so  ext ravau^ant  in  their  de- 
mands, par^^'cularly  when  they  had  been  visited  l»y 
many  vesstds,  that  no  traffic  was  possible— that  is, 
without  payinj^  nearly  half  the  value  of  the  i'ui-s, 
which  was  not  to  be  thought  of.  Thus  at  one  point 
where  furs  were  [)lentiful,  nothing  but  muskets  would 
be  taken;  while  at  another  ])lace  the  Indians  would 
exchange  their  peltries  for  great-coats  only,  demand- 
ing, moreover,  two  great-coats  for  each  sea-otter  skin. 
The  8])aniards  found  that  shells  from  Monterey  would 
jiurchase  not  only  fui'S,  but  the  choieest  articles  for 
which  their  furs  had  been  bartered.    Captain  Sturgis, 

nt  Queen  Charlotte's  Islands,  was  no  less  tlian  1821,  many  of  tluiu  very 
line:  other  furs  are  found  in  less  varietj'  hero  than  in  many  other  jrirts  of 
the  eoast,  tlie  few  raeeoons,  a  few  pine  marten,  and  some  seals  being  tho 
only  kinds  we  saw.  Toes,  at  lirst,  Wei'e  (|uit(;  a  leading  article  in  liarter; 
liut  so  great  a  number  of  traders  ref|uired  a  variety  of  trade,  an<l  wi;  wore 
fro'iueiitly  obliged  to  produee  eveiy  article  in  our  i)ossession,  before  we  eould 
ji'i'Mse  our  numerous  fiiends.  Thus  in  one  fortunate  montii  lias  our  success 
iieen  much  greater  than  that  prolialjly  of  l)oth  vessels  dur'ng  the  I'ost  of 
the  voyage — so  uncertain  is  the  fur  trade  on  this  inliosj)itable  coast.'  'Lea 
\ctements,'says  Marehand,  I  o//.,ii..''»,  'etoicnt  lesseidsetl'otsjMiurli^siiuelsil  fut 
possibles  d'obtenir  les  belles  peau.x  dc  J^outre  do  la  premiere  ipialite.  Ja's  petita 
couteaux,  les  gi-ains  de  verre  eoloi-c,  les  bagues,  les  boutcjiis  de  metal,  ct  inwi 
Ics  coliticiiets  d'Knrope  etoient  k  peine  agrees  en  pur  don.  (Ui  en  pot-dc-vin.' 
<'(j(ih\-<Vo)j<i<j(',W.\io^;  iii.  43S.  Says  I'ortlock,  J  o/A(.'/c,  •J,S4:  '  I  ef)uld  not  pur- 
chase a  good  skin  for  less  than  a  light-hinseman's  cap,  two  yards  of  inferior 
broadcloth,  ii  pair  of  buckh.'S,  two  handfids  of  small  iieads,  and  two  iisli-liooks. 
Tile  articles  we  bartered  with  were  tlie  liglit-liorseincn's  caps,  striped  woollen 
blankets,  towes  IS  or  20  inches  long,  buckles,  buttons,  and  beads.  J  lowever  I 
could  not  procurt!  even  a  piece  of  skin  Avith  any  of  the  latter  articles ;  they  were 
only  given  by  way  of  concluding  a  liargaiii,  as  were  tin  kettles,  brass  pans,  and 
]i(\vter  basons;  but  hatchets,  adzes,  troMi'ls.  they  would  scarcely  take  forany- 
tiiing  M'hatever. '  'Do  tons  les  articles  dt;  coinmeire  ils  ne  desiraient  ardeni- 
nuiit  (jiie  le  fer;  ils  ac:eepterent  aussi  ([uelipies  ras.sades;  mais  elles  seivaient 
lihitot  a  eonclure  un  marche,  (ju'  a  former  la  liaso  de  rcchange.  Xon  paivimnes 
dans  la  suite  a  leur  faire  recevoir  dcs  assiettcs  ct  des  pots  d'etain;  mais  ee3 
articles  n'eurent  (ju'iin  sueces  ])assager,  et  Ic  fei'  pn'valut  sur  tout.'  I,ii  I'rroiixe 
Viiiiiiiji',  ii.  172.  'A  modcratily  goixl  sea-otter  skin  will  fetch  from  si.\  to  seven 
bl.nikets,  increasing  to  tliirteen  for  tlie  best;  no  bargain  being  conclusivo 
M  itliouf  sundry  nicknacks  similar  to  the  Chinese  riniishnir.  These  generally 
may  l)e  estimated  at  one  blanket,  wliich  should  be  worth  twelve  shillings  liere. 
Ill  money  they  frequently  ask  forty  dollars;  on  the  coast  of  California  at  Sau 
I'ran'iseo  and  Monterey  as  mucli  as  eighty  to  a  hundrid.'  /AYc/kv'.s  Xanriflve, 
i.  un.  'Este  eomercio  ha  llegado  A  scr  niuy  lucroso  [to  the  natives]  en  estos 
I'lltinios  tiempos  por  haber  aumentado  el  precio  de  las  pieles  a  propoicioii  ile 
111  (jue  iia  crecido  su  eonsumo  y  el  c(jncurso  de  conipradores.  Decia  Maeuina 
qiu'  las  habia  vendido  al  Capital!  Meares  a  diez  por  plancha  (de  coble)  en  el 
ano  de  I7!SS;  y  en  el  dia  so  da  una  plancha  do  media  arroba  por  eada  piel  do 
IM'iiiiera  calidad.  En  nuestra  corto  trato  con  los  Xueliimases  no  conseguimos 
que  nos  diesen  tres  pieles  de  regular  tjimano  y  calidad  por  dos  planulias  de 
cobrede  una  arroba  ue  peso. '  Sul'd  y  Mexkuna,  Viwjv,  112. 


m 


THE  MARITIME  FUR-TRADE. 


fts  c'lsowhoro  rclutcd,  oner  obtained  a  largo  qnantit}'" 
of  crniiiios  at  about  tliii'ty  cunts  each  iVoui  J']ur()i)e, 
and  with  these  ho  liad  no  (Hfficulty  in  purchasing'  the 
best  skins  at  the  rate  of  five  ermines,  or  'clicks,'  for 
each.  "It  is  the  usaj^e  of  tlie  natives,"  says  Mar- 
chand,  "  to  terminate  no  bari^ain  witliout  demandiii;^ 
a  present,  which  the^'  call  sfoL  On  V(jit  que  deja  ils 
connnencent  li  s'  cfiropedniscr;"  and  on  the  same  sub- 
ject Sturii'is  also  remarks:  "Several  smaller  articles 
\\oro  given  as  presents  nominally, but  in  reality  foi-med 
part  of  tlie  price."  "To  avoid  trouble,  which  M'ould 
certainly  follow  if  he  yielded  in  a  single  instance,  he 
had  found  it  necessary  to  waste  hours  in  a  contest 
with  a  woman  about  articles  of  no  greater  value  tlian 
a  skein  of  thread."  "  ^lost  of  the  skins,"  writes 
( 'ook,  "which  we  purchased  v.'orc  made  up  into  gar- 
ments. Some  of  them  were  in  good  condition,  but 
others  Avcre  old  and  ragged  enough,  and  all  of  them 
very  lousy.""''  All,  including  the  chieftains,  were 
usually  ready  enough  to  stri[>  off  their  fur  cloaks  and 
i-educe  themselves  to  a  state  of  nudity.'**  In  later 
years,  when  the  Indians  had  learnetl  to  expect  the 
t'radc>rs'  regular  visits,  the  furs  were  loss  frequently 
damaged  by  cutting  and  b^^  being  worn  as  garnjents; 
but  in  respect  of  vermin  the  improvement  was  less 
marked.** 


It  is  not  possil)le  from  existing  sources  of  infoi'- 
r.iation  to  form  a  statistical  statenu^nt  of  the  fur-trado 
south  of  Alaska.  It  was  carried  on  by  individual 
adventurers  or  private  companies;  and  only  fragmen- 
tary reports  of  prices,  prolits,  or  (piantities  of  fui's 
obtained  were  incidentally  made  public  in  connection 
with  special  voj-ages.  From  1785  to  1787,  not  in- 
cluding the  operations  of  ]\Ieares,  according  to  Dixon's 

'"'<W,'s  Voi/CKje,  ii.  401. 

*"An  exception  was  when  Wicananish  find  his  companions  on  his  first  in- 
terview with  Meares  could  not  lie  persuaded  to  part  with  their  beautiful 
cliiaks.   Jledrca'  Vol/.,  1'2."). 

^'  '(Jn  pent  dire  qu'cn  prenant  uue  cargaison  de  fouiTures  on  prcnd  uuo 
car^'aisou  do  poux.'  Murchaud,  Voy.,ii.b'l. 


THE  CHINA  MARKET. 


37:1 


statement  5800  sen-otter  skins  weiv  sold  In  Cliii:a 
for  .^1(50,700,  an  aveni^^e  [)rieo  of  not  (juite  i^'M)  eueh.'" 
^[r  Swan  jj^ives  the  total  sliijtnieiits  of  sea-otter  skins 
iVoni  the  Northwest  Coast  in  ]7i)!)-IH02  as  11,000, 
DJOO,  14,000,  and  14,000,  or  a  total  of  48,500  in  fonr 
!More  than   on<-i',"  said   Stur-ds,  "he  liad 


43 


o-^. 


yi'ars. 

known  a  capital  of  .$40,000,  employed  in  a  north-west 
Aoyage,  yield  a  return  cxceethnj^  .$150,000.  In  one 
instance  an  outfit  not  exceedin;^  .$50,000  <;'ave  a  oross 
return  of  $284,000."  "lie  had  personally  collected 
(JOOO  in  a  simile  vovan'e,  and  he  once  purchased  5G0 
<if  prime  quality  in  half  a  day.*''"  "In  1801,"  says  a 
writer  in  1822,  "which  was  perhaps  the  most  tlourisli- 
iiig  period  of  the  trade,  there  wore  IG  ships,  on  the 
coast,  15  of  which  were  American  and  one  English. 
I'pwards  of  18,000  sea-otter  skins  were  collected  i'or 
the  China  market  in  that  year  ])y  the  American  vessels 
alone.**"  According  to  Coxe  the  j)rice  at  Kamchatka 
in  1772  was  from  $15  to  $40;  and  at  Kiakhta  from 
$30  to  $  140,  From  $30  to  $00  wei-e  the  figures  q uotet  I 
by  La  Perousc  in  the  year  178G,  he  believing  the  latter 
liricc  to  be  "cclui  qu'il  faut  demander  pour  obtenir 
nioins."  Marcliand  tells  us  that  the  average  price 
was  forced  down  in  1790  to  $15;  and  according  to 
Sturgis  the  skins  sold  for  $20  in  1802;  the  price  of 
prime  skins  advancing  to  $150  in  184G.  Mr  Ilittell 
states  that  the  number  of  sea-otter  skins  taken  on 
tlic  coast  annually  after  1880  is  5500,  worth  in  San 
Francisco  $440,000,  or  $80  each.  The  fur-seal  skins 
are  nuicli  more  numerous,  and  in  the  a^•<J:rell:ate  more 
valuable.*" 


Statistical  and  other  information  respecting  Hussian 
fur-hunting  operations,  both  in  Alaska  and  California, 

*'D}xon's  roijnfje,  Mo-2l ;  /'/.,  liemarks,  12-13. 

"■Sirnii\'<  Xor/>-:,fst.  CooM,  4'24. 

^'.V »/•(//.<'  A'orthirrst  Fur  Tnnle,  .')3G-7. 

*' Xnrth  Aiiurtcim  Ricii'ir,  xv.  37-. 

^^Voxi's  liiisn.  DUroi'.,  13-14;  La  Pfivowc,  Vo;/r.i;ic,  iv.  174:  Jfarchdinf, 
Voi/iiiii',  ii.  30!l;  S/ur:/ifi'  Xort/nresl  fur  Trade,  oM;  JJitlell's  Comiiurce  and 
Lidadrku  of  (he  Pavijic  Coad,  331. 


m 


THK  MARITIME  FUR-TRADE. 


is  ooinparativoly  (>()in[)lote,  hocauso  tlio  business  wns 
cai'i'icd  on  by  a  ('oiiijtany  with  a  systciiiatic  orj^aiiiza- 
tioii:  l)ut  this  iiiattcr  is  fully  treated  in  other  voluiius 
of  tills  work,  there  beiui^  nothinn"  that  ealls  for  sixjcial 
liotiee  in  Russian  oj)eratioiis  on  the  Northwest  Coiist 
jo'oper.  In  IH'2'2,  however,  there  were  some  feehlc 
pi'eHKtnitionsof  an  intention  to  extend  Russian  conti'ol 
over  that  coast  down  at  least  to  the  Columbia  River, 
the  northern  hunters  complaining  not  so  uuicli  of  the 
rivalry  of  the  Americans — who  moreover  were  in 
several  I'espt'cts  very  useful — as  of  their  lial)it  of  sell- 
iii'L;'  arms  and  aiunumition  to  the  Indians,  and  makiuL,^ 
them  in  uiany  casi'S  more  Ibrmidabh;  foes  to  the  forces 
of  the  Russian  xVmerican  Fur  Company.''" 

On  the  Californian  fur-ti-adi;,  for  the  meagre  items 
that  exist  on  that  subject  in  addition  to  what  was  (lon(.' 
bv  the  Russians,  1  may  also  refer  the  reader  to  other 
volumes.  The  native  lumters  emi)l(>yed  by  the  com- 
pany and  their  Yankee  j^artners  did  not  quite  anni- 
hilate the  sea-otter  in  Calitbrnian  waters,  where  that 
animal  was  very  abundant,  though  producing  a  fur 
^omewhat  inferior  to  that  obtained  in  the  north.  The 
Californian  Indians  succeeded  in  killing  a  few  otteis 
each  year,  whose  skins  were  collected  by  the  padres 
and  others,  t>ither  to  be  sold  clandestinely  to  Amer- 
ican contrahdiuh'stas  or  sent  to  China  via  San  ]ilas, 
by  the  yearly  transport  ships  and  Manila  galleons.^' 
Enough  were  left  on  the  coasts  to  em])loy  a  dozen  or 
more  trappers  from  New  Mexico  for  a  part  of  theli' 

*"A  writur  in  tlio  Xmih  Avier.  J'ericr,  x\ .  .3f4,  atliuits  that  arms  ainl 
iiiiiiiniiiitioii  wei'c  furiiislitvl  to  '  imlopi'iiiiiiiit  i'li()i-i;.;inal  iiihahitants,'  but  mi 
to  natives  buhjoct  to  liiissia.  The  Indians  <it'  Clayoiiuot  'veniaii  ]ii-()vistcis 
<h.'  fusih'S  y  pulvdi'a,  j)i>r(juo  Wifaiiaiiisji  ir.  aihiuiiido  lauchas  anuas  cii  I'H 
caiuliiiw  (Ic  sii  iieluteria  con  Ioh  Eiivoiioi:.'';  y  ii  estos  d  tlesto  do  la  gaiiami:i 
lu.s  ha  iieclio  caur  cu  la  iinprudcncia  do  dar  fonieuto  <l  lui  jioder  i'espetahli'  on 
lo.s  doininios  de  aiiucl  Tais.'  Sufi/  y  Mfj;.,  I'licjc,  \'J-'2{). 

"*Sca-i)ttci- skins  'to  tlie  nnniherof  several  thousand  collected  on  the  coast  i  if 
California  arc  sent  l)y  tiic  Sjianish  missionaries  to  Cliiiia  [each  year]  l>y  way 
of  Manilla.'  lf(l.^llrl^.•<  To//.,  MS.,  20.  'Tiio  Spanianls  within  these  two  ytaivi 
havv'  imported  tlie  sea-otter  to  (Jliina. :  they  collect  their  skins  near  their  .suttlc- 
nit  nt-!  of  Monteri^y  and  San  Francisco.  .  .The  I'adres  are  the  princiiial  con- 
ductors of  tills  traflic.  In  1787  tlicy  imported  about  '200  skins,  and  tlie 
l)cginnini;  of  this  year  near  loOO.  .  .They  are  sent. .  .to  Acapulco,  and  theuce 
liy  the  annual  galleon  to  Manilla. '  Dixou'n  I'uijdiji,  320. 


CALIFORNIA  TRAFFIC. 


375 


timc!  down  to  1840  aiul  later;  and  even  luitlvo  Cali- 
loiniaiis  I'Mi^iii^cd  iniklly  Jiiid  ofciisioiially  in  tlu-  hunt 
dnriiii^  the  sanio  perioil.  ]^a  Perousu  luid  t'oared  tlio 
I'tH'cl  on  the  C'liincsc'  market  of  the  10,000  sea-otter 
skins  tliat  nii<>ht  easily  be  obtained  eai-h  year  at 
^lonterey  and  San  Francisco  when  tlieir  value  became 
known;  but  beyond  discoursinj^  occasionally,  in  some 
orand  connnercial  scheme  never  carried  into  etl'cct,  oil 
the  inifrit  as  constituting  an  im[)ortant  element  in 
Calilornian  wealth,  the  S[)aniards,  and  alter  them  the 
Mexicans,  did  nothing  in  the  matter.  Spain,  as  wo 
'11,  attached  no  value  to  the  Xorthwest  Coast 


t'  set 


hav 

by  reason  oi'  its  peltries.  ^lartinez,  indeed,  on  his  re- 
turn from  the  iK^rth  in  1780  proposed  a  fur-trading 
association  under  government  aus})ices;  but  the  vice- 
roy withheld  his  ap})roval.  Ho  believed  the  })ro{its 
umler  the  pr(jspuctive  competition  could  not  be  long 
remunerative;  and  the  extent  of  his  recommendation 
was  that  Spanish  traders  be  eiicoui-aged  to  secure  a 
porti(Hi  of  those  profits  while  they  should  last. 

While  private  English  traders  practically  aban- 
doiu'd  this  field  of  maritime  fur-trade  early  in  the 
nineteenth  ci'iiturv,  yet  in  later  years  the  English 
conii)anies,  the  Northwest  and  Hudson's  Bay,  in  con- 
nection with  their  great  hunt  for  fur-bearing  animals 
in  the  interior,  ennaijfed  to  a  considerable  extent  in 
the  barter  for  sea  otter  skins,  as  it  was  abandoned 
by  the  regular  traders,  despatching  their  vessels  on 
lVe(|Uent  tri])s  from  the  Columbia  uj)  and  down  the 
coast.  S(^  the  Kussian  compaii}'  continued  its  efforts 
uninterruptedly  until  succeeded  by  the  American 
com])any  still  engaged  in  this  industry.  In  1840, 
says  Sturgis,  "the  wliolo  business  of  collecting  furs 
upon  our  western  continent,  without  tlie  acknowledged 
limib^  of  the  United  States,  is  now  monopolized  by 
two  great  corporations,  the  Russian  and  British  Fur 

C*  "4') 

ompames. 

*^i)titnji^'  Xorthwest  Fur  Trade,  538. 


Si 


37G 


THE  MAKITDIE  FUR-TRADM 


Tlio  Tlostdn  luorclinnts  not  oiilv  oarriod  on  (lie  fi 


11'- 
trndo  ninch  more  extensively  tlian  those  of  ollui 
nations,  but  tluy  continued  tlieir  o|)eT'ations  lon^;  al'trr 
otluTs  luid  abandoned  th(^  tield  -  lonu^er,  indcH>d,  than 
tlie  barter  for  skins  alone  would  have  been  profitable. 
From  time  to  time,  however,  they  combined  new- 
enterprises  with  the  old,  tlius  largely  increasiuin"  iiifii- 
pi-otits.  Not  oidv  did  tlu^'  buy  otter-skins  of  thi' 
northern  natives  but  of  (^alilbrnian  ])a(lres;  and  tlie 
goods  given  in  exchange  were  smuggled  with  a  most 
proiitablc!  disregard  I'or  S[)anish  and  Mexican  i-e\enue 
laws.  Xot  only  did  they  barter  for  furs,  but  pro- 
curii'g  native  hunters  from  Alaska  they  obtained  IVoui 


Calil 


orma  JaiYe 


nun)bers  of  skins,  half  of  which  had 


to  be  ixiven  to  the  Kussi; 


ui  company;  and  some  ol 

;u' 


them  made  fortuiu's  bv  huntinj*;  fur-seals  on  the   F 
allones  and  othei'  islands.      Then  they  did  a  j)rofItabl( 


I 


)usmess 


in    furnishiuLr    the    JIussiau    establislmuiit' 


with  Jieeded  articles  from  Boston,  (^hina,  tlie  Saiid- 
wi<*h  Islands,  and  (^difornia;  and  it  is  e\en  slabd 
that  after  ISlo  they  carried  to  the  Columbia  i'lvi-r 
all  the  stores  riMpiired  by  the  western  ]>riiish  eslab- 
lishments,  carrying  away  also  to  C^uiton  all  the  I'lus 
obtaiuiMl  by  the  English  com[)any.""*  However  this 
may  have  been,  with  the  expedients  named  and 
others,  including  the  sandal-wood  trade  at  the  Islands, 
the  Americans  were  able  to  continue  the  fur-trade 
nuich  longi'r  (ban  would  otherwise  hnvc  been  j)ossi- 


hie 


S: 


ivs 


Stui 


e'ls: 


Tl 


le  (li 


lliculti 


ies  and  uiu  ei-tamt  y 


m   nrocuriULT  lui's    l)ecame   so  serious. 


1 


that 


in    ISiil) 


tlu'  business  north  of  Califoi-nia  was  abandoned.  .  .At 
tlu^  present  time,  (l.S-!(5,)  the  whole  amount  collecti'd 
aimu;;!1y  within  the  same  limits  does  not  exceed  two 
hmidrel,  and  those  of  veiy  ordinary  <|uali(y.      'I'lie 


noi 


th-west    trade   as    far    a 


s    we    are   concerne< 


1    1 


las 


ceascMl  to  be  of  importance  in  a  comnu'rcial  view." 
And  (Jreenhow,  writing  at  the  same  date:  "The  i'ui'- 
trade  has  been,  hitherto,  very  [trolitable  to  those  eii- 

^^KStiinjiK'  Xorllinrtil  Far  Trade,  MO. 


lie  Ali-- 

.14' Jin  CI- 
I,  <i 


mil 


it; 


ll»lr 


new 


icir 


Ml 

>r  tiu" 

11(1  tlui 
1  most 

Al'lUIl' 

I  IVoiii 
h  had 

1110   of 

ital)K- 
llcilts 

iixU'd 
\l\vvv 
;stal)- 


ar- 


t's 


Ihis 
and 
iiids, 
li-adf 
lossi- 
liiitv 


TriE  (OXTrXI^XTAL  ruR 


TR.Mir:, 


■'U'«''I  in  it:  l)iit  it 


»ll'C||IlIIl< 


A  t 


vvvvy  mIio,v."'i 


'••^  now,  from  a 


variety  of 


377 


causes. 


a !  1 1 : 


'>P'<'  Hosc.Iy  alh\.,|   to  that  of 


!S  o 


f  tl 


t\ 


''•■^  <'lia)it('r,  tl 


] '.I nil's  of  dilK'iviit  nat 


';'.^ivuttnuisroMtii,entalni,-IumtI 


"i. 11)10  dotai! 


ions,  will  1 


)o  rt 


10 


>y  com- 


I'l  .'i  latof  part  of  tliis  v<.I 


(•0|'( 


Ictl  ill  ull  di 


■^JIK 


T 


v'lS'u'^n"  O;-.  „,a  CuL,  41-2- IH;  s, 


lime 


ii'iv  (ire  at  tl 


«n;r.igo(l  ill  tlii.s  tr;iil 


10  ()rc.s(.nt  time  ah: 


1111(1,    (1 


sca-iittfi-  li 


"-'sf  r^r  Tn„/r.  ;,;!,■!_,; 


sfls  aiv  (n 


*',  I'Kiiiiiiiu 


•lit  from  the  I'liittMl  St 


1  villi,'  I 


111(1  t\\ 


"  -!XM,.  I(>{)  tons  l,„r(l 


"  Mitli  tliat 


yarc  risiiallyalioiit  tl 


<    illtoilof  tile  111 


'■^si'ls  eii','ai'(i 


i'-*,  .siiidal 


"■''•'  years  ii 


K'li,  and  carr 


I"  tlio  .Saii(|\,ii.| 


'I'l'OIilC 

itcs   t(iiirt( 


y  troll 


I  islaiK 


Wood 


to  I 


'I  ill  (lie  tra(l( 


Di'liovo  this  trade 
uissiii.  ^^o,■t/l  A,Hir.  /, 


"as  lift 


1  0(>lll|l|(.ti|,,, 

'•>'y>l  tliitlu'itlin' 
Nli'irt  of  li.df 


1  'j:>  ( 


o  ;;,)  I 


't  ^■o\■aL,'(• 
1st  ■ 


Tl 


.•a'ari'f.  . 

'Oil  \-cs;;(.I 
><../l'll,.s, 
"I'll  cacli 


"ill  1„.  tlio,i-litto,.valiml.l 


season,  l,y  \ 
I  iiiilliidi  o|"  d, 


!<■  \alii(.  ,i(, 
liiericaii 


"•'<"',  -w.  ;t7J-;j, 


e  to  he  ijiiiclly  lel 


iiiiliiislied' 


At 


I'd 


el 


<\Vi> 


Tl 


lO 


Jias 

I'W. 

I'lir- 


011- 


III 


ill 


CHAPTER  XII. 

NEW   FRANCE   AND    THE   FUR-TRADE. 
1524-1703. 

Change  of  OwxKnsnir,  ix  17")!)-G",  of  North  Ameiitca — DiscovEnv— 
Fr^vnce   in    Sijcth   Ameura   amj    Flokiua — The    Fisiieumen   anu 

FfK-TKADKIlS    t(F    XeWEOINDLAM)    AXU    THE     St    LaWIIKNCE-     IIlSTdllV 
<iF   THE    FrU-TltAUE  —  FeETUIES   A    VlTAL    ElEMKNT    IN'    CdLoNl/.ATIiiN     - 

The  (Jahtier  Nephews  and  the  St  Malo  Merchants— La  Hik  hi;— 
The  Fuutv  Thieves — PoNTtiUAVE — CiiArvix — De  Chantes— Cmam- 
i'laix — De  Monts — The  Pout  Royal  Comi-axy — The  .Iesiits  rv 
New  Feaxce — Tauoesac  Uecomes  the  Cextue  of  the  Fr[;-TU\iii: 
New  I'Inueand  and  New  Youk  Fek-trade  —  Comte  de  Soisshns 
The  ("oMi'ANY  OK  St  Malo  axi>  Rocen — Chami-laix's  Misuile-  Tin; 
Fhanl'Iscaxs  CELEnUATE  Mass  in  New  Fkanoe — The  Caens  — Xi;\\ 
FuAXCE  rxDEU  RicHELiEE— The  Hr.NDUED  Assoclvtes — Siu  William 
Alexander  axd  the  JJkotiieus  Kirk — The  llriuixs  and  the  Itm- 
<,n(ii.'; — Troi'dles  in  Acadlv — Discovery  and  Occfi'ATinx  of  tin; 
^Iississipi'i  Valley    in'    De   Soto,   ^^AR(i^•ETTE,  .Toliet,   La  Sali.k, 

HeXXEPIX,    axd    lllEKVILLE  —  TlIK    GrEAT    FlR    MuXOl'OLIKS    OF    NkW 

France — French  and  Indian  War— Final  Conflict — Treaties— 
]5oi:ndaries. 

Thus  far  iii  tliis  history  wc  liavc  directed  our  atten- 
tion more  especially  to  affairs  i'<'lative  to  the  seahoaid 
of  the  i;'n'at  north- we.st,  merely  glaiiein<^  at  exploi'.i- 
tions  hy  land  in  various  (juarters.  Let  us  now  tuiii 
and  review,  still  very  briefly,  the  carl}'  affairs  nf 
FreiK'li  and  Kn_n'lisli  in  Canada,  their  gradual  moNt- 
ments  ^^'estward,  and  tinally  the  oeeupatioii  as  a  manu' 
]>reserve  of  the  immense  area  to  the  north  and  wi'>l 
by  the  subjects  of  Great  ISritain. 

All  ]CnL,dan(l  ranjjj  i-ejoicinii^s,  all  save  the  litfle  vil- 
lage where  dwelt  Wolfe's  widowed  mothei'.    Scotland 

(37S) 


^f: 


THE  GREAT  LANDHOLDER. 


379 


too  was  glad;  for  on  the  plains  of  Abraham  the  hay- 
oin'ts  of  her  wild  highlanders  had  unlocked  o[>por- 
tunity  for  multitudes  of  her  shrewd  sons.  Nor  were 
Aii,L,do -America!?  colonies  displeased;  for  M'ith  the  re- 
duction of  a  foreign  power  perched  since  birth  u^jou 
tlieir  border,  was  removed  a  standing  menace,  which 
had  made  them  hesitate  to  declare  independence  of 
their  too  severely  protecting  mother,  as  seventeen 
years  later  they  did  not  fail  to  do.  It  w^as  in  Sep- 
tember 1759  that  the  citadel  of  Quebec  surrendered; 
and  one  yoor  after  Canada,  with  all  her  possessions 
east  of  the  Mississippi,  i)assed  to  the  British  crown. 

Hitherto  France  had  been  the  great  landholder  upon 
this  continent.  Nearly  all  that  is  now  British  America 
was  hers;  nearly  all  that  is  now  the  United  States 
she  claimed  and  held.  Of  all  this  continental  triangh', 
from  Darien  to  Labrador  and  Alaska,  there  only  re- 
mained to  other  European  powers  the  comparatively 
insignificant  areas  of  Central  America  and  Mexico,  a 
few  little  patches  on  the  Atlantic  seaboard,  a  nai-row 
border  round  Hudson  Bay,  and  the  far-otf  Russian 
American  corner,  together  with  what  we  call  the 
Northwest  Coast — all  the  rest  belonged  to  France; 
tind  of  this,  by  the  i)eace  of  Paris  in  1703,  and  subse- 
f]uently  following  tiie  conquest  <if  Canada,  France 
hn^tened  to  divest  herself,  that  j)ortion  west  of  tlie 
^lis;5i;-,bi])j)i  going  secretly  to  Spain,  and  all  tlie  re- 
niuiiiler  being  swept  into  the  maw  of  Great  l^ritain. 

'f  liot  the  earliest  to  obtain  footing  in  America, 
Fr..v- ;.^  f.  was  not  far  beliind  his  rivals  of  S[iain  and 
l^nglnnd;  for  wiiile  Cortes  was  seating  himst'U'  (»n 
^btntt'zuma's  thi'one,  and  1  leiirv  X\  1 1.  was  hesitating 
whether  to  dispute  l*oj)e  Ali'xandei-'s  par-titi(»n,  (Jio- 
Aaniii  Verrazano,  a  Florentine  in  the  Fiench  service, 
ciossed  to  Carolina,  and  thence  (toasted  northward 
to  Newfoundlanil,  where  even  twenty  years  previous. 
<lie  lisliei'nien  of  Normandy  and  Brittany  had  plied 
■•eir  ( tatt. 


3S0 


XEW  FRANCE  AND  THE  FUn -TRADE. 


Ten  yoa^^^  later — tliat  is  to  say  in  lo-'M,  still  tlu-oe 
quarters  of  a  century  before  John  Smith  entered  Ches- 
a[>eal\C  Bay,  or  Caryer  landed  on  Plymouth  Koek — 
Jaequc:s  Cartier  sailed  from  France  under  the  au- 
spices of  Philippe  (le  Brion-Chabot  and  found  the  St 
Lawrence,  which  the  followiui^  year  he  ascended  to 
^lontreal.  Erected  into  a  viceroyalty  under  .lean 
l^^i-ancois  de  la  Roque,  Sieur  de  Iloberyal,  La  Xou- 
yelle  France^  was  again  yisited  by  Cartier,  with  cer- 
tain exclusive  rights,  in  1541;  in  the  year  fbllowing 
came  lloberval,  but  only  to  find  himself  the  wot'iil 
follower  r^'  nreceding  woes.  Then  i-ested  colonizalin:! 
in  this  re,  i  r  half  a  century;  })erturbeil  Frendi- 

men  filling  \        nterval  with  buccaneering  and  prot- 
estantizing. 

For  while  like  a  grim  shadow  the  sixtcenth-centiuv 
superstitions  of  Spain  hung  quiescent  oyer  the  grc^atcr 
jtart  of  Europe,  France  was  alive  with  heresy,  and 
iVom  the  burning  t)f  men  and  burying  alive  of  wcmiicii 
for  opinicm's  sake,  the  Huguenots,  with  a  sprinkling 
of  restless  orthodox  adventurers,  in  1555  under  A  ill.- 
gagnon,  and  again  in  15G2  under  Jean  Ilibault,  turned 
and  souijht  homes  in  the  New  World. 

Villeoa'Tnon  landed  his  cohiny  on  an  island  in  tin- 
harbor  of  Rio  de  Janeiro,  and  with  an  arrogance  cliai-- 
acteristic  of  tlie  adventurers  of  that  day  took  p(f^- 
session  of  all  South  America  for  the  king  of  France, 
calling  it  La  France  Antarctiquo.  After  quarrelUng 
fiercely  with  certain  of  his  Calvinistic  associates  abnut 
the  legality  of  mixing  water  with  the  wine  of  tlie 
eucharist,  and  making  tlie  sacramental  bread  of  eoni- 
nu!al  instead  of  wheaten  ilour,  he  returned  with  all 
jiis  followers  to  Europe,  thus  missing  an  oj)portuiiity 
which,  but  for  the  important  theological  issues  that 
must  be  immediately  settled,  might  indeed  have  given 
the  continent  to  France. 

'Cartier  mistook  the  oritive  wonl  hinuta,  which  sij^nifics  a  oolli'i'li  iii  I't" 
lints,  for  the  iiaiinj  of  the  oountry,  which  in  coii.sc(|Ui'ii(i!  l)cciiiiic  known  LiIlT 
ad  Cauudu,  thou^'h  fur  ii  century  or  t\\o  culled  New  France. 


OFF  XE^\TOUNDLA^^). 


381 


Florida  Avas  tlie  landin,Lj-})laec  of  Ilibault;  and  wlieii 
Calviu's  French  disciples  revelled  in  this  iruitiul 
\\  ilderncss,  there  was  not  a  European  besides  them 
iKirth  of  that  Cibola  whose  seven  cities  with  their 
unspeakable  wealth,  the  natives  assured  them,  were  but 
t  WLiity  daj's  distant,  and  that  by  water,  Xext  in  1  5()  t, 
]  Jene  de  Laudonniere  brought  to  this  shore  a  com[)an y 
of  French  Calvinists,  not  of  the  stern  stuff  t)f  which 
successful  colonists  are  made,  but  rather  pirates,  des- 
tined to  be  massacred,  nine  hundred  of  them  some 
say,  by  the  Lutlier-hating'  S[)aniards  under  IVdro  de 
I\b'iu'ndez,  liibault  himself  fallinu*  with  the  rest.  In 
ntaliation  I)oi  nnique  de  Gourgues  in  1508,  while 
Menendez  was  ui  Spain,  surprised  and  slaughtered 
tlie  S})aniards,  four  hundred  in  number;  after  which 
lie  abandoned  to  the  natives  for  demolition  the  fort 
wliicli  had  been  built.  Thus  died  Huguenot  effort  in 
I'loiida.  It  was  not  for  France  to  plant  protestantism 
in  America. 


The  next  we  hear  of  New  Fi'ance  is  in  1578,  when, 
off  Newfoundland,  besides  one  hundred  S[)anish,  fifty 
T^)rtuL^uese,  and  fiftv  Enulish  vessels,  there  aie  one 
liu.iidri'd  and  fifty  French  fishing  craft  and  sometwenty- 
iWc  Discayan  whalers.  Soon  these  fishermen  find  tlieir 
V,  ay  u[)  the  St  Lawrence  and  ply  a  more  lucrative  trade, 
exchanging  trinkets  for  beaver  and  bear  skins. 

And  here,  it  ma}'  be  said,  begins  the  histe>ry  of  the 
I'ni-trade  in  America,  whicli  ibr  two  and  a  half  cen- 
turies is  indeed  the  history  of  Canada.  Xot  that  tlie 
skins  of  wild  beasts  had  not  before  this  been  bought 
mid  sold,  but  now  for  the  first  time  do  we  see  the 
tiailic  in  peltries  assuming  under  royal  protection  a 
iiiiuiai-y  influence  on  colonization.  In  earlv  times  and 
indeed  in  some  localities  until  a  coni[)aratively  recent 
<!ate,  Canada  has  presented  this  anomaly,  that  while 
]  roperly  classed  among  agricultural  colonies,  the  cul- 
tivation of  the  soil  has  been  of  less  im[)ortaiice  than 
ti-liiiiL''  and  fur-tradinu'. 


Hi 


1 1 


382 


NEW  FRANCE  AND  THE  FUR-TRADE. 


The  history  of  tl  10  fur-tradu  is  the  liistory  of  explo- 
ration, witli  its  full  <|Uota  of  adventurers  and  heroes. 
To  the  couraj^uous  endurance  of  fur-hunters  is  ihie 
the  eai'lier  o})ening  to  the  civilized  world  of  distant 
and  iidiospitahle  regions,  and  the  extension  of  geo- 
gi'aj)hical  kncnvledge  and  settlement.  Thus  in  soiiu,' 
♦  legree  was  lifted  the  veil  that  hid  the  Ultima  Thulo 
from  the  Latin  world.  As  early  as  the  sixth  centuiy 
Homo  made  tributary  to  her  comfort  the  wild  beasts 
of  the  north  ;  and  this  trade  would  have  been  oonsid- 
oi'able  but  for  difficulties  of  conveyance  and  prolits  of 
middle-men,  which  made  the  article  too  expensive  for 
common  use.  By  the  eleventh  century,  however,  in- 
tercourse l)eing  freer,  j)i'ices  were  les.si  exorbitant,  and 
furs  became  fashionable  throughout  Europe,  j)arti('U- 
lailv  ani.>n«i:the  nobilitv,  who  reserved  for  themselves 
the  choicest  kinds.  At  one  time  skins  were  almost 
the  only  arti'.le  of  export  of  certain  northern  coun- 
ti'ies.  They  were  sometimes  em[)loycd  as  a  medium 
of  exchange  and  taxation.  In  this  connnodity  Jlussia 
received  tribute  from  Siberia,  whose  wealth  in  funtd 
animals  had  alone  made  her  an  object  worth  the  con- 
(juest.  England  obtained  sup})lies  from  Russia  and 
iioitliern  Asia  through  Hanseatic  and  Italian  traders, 
and  notwithsi^anding  the  exjiense  of  this  route  tlie 
custom  of  wearing  furs  must  have  become  prevalent, 
since  Edward  III.  in  1037  thought  fit  to  prohibit 
their  use  to  those  whose  income  was  less  than  oin! 
lumdred  iwunds  a  voar.  Duriuij:  the  sixteenth  ceii- 
tury  the  English  opened  direct  trade  with  Russia,  and 
a  British  company  was  allowed  to  establish  ports  on 
the  White  Sea,  and  a  depot  at  Moscow  for  its  com- 
merce with  Persia  and  the  Cas})ian  region;  but  this 
promising  trade  was  necessarily  abandoned  when  Eliz- 
abeth issued  a  decree  forbidding  the  use  of  foreign 
furs. 

The  opening  of  trade  with  northern  America 
proved  most  opportune  for  the  European  market.  It 
was  like  finding  a  vast  mine  of  gold;  indeed  in  the 


EXC'LU.'=«n'K  HIOIITS. 


3S3 


Xew  World  t'lirs  were  to  the  Ft-ohcIi  what  gold  was 
to  tlio  Spaniard,  and  the  ol>taining  (»t'  thcni  fre- 
quently in  exchange  tor  petty  artieles  of  little  cost  or 
value  was  often  easier  than  the  workin'jfof  the  richest 
gold  mine. 

Hero  ii])on  the  St  Lawrence  at  this  time  furs  were 
])lentiful  and  easily  secured ;  it  is  said  that  even  the 
hison  then  inhabited  these  parts.  Walrus-tusks  like- 
wise hecanie  an  article  of  traffic,  which,  vvitii  the  other 
attractions,  drew  annually  from  St  Malo  Heets  of  ves- 
sels. Wrani^liniif  with  each  other,  and  outra<'inn:  the 
natives,  the  French  fur-traders  s})i'ead  along  the  sea- 
hoard,  coasted  the  islands  of  the  gulf,  and  ascended 
the  str(nims,  plying  their  vocation  by  methods  which 
led  to  subsequent  disorder. 

l^pon  the  strength  of  their  uncle's  services,  two 
nephews  of  Cartier,  Noel  and  Chaton,  whose  success- 
1'ul  trafHc  had  excited  the  jealousy  of  their  competitors 
to  that  extent  that  they  seized  and  s[)itefully  burned 
sevi'ral  of  their  vessels,  in  l.")88  askud  and  obtaini'd 
fi'om  Henri  III.  letters  patent  giving  them  the  same 
ixclusive  rights  along  the  St  Lawrence  and  its  trib- 
utaries which  were  (;nce  accorded  C^artier  himself 
l)ut  s(^  great  was  the  storm  i-aised  by  tlie  merciiants 
of  St  ]\lalo,  by  reason  of  this  favoritism,  that  the 
grant  was  soon  revoked. 

The  ti'iumph  of  tlie  St  Malo  merchants,  however, 
Mils  of  short  duration,  for  in  ].")I)8  the  domination 
<tf  Acalia,  as  Nova  Scotia  with  indefinitt;  limits  was 
then  ('idled,  Canada,  and  the  region  contiguous  of 
almost  limitless  extent,"  was  given  to  tin.'  Marcpiis  do 
la  lloche,  a  Catholic  nobleman  of  Brittany.     Among 


''The  iiretcnsions  of  the  several  Eunipean  po\vei-.s  in  asserting  their  elaiiiis 
to  Amerieaii  tei-ritory,  often  <if  iinliiiown  ai:(l  ahnost  hmimlless  extent,  fie- 
((iiently  liorder  the  hidicrous.  Thus  Lesearbot,  the  geograjjher,  ilescrihiiig 
the  limits  (jf  La  Koohe's  goveniment  in  Kill,  writes:  'Ainsi  imtre  nim\<'lle 
I'raiiee  a  pour  liniites  iln  ooti'Ml'ouest  les  terres  jusiju'  ;i  hi  iner  dite  l'aeitii|ue, 
an  (leca  ihi  tropi(nie  ihi  ('an<'er;  an  niidi  les  iles  do  la  mei'  Atlanti((iie  dii 
elite  de  Cuba  et  Vilo  Espagnolo;  au  levant  la  nier  du  Xord  (jui  haigue  la 
nniivello  France;  et  au  weptentriou  cettc  terrc  (jui  est  dite  iiieonnue  vers  la 
uier  (Jlaceo  juscpi'au  Pole  arctique.'     .See  also  La  Jlontau'K  Voi/. 


384 


NEW  FRAXCE  AND  THE  FURTRADE. 


other  exclusive  i-iglits  oljtaincd  l)y  La  Rodie  in  the 
colonization  of  New  France  was  that  of  tradin*^  in 
furs,  and  the  noisy  Bretons  of  St  ^lalo  were  obliged 
a<^i\m  to  stand  aside.  Famine  and  pestilence  swept 
away  La  Roche's  best  efforts,  ])ut  private  adventurers 
crept  inland  and  continued  a  peddling  traffic  with  tlie 
natives. 

For  example,  among  the  colonists  of  La  Roche 
were  forty  convicts,  whom  on  reaching  Sable  Island 
he  landed,  while  he  went  fartlier  to  choose  a  site  i'oi- 
a  city.  ]^ut  the  ship  being  driven  away  by  a  storm, 
the  outcasts  were  left,  some  to  kill  eacli  other,  and 
the  remaind(,'r  to  wander  for  five  years,  when  twelve 
of  their  numl)er,  all  that  were  left,  were  rescued  an<l 
carried  back  to  France.  Arra3X'd  in  valuaUe  furs, 
tlieir  long  beards  hanging  upon  tlieir  breasts,  they 
uncovered  their  shaggy  heads  before  the  king,  who 
permitted  them  to  embark  in  trade  on  their  own  ac- 
count, the  skins  brought  back  affording  them  sulHcient 
capital.  The  men  of  St  i\Ialo  Avere  again  lords  in  the 
ascendant. 


With  the  opening  of  the  seventeenth  century 
French  colonization  in  America  becomes  permanent. 
To  speculation  and  self-aggrandizement  as  incentives 
is  now  added  religious  zeal.  lAither  and  Rome  are 
still  at  war  in  France,  and  Henri  IV.  is  in  a  dilennna. 
As  in  Fi'an<'e,  Protestants  may  enjoy  in  America 
freedom  of  o[)inion  and  worship,  but  Catholics  alone 
may  make  i)r()sel3'tes  among  the  natives. 

In  15!)!)  Pontgravc^,  a  merchant  of  St  INIalo,  and 
Captain  Chauvin,^  who  had  secured  the  royal  ])rivi- 

T.  X.  G.irncau,  L'lfintoirc  dn  Canada,  torn.  t.  lib.  viii.  cap.  1,  asserts 
tlint  Cliauviii'.s  wiis  the  lir.st  regular  patent  granted;  this  I  am  at  a  liss  to 
compi-eiicnil,  as  I  t'.iul  on  good  authority  tiio.se  wliich  I  have  already  nanicl. 
Tlierc  may  bu  di.stinetiona  between  regular  and  irregular  patents  whieli  I  do 
not  unilerstand,  and  which  I  cannot  determine,  not  having  bef(jro  nic  all  tlio 
patents  granted  at  that  time.  The  fact  is,  no  one  dareil  to  crop's  the  oi-e:ui 
in  those  days  and  colonize  and  trade  without  exclusive  advantages;  tliiri' 
was  no  necessity  or  object  in  doing  so;  and  I  can  but  think  M.  (Jarncau  ini-^ 
taken,  though  his  Ifhturi/  ofVaituda  is  exceedingly  valuable,  by  fur  the  best 
extuiit,  and  such  us  would  be  au  honor  to  any  country. 


DE  MONTS. 


385 


the 


li_U,e(l 


(I 


,  an 
privi- 

assL'i'ts 
l.is.s  t.. 

llUlllU'l. 

iich  I  a,. 

all  the 
liu  (v'fnii 
i;  tlu'iv 
|':iu  iiii-^- 


lotjcs  formerly  ooncedecl  to  La  Roche,  cross  the  sea, 
and  buildin^^  some  huts  at  Tadousac,  there  leave 
sixteen  men  to  gather  furs;  but  some  the  merciless 
winter  kills,  while  others  are  driven  to  take  refujje 
with  tlie  natives. 

Chauvin  dies,  and  his  mantle  ftdls  on  Aymar  de 
Chastes,  governor  of  Dieppe,  whom  Pontgravc5  now 
persuades  to  form  a  trading  society,  with  the  leading 
merchants  of  Rouen  and  several  men  of  rank  as  cliief 
partners.  The  command  of  an  expedition  is  given  to 
a  naval  officer,  Saniuel  de  Champlain,  who  in  1(J03, 
with  three  barks  of  twelve  or  fifteen  tons  each, 
sails  for  the  St  Lawrence,  wdiich  he  in  com})any 
with  Pontgrave  ascends  as  far  as  the  Sault  St  Louis, 
and  then  returns  to  France.  Meanwhile,  De  Chastes 
dying,  Pierre  du  Guat,  Sieur  de  Monts,  succeeds  to 
his  privileges  as  viceroy  of  Acadia.  De  jNtonts  is  a 
Calvinist,  though  he  by  no  means  objects  to  the 
presence  of  the  Catholic  clergy  in  his  expedition. 
His  sovereignty  lies  between  the  fortieth  and  fiftieth 
parallvls,  the  territory  beyond  these  limits  being  re- 
garded as  worthless.*  To  the  exclusive  control  of 
government  and  the  soil,  a  monopoly  of  the  fur-trade 
an<l  all  other  commerce  was  added. 

It  was  a  discordant  company  that  sailed  with  Do 
Monts  from  Havre  de  Grace  in  1(504  to  colonize 
Acadia.  There  were  gentlemen  and  vagabonds,  arti- 
sans and  idlers,  honest  men  and  villains;  gamblers 
fought  over  their  dice,  and  ministers  of  Christ  fell  to 
fistieufls  as  closing  arguments  in  theological  dis[)utes.* 

Arrived  in  Acadian  waters,  De  Monts  founil  ii\e 

*Tlio  Due  (le  Sully  held  in  liglit  esteem  even  these  lands.  In  his  nicnioirs 
ho  writes:  'This  colony  wliicli  was  lliis  j-eai'  sent  to  Canada  was  uinon'.r  tiic 
niiinlier  of  things  that  did  not  meet  my  approbation.  'I'hero  was  no  Uind  of 
riehcs  to  bo  cxiieited  from  tliose  parts  of  tlie  new  world  which  lie  beyond  the 
forlietli  de;_'rec  (jf  latitude.' 

'Cliamp.uin  was  greatly  amused  at  .some  of  the^o  demonstrations.  In  liis 
Viiiimji'fi  ill'  la  Kdiii'cllc,  I'rniice  (Jrchlnitale  he  says:  M'ai  vu  lu  ministrc  et 
Untie  euro  s'entrebattro  a  coups  de  poiug  sur  lo  dillVrcnd  de  la  religion,  ^t•  no 
«<■  lis  pas  (p'.i  ('toit  Ic  plus  vaillant,  ou  (jui  donnoit  lo  meilleur  coup,  mais  jo 
scai.s  tres  bien  que  le  ministre  se  plaignoit  qiielqucfois  an  sieur  do  Monts 
d'avoir  etc  battu,  et  vuidoit  en  cette  fa\'on  les  points  de  lu  controversie. ' 
HlHT.  N.  W.  COABT,  Vol.  I.    25 


386 


NEW  FRANCE  AND  THE  FUR-TRADE. 


vessels  quietly  collecting  furs,  which,  following  the 
terms  of  his  coraniission,  he  seized  and  appropriated 
to  his  own  use,  though  the  unfortunate  traders  prob- 
ably had  never  heard  of  such  a  man  as  De  Monts, 
certainly  not  of  the  exclusive  privileges  lately  ac- 
corded him.  At  Port  Royal,  now  Annapolis,  was 
erected  a  fort  consisting  of  wooden  buildings  enclosing 
a  quadrangular  court,  with  cannon-mounted  bastions 
and  palisades.  L'Ordre  de  Bon-Temps  was  created, 
and  a  winter  of  good  cheer  and  festivity  was  passed, 
which  augured  ill  for  a  colony  with  so  much  work 
before  it.  The  association  originated  by  Pontgravd 
was  continued  and  enlarged  by  De  Monts;  but  the 
merchants  of  St  Malo  and  Dieppe  never  ceased  in 
their  efforts  to  overthrow  the  monopoly,  and  finally 
succeeded.  This,  with  the  seizure  by  a  party  of 
Dutchmen  of  a  year's  accumulation  of  peltries  at  the 
depot  of  this  society,  completed  its  ruin  after  three 
years  of  busy  industry.  A  hundred  thousand  livres 
the  Port  Royal  Company  had  spent  in  this  adventure, 
in  return  for  which  six  thousand  were  given  them, 
which  were  collected  by  taxation  from  the  fur-traders 
who  supplanted  them.  i 

And  now  in  1611  appear  the  Jesuits  in  New 
France,  and  under  the  protection  of  Marquise  de 
Guercheville  force  Poutrincourt  to  admit  them  into 
the  abandoned  fort  of  De  Monts  at  Port  Royal, 
whence  they  go  out  in  their  cap  and  robe,  close- 
fitting  and  black,  gliding  through  the  ?orest  and  sit- 
ting round  distant  camp-fires,  restless  in  their  holy 
zeal,  until  from  the  St  Lawrence  to  California  the 
blessed  cross  is  carried.  Now  suddenly  hordes  of 
scalping  savages  become  saints,  no  less  eager  than 
their  teachers  to  kill  all  who  do  not  profess  Christ. 
Fostered  by  fanatics  at  home,  the  Society  of  Jesus 
establish  missions  in  New  France,  and  after  some  con- 
flict with  the  colonists  buy  out  the  temporal  power, 
and  become  proprietors  of  a  large  part  of  what  now 


rUR-TRADIXG  PARTXERSHIPS. 


387 


constitutes  the  United  States  and  British  America. 
Down  upon  Acadia  hke  a  bird  of  evil  purpose  next 
comes  Samuel  Argall,  with  his  EngHsh  crew,  and  in 
1013,  notwithstanding  France  and  England  were  then 
at  peace,  takes  possession  of  the  country,  destroys 
Port  Royal,  and  then  retires. 

Meanwhile  De  Monts  again  obtains  a  monopoly  of 
the  fur-trade  for  one  year,  and  in  1607  sends  two 
ships  to  the  St  Lawrence,  one  under  Pontgravd  to 
trade  for  furs,  and  the  other  under  Champlain  for 
purposes  of  colonization.  The  Basques  who  are  there 
peltry- hunting  are  put  down,  and  Tadousac,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Saguenay,  becomes  the  centre  of  the 
fur -trade.  Thence  the  Montaguais,  of  Algonquin 
attinity,  in  their  light  birchen  canoes  ascend  the 
streams  in  every  direction  for  furs,  and  roam  the 
stunted  forests  as  far  as  Hudson  Bay. 

Where  Quebec  stood  later  Champlain  builds  a  fort, 
and  then  sets  out  to  find  a  new  route  to  India,  finding 
Lake  Champlain  instead,  while  the  Iroquois  open 
their  long  and  terrible  role  of  revenge. 

Elsewhere  the  peltry  interest  assumes  importance. 
George  Waymouth  trades  with  the  natives  of  Maine 
ill  1G05;  and  in  1610  and  subsequently,  while  the 
Dutch  merchants  open  a  lucrative  traffic  on  the  banks 
of  the  Hudson,  John  Smith  forms  a  partnership  with 
four  wealthy  London  merchants  for  fur-trading  and 
colonizing  purposes  in  New  England. 

De  Monts,  failing  to  obtain  a  renewal  of  his  mo- 
nopoly, continues  operations  without  it,  and  the  St 
Lawrence  again  swarms  with  competitive  traders. 
Proceeding  to  Paris,  Champlain  makes  Comte  ur. 
Soissons  the  king's  lieutenant-general  in  New  France, 
and  Soissons  then  makes  Champlain  his  lieutenant  in 
return.  Monopoly  in  furs  is  again  in  order.  A  society 
for  colonization  and  traffic,  with  exclusive  privileges, 
but  yet  in  which  every  merchant  who  will  may  par- 
ticipate, is  formed,  and  the  merchants  of  La  Rochelle, 


388 


NEW  FRANCE  AND  THE  FURTRADE. 


St  Malo,  and  Rouen  are  invited  to  join.  The  mer- 
chants of  La  Rochelle  decline,  and  carry  on  a  contra- 
band trade  in  defiance  of  the  law,  while  the  otJicrs 
form  the  company  of  St  Malo  and  Rouen,  and  build 
a  factory  and  fort  at  Montreal.  In  IGll  Chanii)laiii 
proceeds  to  Montreal,  while  a  hungry  crew  hunt  in  his 
wake.  Montreal  becomes  the  rendezvous,  where  every 
summer  fleets  of  canoes  come  from  distant  lakes  and 
streams,  where  Huron  and  Frenchmen  meet,  and  furs 
and  fire-water  are  exchanged,  and  no  little  scalping  is 
done,  in  which  latter  refinement  the  chivalrous  Cham- 
plain  joins  for  sport. 

That  Soissons'  speedy  death  should  place  Henri 
of  Bourbon,  Prinje  of  Conde,  at  the  head  of  French 
American  affairs,  did  not  prevent  Champlain  from 
carrying  it  royally  in  New  France.  The  souls  of 
savages  now  chiefly  concerned  him ;  their  bodies  wore 
of  trifling  moment.  In  his  Indian  policy  he  was  gov- 
erned neither  by  justice,  humanity,  nor  interest.  In 
the  wars  of  the  Montasfuais  and  Ilurons  with  the 
Iroquois  he  took  a  base  and  foolish  part,  applying  tlie 
arts  of  his  civilization  to  the  cruelties  and  treacheries 
of  savagism.  Instead  of  cultivating  the  friendship  of 
all,  and  dealing  fairly  with  all,  holding  meanwhile  tl 
balance  of  power  in  his  own  hands,  he  made  alii 
of  those  nearest  him,  and  then  rashly  threw  himself 
against  the  most  powerful  people  of  the  east.  Life  at 
the  settlements  became  a  vagabond  existence;  tlio 
winters  were  passed  by  the  traders  in  a  state  of  tor- 
pidity, and  the  summers  in  drinking  and  trafficking. 

In  1G13  Champlain  penetrated  northward  into  tlie 
land  of  the  Ottawas,  and  two  years  later  he  visited 
the  Nipissings,  and  thence  crossed  to  Lake  Huron, 
afterward  discoverinsr  and  naming  Lake  Ontario.  To 
the  great  perplexity  of  the  natives,  who  wondered 
why  men  should  systematically  turn  the  good  things 
of  their  God  to  bitterness,  mendicant  Franciscans, 
they  of  strict  observance  called  Recollets,  appeared 
in   their   coarse   gray  garb   with   peaked  hood   and 


10 

es 


CARDINAL  RICHELIEU. 


380 


knotted  cord,  and  planting  their  altar  near  Cham- 
pluin'H  fortitied  dwellings  at  Quebec  in  1G15  celebrated 
tlioir  first  mass  in  New  France,  although  half  a  cen- 
tury later  the  Franciscans  were  an  excluded  order. 

Yet  more  bitter  disorder  followed  the  suppression 
in  1G21  of  the  company  of  St  Malo  and  Rouen. 
The  two  Huguenots,  William  and  Emery  de  Caen, 
on  whom  the  monopoly  was  now  conferred  by  tho 
Viceroy  Montmorency,  were  so  beset  by  the  enraged 
traders,  that  they  were  obliged  temporarily  to  admit 
them  as  partners. 

Notwithstanding  all  the  previous  magnificent  at- 
tempts, Canadian  settlement  in  1027  consisted  of  little 
more  than  scat+erinjif  collections  of  trading-huts,  with 
]\Iontreal,  Tadousac,  Quebec,  Trois  Kivieres  and  tho 
lapids  of  St  Louis  as  centres."  And  yet  the  traffic 
was  increased  from  fifteen  thousand  to  twenty-two 
thousand  beaver  as  the  annual  shipment;  for  this 
state  of  things,  for  obtaining  the  skins  of  wild  beasts, 
>vas  indeed  better  than  a  state  of  agricultural  inter- 
ference. 

Then  came  forward  the  great  Richelieu,  and  took 
New  France  under  his  wing.  Hating  the  Huguenots,  he 
stripped  the  Cacns  of  their  privileges,  placed  himself  at 
the  head  of  a  hundred  associates,  under  the  name  of  La 
Compagnie  des  Cent  Associes  de  la  Nouvelle  France, 
Avith  a  caj)ital  of  three  hundred  thousand  livres,  and 
obtained  from  the  crown  a  monopoly  of  all  connnerce 
for  fifteen  years,  and  a  perpetual  monopoly  of  the  fur- 
trade.  In  return  the  company  agreed  to  carry  to  New 
France  during  the  year  1G28  not  less  than  two  hun- 
dred artisans;  and  within  the  next  fifteen  years  four 
thousand  men  and  women  were  to  be  conveyed  thither, 

^'A  cette  <5poque,' Charlevoix  remarks,  'le  Canada  consistait  dans  le  fort 
de  Qui'bec,  environnti  do  quel([uea  in(5chantes  maison?,  et  de  quel(jues  haracjues, 
duux  ou  troia  cabiines  dans  Tile  de  Montri5al,  autuut  pent-utre  i).  Tadoussac  et 
vn  qiielques  autres  endroits  sur  le  Saint-Laurent,  pour  le  commerce  des  pel- 
leteries  et  de  la  peche ;  eufin,  un  commencement  d'habitation  it,  trois  Rivieres. * 
See  Kohl's  HUt.  JJlscov.,  82-3;  Raynal,  Jlint.  Phil.,  viii.  9G-10L 


390 


NEW  FRANCE  AND  THE  FUR-TRADE. 


iii 


and  there  supported  at  the  expense  of  the  company 
for  three  years.  None  but  Frenchmen  and  Catholics 
should  be  permitted  a  residence  in  the  country.  Had 
these  briUiant  opportunities  been  embraced  and  the 
promises  kept,  we  might  see,  through  this  feudal  pro- 
prietorship of  a  commercial  and  colonization  company, 
the  whole  vast  domain  of  northern  America  become 
permanently  French  in  thought,  language,  and  insti- 
tutions as  now  it  is  English. 

About  this  time  war  broke  out  in  France,  and 
England  helped  the  Huguenots.  Sir  William  Alex- 
ander had  attempted  to  colonize  Acadia,  and  now, 
with  the  assistance  of  the  brothers  Kirk  and  other 
Calvinist  rebels  and  refugees,  he  essayed  no  less  a 
thing  than  to  wrest  from  France  her  American  pos- 
sessions. 

Appearing  in  the  St  Lawrence  while  famine  reigned 
at  Quebec,  the  English  sacked  the  fort  at  Cape 
Fourniente,  attacked  and  sank  the  vessels  of  the 
Hundred  Associates,  and  sailed  for  home.  The  fol- 
lowing year  the  cross  of  St  George  was  ])lantcd  by 
Louis  Kirk  at  Quebec.  In  the  treaty  which  followrd, 
Canada  was  restored  to  the  French,  but  only  to  f;ill 
again  into  the  hands  of  the  English  one  hundred  and 
thirty  years  later. 

The  treaty  was  of  little  moment  unless  enforced. 
Hence  to  Emery  de  Caen  in  lC}o2  was  given  a  com- 
mission to  clear  New  France  of  the  English,  fDr  which 
service  he  was  to  enjoy  a  monopoly  of  the  fur-ti;ulo 
for  one  year,  after  which  exclusive  privilege  was  to 
revert  to  the  Hundred  Associates. 

Cham|)lain  meanwhile  became  saintly  in  his  fanati- 
cism, and  turned  the  trading-post  at  Quebec  into  a 
Jesuit  mission,  l^randy  and  debauchery  were  ban- 
ished, and  (dvilized  and  savage  vied  with  each  other  in 
prayers  and  repentance.  Jesuit  missions  were  estab- 
lished among  the  Hurons.  In  1(535  Champlain  died 
and  was  buried  by  the  Blackfriars. 


THE  MISSISSIPPI  VxVLLEY. 


391 


The  war  of  extermination  between  the  Hurons  and 
the  Iroquois  which  now  raged  under  Montniagny, 
originated  chiefly  from  the  presumptive  hopes  of 
traffic  and  revenge  raised  in  the  breasts  of  the  Hurons 
by  the  Hundred  Associates,  following  the  envenomed 
policy  of  Champlain.  The  fruit  of  their  evil  example 
they  were  now  made  to  eat.  After  spending  more 
than  a  million  livres  in  these  disastrous  struggles, 
the  Hundred  Associates  were  glad  to  relinquish  their 
rights  to  the  people  for  an  annual  seigniorial  rent  of 
one  million  beaver.  By  1650  the  downfall  of  the 
Hurons  was  complete. 

In  1648  fifty -one  envoys  were  sent  from  New 
England  to  Quebec,  and  from  Canada  to  Boston, 
having  in  view  a  treaty  of  perpetual  amity  between 
the  two  colonies,  which  were  to  remain  neutral  in  all 
disputes  of  the  mother  countries.  The  negotiations 
failed. 

The  Iroquois,  after  their  dispersion  of  the  Hurons, 
fell  upon  the  French.  Trade  in  skins  meanwhile  was 
much  reduced,  and  so  remained  until  the  ratification 
of  a  treaty  in  1662.  The  Compagnie  des  Cent  As- 
socies  had  dwindled  to  forty-five  members,  when  in 
1663  the  governor- o-eneral,  Baron  d'Avaugour,  ad- 
vised  Louis  XIV.  to  dissolve  it  and  himself  to  resume 
territorial  jurisdiction,  which  was  done,  and  Canada 
became  a  royal  province  of  France. 

Serious  contentions  followed  the  treaty  of  St  Ger- 
main, by  which  France  was  made  mistress  of  Acadia. 
For  fifty  years  jealousy  was  rife,  and  wars  succeeded 
each  other.  In  1654  Cromwell  seized  Port  lioval, 
and  granted  tlie  province  to  La  Tour,  Temple,  and 
Crown,  as  an  English  dependency;  but  by  the  treaty 
of  Breda  in  1667  Acadia  was  again  restored  to  ]<>ance. 

For  the  first  time  since  Fernando  do  Soto  in  1541 
vauntingly  led  his  bedizened  trnin  from  Florida  to 
the  Mississip})i,  and  the  following  year  witli  clijiped 
courage  made  his  bed  beneath  its  waters,  the  \alley 


392 


NEW  FRANCE  AND  THE  FUR-TRADE. 


;  r  u 


of  the  Great  River  now  takes  a  prominent  place  in 
history.  No  section  of  equal  extent  and  importance 
in  all  the  two  Americas  has  changed  permanent  pro- 
prietorsJiip  so  often  as  this.  Spain,  in  silken  vesture 
and  burnished  armor,  wi':h  blood-hounds  for  huntinir 
natives,  and  chains  with  which  to  bind  them,  first 
found  this  mighty  stream ;  France  with  breviary  and 
crucifix,  in  humble  attitude  and  garb,  first  peacefully 
explored  and  planted  settlements  upon  its  banks; 
England  first  conquered  it  from  a  European  power 
and  held  its  eastern  bank,  while  Spain  claimed  the 
western,  and  subsequently  conquered  from  England 
the  Florida  j)ortion  of  the  eastern;  and  last  of  all, 
thus  far,  the  United  States  was  the  first  b}^  honorable 
treaty  to  obtain  possession. 

Several  missionary  and  trading  expeditions  liad 
been  made  into  the  region  beyond  lakes  Micliigan  and 
Su])erior,  and  information  of  the  Father  of  Waters 
given,  when  in  1G73  M.  Joliet  and  Pere  INIarquette 
crossed  the  narrow  portage  between  Fox  River  and 
the  Wisconsin,  and  embarking  in  two  light  canoes 
glided  down  to  the  Mississippi  and  descended  the  river 
to  the  thirty-third  parallel,  near  the  spot  touched  by 
Soto.  Their  provisions  exhausted,  and  their  mission, 
they  retuined,  ^Marquette  to  his  missionary  labois 
among  the  Indians,  and  Joliet  to  Quebec. 

To  Robert  de  la  Salle  it  remained  to  descend  the 
Great  River  to  its  mouth  and  determine  whether  it 
discharged  into  the  gulf  of  Mexico  or  into  the  Pacific 
Ocean.  La  Salle  was  a  fur-trader,  having  a  factory 
at  Lachine,  near  Montreal,  whence  he  made  frecpient 
visits  to  lakes  Ontario  and  Erie.  To  the  governor  and 
others  he  suggested  that  the  Pacific  might  perhaps  Itc 
better  reached  by  ascending  than  by  descending  the 
Mississippi.  In  1080,  having  received  royal  privileges, 
he  sent  Pere  Hennepin  down  the  Ilhnois  to  the  ]\lis- 
sissij)pi,  with  instructions  to  ascend  the  latter  stream 
as  I'ar  as  he  was  able,  which  proved  to  be  to  the  Sault 
St  Antoine,  while  two  years  later  La  Salle  himself 


ENGLISH  JEALOUSY. 


303 


descended  the  Mississippi  to  its  mouth  and  took  pos- 
session of  the  country,  calhng  it  Louisiane.  lieturn- 
iiii^  to  Quebec,  La  Salle  embarked  for  Franco,  where 
his  report  caused  great  excitement.  To  the  bold  dis- 
coverer was  given  the  colonization  of  Louisiane,  which 
term  then  embraced  the  whole  of  that  vast  tract 
drained  by  the  Mississippi,  and  which  now  became  a 
j)r()vince  of  New  France. 

Sailing  fnmi  France  for  the  Mississippi  in  July 
1()84,  with  four  ships  and  two  hundred  and  eighty 
emigrants,  La  Salle  missed  the  mouth  of  the  river, 
lost  one  vessel,  and  finally  in  a  sad  plight  struck  the 
coast  of  Texas,  where  a  colony  was  ])lanted,  thus 
adding  that  country  to  his  discovery.  While  seeking 
liis  lost  river,  La  Salle  wandered  into  the  basin  of 
tlic  Col(jrado,  where  he  was  traitorously  shot  by  one 
of  his  company,  leaving  it  with  Lemoine  d'Iberville 
to  lay  in  1G99  the  foundation  of  the  future  colony.  In 
due  time,  by  posts  and  settlements  up  the  St  Law- 
rence, round  the  great  lakes,  and  down  the  fertile 
valley  of  the  Mississi})pi,  the  two  extremities  of 
French  American  domain  became  united.' 


Xow,  more  than  ever,  the  jealousy  of  the  English 
colonists  was  aroused.  Their  actual  occupancy  in 
North  America  was  confined  to  a  narrow  space  on 
the  Atlantic  .seaboard,  while  the  French  and  Spanish 
claimed  all  the  rest.  Indeed,  France  had  left  but 
little  footing  even  for  Spain,  the  Mexican  and  Cen- 
tral AvK'i'ioan  isthmuses,  together  with  the  lands 
drained  by  the  llio  del  Ncjrte  and  the  Rio  Colorado, 
and  on  the  Pacific  the  two  Californias  of  undefined 
limits,  being  but  a  bagatelle  compared  with  the  vnst 
regions  of  the  middle  and  north.* 

'  The  lilies  of  Fi'anoc  cut  on  forest  trees,  nml  crosses  erected  on  lilufTs  of 
tlu'  Mississipiii,  ut  length  marked  ;i  chain  of  jwists  from  the  Mexir.m  gulf  to 
lliidsdii's  liay.'  liurifii  Kxoditi  n/lli''  Wi-'iteni  XulionSy  i.  HSii.  'Tout  lo  Nurd 
dn  Missouri  nou*  est  tofcilement  inconnn.'  Lf  I'ajf  dii  /';•«/:,  //'V.  l.'iKixintii', 
i.  HJ7.  'I'o  the  eNpoditJiin  of  La  Salle  are  added  the  subsc(jueut  adventures  of 
JlcniHpin,  in  Am  Antii/.  tine,  Tniim.,  i.  (il  111. 

"'  l.a  J^unisianc  situi'edans  la  partio  Septentrionalc  ilo  rAn)eri(|U«',  est  horneo 
uu  Midi  pur  lu  Goifu  du  Muxii^uu, uu  Lovout  pur  lu  Cui'oliuu,  Culuuie  An^laisc,  & 


394 


NEW  FRANCE  AND  THE  FUR-TRADE. 


When  in  1682  Lefebvre  do  la  Barrc  assumed  tlic 
governor-generalship  of  Canada  in  place  of  the  Count 
de  Frontenac,  hostilities  had  broken  out  between  the 
Iroquois  and  the  Illinois.  It  was  said  that  the 
people  of  New  Netherlands,  now  New  York,  wishing 
to  monopolize  the  fur-trade  of  that  region,  were  con- 
stantly exciting  the  Iroquois  against  the  French,  and 
to  the  latter  it  now  seemed  necessary  that  they  should 
assist  the  Illinois. 

Taking  the  field  against  the  Iroquois,  Le  Barro 
failed  to  accomplish  any  important  purpose;  and  his 
successor,  the  Marquis  de  Denonville,  succeeded  but 
little  better  in  attempting  to  exclude  the  Iroquois 
and  English  traders  from  the  St  Lawrence,  After  a 
period  of  unwonted  tranquillity,  in  August  1689  four- 
teen hundred  Iroquois  suddenly  appeared  at  Lachine 
and  massacred  tb  ;  inhabitants. 


p  t  if* 


Following  the  dissolution  of  the  Hundred  Asso- 
ciates, in  1664  was  formed  for  New  France  another 
withering  monopoly,  known  as  the  West  India  Com- 
pany. Although  exclusive  trade  was  vested  in  the 
association  for  forty  years,  and  tae  Atlantic  seaboard 
of  Africa  was  given  them  as  well  as  America ;  and 
although  Louis  XIV.,  in  addition  to  all  the  privileges 
formerly  granted  the  Hundred  Associates,  placed  a 
premium  of  forty  livres  on  every  ton  of  exported  or 
imported  merchandise,  the  company  finally  fell  in 
pieces  by  the  very  weight  of  royal  favors,  for  com- 
modities so  rose  in  price  that  purchasers  could  not  be 
found,  and  the  importation  of  goods  ceased.  In  16()(» 
Colbert  withdrew  from  the  monopolists  the  peltry 
traffic,  and  at  the  same  time  relieved  them  from  the 

ftartic  (111  ( 'lumda,  an  Couchnnt  par  le  noiiveau  Mexiqiie,  an  Nord  en  partie  par 
e  Ciiiintlu:  le  ivste  n'a  point  ilo  Ix)riie8,  &  »V'xtenil  juaipraiix  Torres  iiiconnues 
voisineM  <li'  la  Haye  <le  Hudson.'  L<'  /'(iijr  tin  Prntz,  llixl.  Loiiisiaiir,  i.  IDS. 
'At  tlio  close  of  tlie  year  1 7  ">7,  France  posse.ssed  twenty  times  as  niueh  .Vniericnn 
territory  as  Kii;4land  ;  and  live  times  as  mucii  as  Knglaiiil  and  Spain  togetlier.' 
ItiiliKilli'x  ('.  .v.,  l!70.  'I'nttinj,'  aside  tlic  unteiial)le  claims  wIiilIi  ''ranee 
nHserte4l  ill  the  ]iatents  j.'ranted  to  De  Monts,  she  aetniilly  possessed  settle- 
ments ill  all  parts  of  North  America,  as  far  us  Mexico  on  the  south  auJ  L'aii- 
furuia  ou  the  west.'  Uury's  Exodus,  ii,  0. 


DIVERS  MONOPOLIES. 


305 


Asso- 

[notlior 

Com- 

tho 

iboard 

;  and 

iced  a 
■ted  or 
ell    in 
coni- 
not  1)0 
1  1  (')(')(') 
peltry 
Bill  the 

|iai-tii'  V'iT 
iicoiiiincfi 

,-•,  i.  i:!s. 

UllKTii-lll 

Jogflllfl." 

|i,    I'raiuo 

1.(1  scttlf- 

liiml  eaii- 


restriction  of  their  trade  to  France.  Still  the  insti- 
tution could  not  thrive;  and  with  a  hundred  vessels 
employed,  and  with  a  debt  of  three  and  a  half  millions 
of  livres,  in  1G74,  the  company  became  extinct.  These 
wise  rulers  had  yet  to  learn  of  laisscrfairc,  to  learn 
that  trade  thrives  best  when  let  alone. 

The  peltry  monopoly  in  Canada  now  took  an  inde- 
pendent departure,  and  was  hereafter  less  involved 
with  other  royal  privileges,  although  to  Oudiette,  into 
whose  hands  from  the  West  India  Company  it  fell, 
were  also  farmed  the  duties  on  tobacco,  which  were 
then  ten  per  cent.  This  continued  until  1700,  when 
the  people  again  begged  relief. 

Roddes  was  the  next  fur-king;  and  after  him 
Piccaud,  who  paid  seventy  thousand  francs  per  annum 
for  the  monopoly,  and  formed  an  association  called 
the  Company  of  Canada,  with  shares  at  fifty  livres,  of 
which  any  Canadian  might  take  any  number.  With 
this  association  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com}>any,  whose 
history  we  shall  trace  in  the  next  chapter,  was  con- 
cerned. The  Canada  Company  falling  into  dissolution, 
Aubert,  Nerot,  and  Guyot  agreed  to  pay  its  debts — • 
1, SI 2, 000  francs — for  its  privileges.  With  the  ex- 
jMration  of  their  term  the  monopoly  cf  Aubert  and 
Company  fell  in  1717  to  the  Western  Company,  as 
the  ]\Iississippi  Bubble  Scheme  of  John  Law  was  at 
one  time  known. 

This  was  the  grand  epoch  of  the  fur-trade  in 
Canada  under  the  old  adventurous  and  lawless  rr/iiii''. 
Ikaver-skins  were  the  life  of  Xew  France.  It  was  all 
ir.  vain  that  the  jjovernment  soui^ht  to  cv)nir()l  this 
tiatiic;  and  what  is  strangest  of  all  to  us  is  that  ai'tvv 
a  century  of  failures  rulers  could  not  sec  that  it  was 
not  possible.  No  more  than  the  Inited  States  with 
all  her  armies  would  have  been  able  to  guard  the  gold 
banked  in  the  Sierra  J)rainage,  could  France  guard 
the  wild  beasts  of  the  Canadian  forests,  or  prevent 
her  i)eoj)le  from  catching  and  skinning  them. 

As    one    among    the    many    preventive    measures 


r*ii 


39G 


NEW  FRANCE  AND  THE  FUR-TRADE. 


adopted  by  the  king,  an  annual  fair  was  ordered  held 
at  Montreal.  It  was  at  the  opening  of  this  commer- 
cial by- play  that  the  arm-chaired  governor- general, 
whom  we  read  so  much  about  in  all  the  books,  took 
his  seat  on  the  common,  and  midst  nmch  solemn 
smoking  harangued  the  savages  ranged  round  him 
upon  the  benefits  accruing  to  mankind  by  reason  of 
the  peltry-packs  which  they  had  brought  from  distant 
forests  to  trade. 

The  scenes  enacted  here,  where  the  highest  mer- 
chants erected  booths,  and  huckstering  savages  stallicd 
the  street,  and  half  the  town  were  drunk  or  nearly  so, 
were  conducive  neither  to  connnercial  prosperity  nor 
to  good  morals.  Infatuated  with  the  trade,  scores  of 
young  men  every  summer  returned  with  the  savagxs 
to  their  distant  homes,  and  became  almost  savage  thcin- 
selvt'S,  paddling  their  canoes  and  ranging  the  woods, 
whence  the  clan  of  voyageurs  and  coureur.s  des  hois 
greatly  nmltiplied,  and  became  a  striking  feature  of 
the  century.  For  this  forest  traffic  licenses  were 
issued,  but  many  preferred  to  take  their  chances 
without  them. 

An  illustration  of  the  futility  and  absurdity  of 
government  protection  and  trade  monopoly  licre  pre- 
sents itself  While  Oudiette  and  his  associates  held 
sway,  the  supply  increased  so  largely  as  to  ruin  them. 
The  hunters  might  sell  to  the  merchants;  but  the 
merchants  might  sell  only  to  Oudiette,  and  Oudiette 
must  take  all  the  furs  olfered  him  at  a  tixed  j)ricr. 
The  consequence  was  that  when  from  over  supi)ly 
the  market  became  glutted,  and  France  refused  to 
take  them  at  half  tlieir  cost,  Oudiette  was  obliijfed 
to  succumb;  and  the  only  way  out  of  the  difficulty  his 
successors  found,  was  to  burn  three  fourths  of  the  stock 
on  hand.    And  this  was  done  more  than  once. 

Round  the  trading-posts  planted  by  La  Salle  along 
the  Mississippi,  and  the  missions  established  l)y  the 
Jesuits  south  and  west  of  Lake  Michigan,  little  set- 


THE  MISSISSIPPI  COMPANY. 


307 


lity  of 
c  pro- 
held 
Itboin. 
t  tho 
liuttc 
])iico. 
u[)[)ly 
led  to 
>ligcd 
his 
stock 


luloiij;' 
ly  the 

set- 


tlements sprang  up,  until  in  1711,  when  England 
declared  war  against  France,  throujrhout  the  great 
valley  were  scattered  fur-traders  of  every  class,  whose 
intercourse  on  the  north  was  with  Quebec,  and  on  the 
south  wnth  the  Isle  Dauphin,  in  Mobile  Bay. 

In  1712  Antoine  Crozat  obtained  from  tho  French 
court  the  appointment  of  governor  of  Louisiana,  with 
a  monopoly  for  mining  and  trading  in  that  region  lor 
sixteen  years.  Crozat  attempted  to  open  commeicial 
relations  with  Mexico,  and  in  1713  despatched  a 
vessel  to  Vera  Cruz,  but  the  viceroy  ordered  its  im- 
mediate departure.  Moreover,  the  Virginians  greatly 
troubled  him  by  interfering  with  his  peltry  trade 
among  the  Natchez  and  other  native  nations  of  the 
]\Iississippi.  Crozat  was  already  a  millionaire,  and  very 
grasping.  By  charging  exorbitant  prices  for  his  goods, 
and  paying  the  minimum  rate  for  furs,  lie  soon  drove 
hunters  out  of  the  country,  when  he  threw  up  his 
]>atent  in  disgust.  It  finally  fell  with  others  into  the 
meshes  of  tho  famous  JMississippi  Bubble  scheme. 

New  adventurers  entered  the  field  in  1717  under 
tho  name  of  the  Western  or  Mississippi  Company, 
before  mentioned,  which  was  connected  with  the 
Bank  of  France,  and  whose  charter  was  to  run  for 
twenty-five  years.  To  this  were  added  the  dormant 
rights  of  the  Santo  Domingo  Association,  formed 
in  1G98,  the  Senegal  and  (xuinea  Companies,  tho 
Chinese  Company  of  1700,  the  Old  West  India 
Company,  the  Canada  Com[)any,  and  Aubcrt  and 
Com))any. 

The  capital  of  the  ^Tississippi  Compan}''  was  orii^i- 
nally  one  hundred  millions  of  livres,  based  on  a  poj)- 
ular  belief  in  the  resources  of  that  country.  It  was  a 
colonization  scheme  invented  by  tho  Scotchman  John 
]^aw  to  free  the  French  goveinment  from  <lebt.  To 
absorb  now  issues  the  name  was  chanjijed  to  that  of 
the  West  India  C^ompany,  now  revived  for  that  ])ur- 
jiose.  The  resources  of  the  Mississij)])i,  by  means  of 
certain  financial  legerdemain,  were  pledged,  and  im- 


■ill 


I 


'  ■'  is  '■- 


! 


398 


NEW  FRANCE  AND  THE  FUR-TRADE. 


mediately  to  be  applied  to  the  payment  of  this  indebt- 
edness of  two  thousand  millions  of  livres.  The  future 
for  ten  centuries  was  discounted.  For  a  time  the  in- 
terest was  promptly  paid,  and  the  shares  rapidly  ad- 
vanced. Then  madness  seized  the  people.  The  stock 
rose  one  hundred  per  cent.,  one  thousand  per  cent., 
two  thousand  and  fifty  percent.!  Then  a  crash,  and 
the  ruined  ten  thousand  fell  a-cursing  their  late  idol, 
wishing  to  hang  him. 

In  1723  the  defunct  West  India  Company  was 
succeeded  by  the  Company  of  the  Indies,  with  the 
duke  of  Orleans  as  governor.  His  jurisdiction  ex- 
tended over  all  the  colonies  of  France,  whether  in 
America  or  elsewhere.  From  the  wreck  of  the  Law 
scheme  a  trading  monopoly  in  the  Louisiana  and 
Illinois  territories  was  saved,  which  continued  until 
1731,  in  which  year  the  exclusive  rights  passed  under 
innnediate  regal  sway,  and  so  continued  throughout 
the  remainder  of  French  domination. 

With  the  building  of  Fort  Oswego  a  keen  competi- 
tion set  in  between  the  French  and  Britisli  fur- 
traders,  the  latter  being  disposed  to  pay  the  natives 
higher  prices  than  the  French  had  been  accustomed  to 
pay.  The  evil  effects  arising  therefrom  were  in  some 
degree  obviated  by  the  king,  who  by  taking  charge 
of  the  forts  at  Kingston,  Niagara,  and  Toronto,  and 
cutting  off  hitherto  misapplied  bounties  to  dealers, 
was  enabled  to  compete  with  the  British,  and  pay 
the  natives  higlier  prices." 

Until  1713,  when  by  the  treaty  of  Utrecht  trade 
in  the  Hudson  Bay  and  other  territories  must  be  re- 
linquished, almost  the  entire  peltry  traffic  of  North 

' '  At  this  time  the  average  price  of  beaver-skins  in  money,  at  Montreal 
was  "2  livres  1,*$  sous,  or  about  '2s.  M.  sterling,  per  iwunil.'  Smith' f  I  IK 
CiuKuhx,  i.  Iviii.  It  is  not  possible  precisely  to  fix  the  value  of  fnrs  exportcil 
ffoni  Canada  under  French  rai'tmf..  DAuteuil  places  the  annual  returns  in 
1«77  at  5r)0, 000  francs,  and  in  I"  15  at  2,000,000  francs.  From  the  custDUis 
registers  Governor  Murray  found  the  returns  of  \'7A  valued  at  l,r)47,8S5 
livres,  and  those  of  175o  at  l,20o,U50  livres.  F.  X.  CJameau,  Vanadu,  toni.  i. 
lib.  viii.  cap.  1,  estimates  the  value  of  peltry  exported  from  New  France, 
immediately  jcfore  and  after  the  conquest,  at  3,o00,000  livres. 


FRENCH  AXD  EXOLISH  WAR. 


399 


idcbt- 
iuture 
he  in- 
ly ad- 
stock 
cent., 
[\,  and 
e  idol, 

,y  was 
bh  the 
on  cx- 
,her  in 
e  Law 
la  and 
d  until 
I  under 
Uijhout 

mpeti- 

,li  fur- 

iiatives 

imed  to 

1  some 

charjjjo 

,o,  and 

ealors, 

|id  pay 

trade 
be  re- 
I  North 


I  Montreal 

tlh:<  1114. 

cxpoi'toil 

k-ctunis  in 

customs 

\a,  torn.  i. 
France, 


America,  as  we  can  but  observe,  was  in  the  hands  of 
the  French.  Every  eftbrt  was  made  by  the  governors 
of  New  York  to  lessen  French  influence  in  the  west, 
but  without  much  success.  The  English  possessed 
some  advantages;  European  goods  were  lower  at 
Boston  and  New  York  than  at  Quebec  and  Montreal, 
and  there  was  considerable  contraband  trade  between 
the  colonists,  even  the  monopolists  themselves  intro- 
ducing into  Canada  cloth  fiom  Albanv;  but  in  the 
main  during  these  earlier  competitive  times  the  French 
found  favor  with  the  savages,  while  the  English  were 
more  suspiciously  regarded. 

Seeing  that  the  advantages  of  contraband  traffic 
were  employed  against  their  fur  interests  by  the 
Canadian  traders,  in  1720-7  laws  prohibiting  the 
exchange  of  European  goods  for  Canadian  peltry  were 
passed  by  the  New  York  assembly,  which  was  a  heavy 
blow  to  the  French  traders.  In  retaliation  Louis 
XIY.  forbade  by  edict  all  conmiercial  intercourse  with 
the  British  colonies.  Thereafter  the  blighting  mo- 
nopolies  met  with  little  opposition  in  New  France. 
Those  who  dealt  in  peltries  bought  privileges  from 
them,  usually  in  the  form  of  factory  licenses,  granted 
as  a  rule  for  three  years.  Those  who  held  ili'jse  tem- 
jxjrary  privileges  of  course  made  as  much  of  ti\em  as 
possible  while  opportunity  lasted,  and  the  poor  s.ivage 
was  usually  the  sufixjrer.' 


10 


The  English  possessions  in  America  were  grunted 
to  settlers  in  strij)s  fronting  on  the  Atlantic  and  ex- 
tending through  on  fixed  parallels  to  the  Pacific. 
Thus  to  the  London  Company  were  given  by  James  T. 
all  lands  lying  between  the  thirty-fourth  and  thirty- 
eighth  lines  of  latitude;  to  the  Plymouth  C<jnii)any 
flic  forty-first  to  the  forty-fifth  |)arallels,  the  belt  be- 
tween being  connnon;  to  the  Council  of  Plymouth 

'"Mr  Ikll,  tlie  English  editor  of  Oameau's  H'mtoirp  dii  f'amtdd.  states  that 
'in  I7.")4  at  a  western  post,  on  one  occasion  heaver-skins  were  bv."'i,'ht  for  four 
grains  of  p'^pper  each ;  and  that  as  much  as  800  francs  were  realized  by  selling 
a  pound  of  vennilion,  probably  dealt  out  in  pinches.' 


400 


NEW  FRANCE  AND  THE  FUR-TRADE. 


the  fortieth  to  the  forty- eighth  parallel,  and  so  on. 
Now,  as  the  two  nationalities  quarrelled  on  their 
respective  frontiers,  the  French  would  point  trium- 
phantly to  the  discoveries  of  Joliet  and  La  Salle, 
while  the  English  declared  their  lands  had  no  west- 
ern bound. 

Banding  for  mutual  protection,  the  American  colo- 
nies resorted  to  arms  as  England  declared  war  ajxainst 
France.  Each  seeking  allies  among  the  natives,  the 
French  and  Indian  war  was  inaugurated,  which  should 
forever  settle  this  question  of  colonial  supremacy. 
The  immediate  cause  of  this  war  was  the  intrusion  of 
FrciiL-li  fur  gatherers  south  of  Lake  Erie,  to  prevent 
which  the  Ohio  Company  was  formed  by  a  number  of 
Virginians  for  the  purpose  of  taking  possession  of  the 
disputed  territory.  The  French,  however,  were  too 
quick  for  them.  Bienville  with  three  hundred  men 
occupied  the  valley  of  the  Ohio  in  the  summer  of 
1741);  but  it  was  not  until  after  1753,  when  twelve 
hundred  men  were  sent  down  the  Alleghany  by  Du 
Quesne  to  colonize  the  country,  and  Washington  was 
sent  to  remonstrate  with  (jreneral  St  Pierre,  com- 
mander of  the  French  forces  in  the  west,  that  hos- 
tilities broke  out.  Then  followed  the  expedition  and 
defeat  of  the  English  under  Braddock  in  175.5.  In 
retaliation,  with  wanton  cruelty,  the  Englisli  drove 
the  French  from  Acadia.  Meanwhile  Johnson  won 
a  victory  over  the  French  at  Lake  George.  In  1750 
Washington  repelled  ihe  enemy  in  the  valley  of  the 
Shenandoah,  while  ]\Iontcalm  successfully  led  tl.o 
French  across  I^ake  Ontario,  and  the  following  year 
made  a  brilliant  compaign  into  the  Lake  (^eorge 
country.  In  1758  tlie  ICnglish  acquired  Cape  Breton 
and  Prince  Edward  Island,  but  failed  before  Tieoii- 
deroga.  Fort  Frontenac  was  taken  b>'  Bradstrcct,  and 
Du  Quesne  was  burned.  Twelve  million  pounds  were 
voted  by  the  British  parliament  to  carry  on  the  war, 
and  Andierst  was  placed  in  connnand  of  the  British 
and  colonial  forces,  which  by  midsummer  1751)  nuni- 


PURCHASE  OF  LOUISLVXA. 


401 


bercd  fifty  tliousanrl  men,  while  the  Frciicli  army 
scaicclv  exceeded  .seven  th<nisand.  It  was  theretoro 
111)  _L,neat  teat  to  eiush  tlieui;  and  n(>thin<^  else  would 
sntisl'y  Pitt.  To  this  end  three  eamjuiiufns  were 
|tl;iniied:  Amherst,  with  the  main  division,  was  to 
iiiarcli  a,i^ainst  TiconderoL?a  and  Crown  l^oint;  Pir- 
(Icaux  was  to  take  Nia<^ara  and  ^[ontreal,  while  Wolfe 
was  to  capture  Quebec.  Each  accom}»lished  his  pur- 
]M»se.  On  the  ocean  the  war  limbered  for  three  years 
alter  ]\[ontreal  had  fallen,  l)Ut  tiie  British  wereiinally 
\  iiiorioiis,  and  hy  tiie  treaty  of  Paris,  made  the 
lo'ili  (»f  Fehruary  17G:3,  half  of  the  area  of  Xorth 
Aiiu)  ica  cluuiL^ed  hands.  To  S[>ain,  with  whom  Eni;'- 
laiid  had  also  heen  at  war,  France  sinrendered  that 
|)M]ti()ii  of  Louisiana  lyin.n"  west  of  the  Mississi[)[>i, 
\\\\\\v  Spain  ceded  to  England  all  her  domain  east  of 
that  river.  And  thus  it  was  made  jjlain  that  decayiiiL? 
iii;(li;L'val  institutions  shoidd  not  stand  before  the  en- 
linhtened  and  liberal  proL'ress  of  the  Xew  World. 

\\\  the  treatv  (jf  Paris,  niade  the  ;jd  of  November 
17M.'},*by  which  the  inde[)endence  of  the  United 
►States  Mas  reco(rnized,  Florida  was  ceded  by  (Ireat 
]>ritain  l)ack  to  Spain,  and  all  I'^nijlish  territoiy  south 
(if  tlie  great  lakes  and  east  of  the  Mississip[)i  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  American  conicderation. 

The  territoiy  west  of  the  Mississippi,  called  Lou- 
isiana, was  held  by  Sj)ain  until  ISOO,  when  Xa])oleon 
causi'd  a  secret  cession  of  that  domain  to  be  made 
to  France,  and  [nepared  to  place  an  ariuy  at  Xew 
Hikans,  which  should  there  maintain  his  authority; 
l>ut  the  United  States  remonstrating,  and  affairs  at 
li!»nie  thickening,  Napoleon  finally  authorized  iiie  sale 
•  if  Louisiana.  Mr  Jji»ingston  andJanu-s  Monioe  wire 
;ijil)ointed  by  the  President  to  negotiate  the  ])Ui'chase. 
Terms  were  agreed  uj)on  by  the  .'JOth  of  April  l.so;}, 
niid  I'or  Sll,-Jj(),000  together  with  the  ])romise  to 
pay  certain  claims  of  American  citizens  due  from 
Kiance,  not  to  exceed  i?3,7aO,OO0 — .sla.OOU.OOO  in 
all — Louisiana  was  added  to  the  Liiited  States. 

Hmt.  N.  W.  Coast,  Vol.  I.    26 


,1 


402 


NEW  FRANCE  ANT)  THE  FUR-TRADE. 


P!  ! 


() 


In  determining  tlie  boundaries  of  tliis  purelmse, 
Spain  and  (jreat  Britain  were  concerned  no  less  than 
the  United  States  and  France.  The  ]Mississippi  River 
from  the  thirty-iirst  jjarallcl  to  its  source  was  tlie 
eastern  hound,  and  the  gulf  of  Mexico  to  the  north 
of  thu  Sabine  Kiver  tiie  southern  without  question. 
The  thirty-first  f)arallel  from  the  Mississippi  to  tlu; 
Api)alacliic()la,  and  down  that  stream  to  tlio  gulf,  was 
claimed  by  the  United  States,  France,  and  England 
as  the  south-east  boundary.  To  this,  however,  Spain 
dissented,  asserting  Iberville  and  lakes  Maurepas  and 
I'ontchartrain  to  be  the  true  line  between  Louisi- 
ana and  west  Florida.  But  she  was  finally  overruled. 
On  the  south -west  the  line  ran  along  the  Sabine 
Kiver  to  the  thirty-first  parallel;  thence  due  north  t 
lied  Iliver,  and  along  that  stream  to  the  one  huii- 
dfedtli  deLjree  of  lon^j^itude  west  from  (xreenwich ; 
thei»ce  north  to  the  Arkansas,  and  up  that  river  to 
the  mountains,  following  them  to  the  forty-second 
parallel  of  latitude.  Thus  far  the  western  limits  were 
fixed  after  nmch  disagreement;  an'  when  the  Ignited 
States  would  continue  the  boundary  line  along'  tli(j 
forty-second  parallel  to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  Spain  made 
but  slight  objection,  and  finally  in  the  treaty  of  1819 
gave  her  consent. 

The  northern  limits  of  what  should  bo  United  States 
teriitory  affected  only  that  country  and  Great  Britain, 
and  the  line  of  partition  was  finally  made  the  forty- 
ninth  parallel  from  the  Lakeof  thcWoods  to  the  Pacific. 
Thus  by  the  most  momentous  event  of  Jefferson's 
administration  the  possession  of  the  great  valle}'  of 
the  ]Mississippi  fell  to  the  United  States.  Out  of  the 
southern  portion  of  the  newly  acquired  domain  was 
formed  the  territory  of  Orleans,  while  the  remainder 
continued  to  be  called  the  territory  of  Louisiana." 

"'IJetwccu  the  ycara  1803  und  1811)  there  waa  some  groiuul  for  I'oiitnv 
vei'sy,  luit  biiico  tlic  latter  date  nono  whatever,  exi,'ei)t  as  to  the  nortluiu 
line.'  h'ii/jiat/i'K  U.  S.,  Hl'J,  note;  in  American  Stud'  I'ttjin-.i  see  topics  Tivi'ij 
of  Paris,  170,) ;  Drjinitc  Treaty  hitween  Great  Briluin  ami  the  v.  S.,  liS,>: 
Text  (if  the  Loiiisiiiiia  CesHloti,  ISUJ;  Jioiinikiri/  Coin'eiitioiw  hetwteii  the  U.  S, 
and  Great  lirilain,  1818  und  1840;  Treaty  of  Wanhinyton,  1819. 


CESSIONS  AND  TREATIES. 


403 


By  tlio  treaty  «»f  Wasliinjxton  of  the  22(1  of  Foh- 
ruaiy  1810,  east  and  west  Florida  were  eeded  Iiy 
Spain  to  the  United  States;  in  consideration  for 
which  tile  latter  ])ower  relin(iuished  all  chiini  to 
Texas,  and  promised  to  pay  her  own  citizens  a  sum 
not  to  exceed  live  millions  of  dollars  damaj^'es  done 
them  by  S[)anish  vessels.  Tiie  Sabine  Kiver  at  the 
same  time  was  made  the  eastern  boundary  of  Mexico. 

For  many  years  in  several  ])articulars  that  portion 
of  the  partition  lino  between  Canada  and  the  United 
States  extending  from  the  Atlantic  to  Lake*  Huron 
had  been  in  dispute.  At  the  treaty  of  Ghent,  in 
1 S14,  it  was  decided  to  refer  the  matter  to  three  com- 
missioners, but  it  was  not  until  the  Webster-Ash- 
burton  treat}  of  the  9th  of  August  1842  tliat  the 
question  was  finally  settled,  that  portion  of  the  treaty 
of  October  1818  fixing  the  forty-ninth  parallel  from 
the  Lake  of  the  Woods  westward  as  the  dividing  lino 
being  confirmed." 

'-'It  appears,  ia  their  ij,'norancc  of  ■western  geography,  statesmen  of  that 
(luy  .sii|ip()s((l  tlio  forty-nintli  parallel  crossed  the  Mississippi  soiiiewhore,  and 
it  \v;is  to  tiiis  point  only,  ]k)Uclietto  nttinns,  that  partition  should  have  liuen 
cairicd.  '  I'lUt  it  was  afterwards  found,'  he  says,  lirit.  Dum. ,  i.  H  !l,  '  that  such 
a  lin<'  W(jnl(l  never  strike  the  river,  as  its  highest  waters  did  not  I'Xtend  l)e- 
yond  lilt.  47'  ;t(i'  north,  whilst  the  point  of  the  Lake  of  the  Woods,  wlienco 
tile  line  was  todi'j)art,  strmd  in  lat.  4l>' 20' north,  and  therefore  l()-t  j^i'ographi- 
tid  miles  faither  north  than  the  source  of  the  Mississippi.  The  fourth,  article 
of  tlio  treaty  of  London  in  17'.)-t  provided  for  the  amicable  adjustment  of 
this  anomaly,  hut  its  intentions  were  never  carried  into  etlect;  and  tlie  sub- 
ject cuino  under  the  consiiha-ation  of  Lord  Holland  and  the  late  Lord  Auck- 
land, Oil  one  side,  and  Mr  Monroe  and  Mr  Pickering  on  the  other,  during  the 
nciiotiations  of  ISIM).  Tiie  British  negotiators  contended  that  the  nearest 
liui!  iiom  the  I^iiko  of  the  VVootls  to  the  Mississippi  was  the  boundary,  ac- 
cording to  the  true  intent  of  the  treaty  of  ITS-'l;  the  Americans  insisted  tiiat 
the  line  was  to  run  due  west,  .and,  since  it  could  never  intersect  tlio  Missis- 
sippi, that  it  must  run  due  west  across  the  whole  continent.'  As  I  shall  have 
occ.ision  to  disc'ias  this  mutter  at  length  in  uuother  place,  I  will  let  it  rest 
for  tiie  present. 


I 


I 

I    I 


CHAPTEK    XIII. 

FOREST  LIFE  AND  FUR-HUNTING. 

NOKTUKRN'  AVI)  WksTKR.V  Fcr  TkKIIITOUY — PHYSICAL  FEATrRES — HaDITATS 

Of  Fi'K-i!KAitiN<i  Animals — N'ovackmis— Coi'ret'us  uks  IJuis— A"  i.ld- 

AmKKKAN  'rKAI'l'ER — HlS  ClIARACTElUSTU'S  fuMl-AKKK   WITH  TiKJ   K  OK 

THE  French  Canadian  —  Boatinc!  —  Brigades  —  IIinxinu  Kaiids  — 
TitAVEL— Dress — Foou — Caching. 


I  I 


PicTUiiK  in  your  niiiul  a  sweep  of  country  tlu-ee 
thousand  by  two  tliousand  miles  in  extent,  stretcliin^f 
from  ocean  to  ocean  across  the  continent's  ln-oadcst 
part,  troni  Labrador  to  Alaska,  and  on  the  J^l(•ilic 
iroui  the  Arctic  Ocean  to  the  river  Uni|»(iua;  picture 
this  expanse  brii^'ht  with  lakes  and  liidviiiji?  strcaiiis, 
basined  by  intersectiiiLj  I'idu'es  between  which  are 
spread  open  ])lains  and  feathery  forests,  warm  valleys 
and  frozen  hills,  fertile  }>rairies,  marshes,  dry  scranLjy 
undulations,  and  thirsty  «leserts  in  (juick  succession; 
})icture  it  a  primeval  wilderness,  thickly  inhabited  l)y 
wild  beasts  and  thiidy  p(H)pled  l>y  wikl  men,  but  w  ith 
ci\  ili/.atitMi's  latest  invention  brought  to  their  border 
and  kept  for  their  present  curse  and  tinal  extint-tion 
in  small  palisaded  squares  fifty  or  three  hundred  miles 
apart  by  white  men  who  ever  and  forever  uvo-ed  the 
Avild  man  aij^ainst  the  wild  beast  for  the  benefit  of  .he 
niii;kty  and  the  cunninn' — imagine  such  a  scene,  and 
you  liave  before  you  tht  dt)main  and  doin!j:s  of  the 
Honorable  Hudson's  Bay  Company  as  it  was  iifty 
years  ajjfo. 

For  clearer  conception,  ])lace  yoursilf  ui>(»n  the 
continental  aj  ex  near  the  eivat  National  J 'ark  and 
between  the  s[uings  of  the  Columbia,  the  Colorailo, 

t*04j 


THE  CONTINENTAL  APEX. 


m 


>l   .  l\v 

',  and 

.r  the 

lilty 

1    th.- 

;  ami 

)liUli>, 

the  Atliabasca,  the  Saskatchewan,  and  the  Missouri 
rivers.  The  watci's  of  the  first  How  westward,  those 
of  the  second  southward,  of  the  third  northward,  of 
the  fourth  north-eastward,  and  of  tiie  tiftli  south-cast- 
ward.  Fi'oui  v.hcre  you  stand,  the  continent  slo])cs 
ill  every  direction.  Britisli  America  sh)]>cs  northward 
iVom  the  Ignited  States  border  to  tlie  Frozen  Ocean; 
the  United  States  slopes  southward  from  tlie  ])i-itish 
American  border  to  the  Cahfornian  and  IMexicau 
gulfs:  i'roni  t.ie  <^reat  Rocky  j\Iountain  water- shed 
the  continent  slopes  eastward  to  the  Atlantic  and 
westward  to  the  I'ai'ific. 

J)y  four  main  mountain  systcn\s  and  a  latitudinal 
divide  of  low  taMe-land  are  forned  the  four  hydro- 
gra|)hical  basins  of  Xorth  America,  whence  into  tlio 
northern,  western,  and  eastern  (-ceans  and  thesoutlK-rn 
gull's  is  disehar<;ed  one  third  of  all  the  iVesh  water 
that  stands  or  Hows.  TIk  c^  four  ranges,  which  cut 
+  .ie  continent  intt)  longitudinal  stri[)s,  are  all  jxirallel 
to  tlie  (veaii  shore  line,  to  whieh  thev  lie  neai'est. 
Intween  the  Ajipalachian  system  of  the  i-ast  and  the 
lf,)cky  Mountains  of  the  west  is  the  central  ])]ain  of 
the  continent,  which  sweeps  iVom  the  gulf  of  ^llcNico 
through  tlic  valley  of  the  3.[ississij)[)i  round  by  the 
8t  Lawrencu  to  Ndsou  River.  iJeyond  the  4'.)th 
paralK  1  dividi;,  which,  as  from  the  east  it  a[)proa<'!ie.s 
the  Kockv  Moiuitains,  is  at  once  a  ithvsieal  as  v.cll  as 
]>()liti('al  jiai'tiiiou  line,  and  on  to  the  I'^rozen  Ocean 
lies  a  broken  f'Vil  of  transfixed  billows  seemingly 
limitless,  and  in  its  cold  winter  dress  as  silent  as  a 
iH't  liiied  sea.  \Vestwai'(l  of  the  Stonv  Mountains,  and 
until  the  Cascade  and  Snowv  ramri's  are  reached,  i^  ;i 
sandy  basin,  di-seit  toward  tlu!  south  but  at  tlu3  noilh 
fcJtiU;.  Last  of  all,  crossing  the  ( 'ascade -Nevada  ridgo 
We  conu;  upon  tiie  warm  garden-\alleyj';  of  the  i*aci1iv', 
tlu;  Willamette  of  (Oregon,  an<l  the  Saci'anu-nto  and 
San  Joa((uin  of  California,  j)rotected  on  their  wt'st  by 
the  Coast  Range.  Of  lessei- altitude  tlian  »  itlier  the 
Snowy  or  the  Rocky  ranges,  the  Coast  Mountains  fur 


'ii 


406 


FOREST  LIFE  AND  FUR-HUNTIXG. 


if- 


the  most  part  rise  from  the  very  verge  of  tlio  ocean ; 
and  thoujjjli  broken  in  places,  and  sometimes  separated 
from  tlie  sea  by  a  low  level  surface  twenty-five  or  iifty 
miles  in  width,  they  form  a  continuous  chain  from  the 
Califoinian  Gulf  to  lierinff  Strait.  At  San  Fran- 
cisco Bay  they  open  to  the  Californian  valley  diain- 
ai'e,  on  the  (Jreijjon  coast  to  that  of  tlie  Columbia; 
on  r(;achiiig  the  48th  parallel  the  range  breaks  in  an 
archipelago,  twelve  huntlre<l  islands  here  guarding  the 
shore  for  seven  h'lndrod  miles,  and  then  strikes  the 
maiidand  ai^ain  at  mounts  Fairweathcr  and  iClias. 
Soutli  of  California  all  the  ranges  of  western  North 
America  combine  in  a  series  of  more  or  less  elevated 
mountains  and  plateaux.  The  Chepewyan  AEountains, 
by  which  name  the  northern  extremity  of  the  llocky 
ISIountains  is  known,  form  the  water-shed  between  the 
Maeken/ie  and  the  Yukon,  On  the  east  side  of  the 
main  continental  ridge  are  lesser  parallel  I'idges  which 
subside  into  plain  as  the  rivers  are  reached;  on  the 
western  side  mountain  and  })lain  are  more  di^uinctly 
marked.  In  Oregon  there  are  the  Blue  .Mountains; 
as  a  divide  between  Oregon  and  California  we  ha\" 
the  Siskiyou  Mountains,  where  the  (^oast,  (^ascade, 
ani!  Nevada  ranges  meet,  with  snow-capped  Mount 
Shasta  as  their  sentinel;  in  Alaska  there  is  the 
Alaskan  chain,  e\ten»hng  from  the  Alaskan  peninsula 
beyond  the  Yukon  liiver.  '^fhe  interior  of  British 
C()lumbi;i  is  a  luountainiHis  ])lateau. 

JJritish  America  was  the  fur-hunter's  paradise.  Cold 
enougli  to  recpiire  of  natur*^  thick  coverings  lor  her 
animal  ci-eations;  fertih^  enough  to  furnish  food  tor 
those  anii.ials;  rugged  enough  in  soil  and  climate  to 
re(piire  of  native  man  consl-uit  displays  of  energy; 
sterile  and  forl)idding  enough  to  kee[»  out  settlers  so 
long  as  better  land  might  be  liad  lU'arer  ci\  ili/,ation. 
it  oileretl  [>reciseiy  the  lield,  of  all  tlie  wo»ld,  a  Ihr 
corporation  miglit  choo.se  for  a  century  or  two  ()t" 
exclusive  dominion. 

StaiLinyr  from  the  rujjged  slK»res  of  Labiador,  we 


PHYSICAL  FEATURES. 


407 


lonvc  without  regret  its  bleak  interior  tal^le-laiid,  cov- 
civil  with  stunted  poplar,  spruce,  birch,  willow,  and 
aspen,  and  strewn  with  casibon-moss-covered  bowMers, 
and  })ass  round  throu<»;h  Canada,  with  its  irrei^ular 
plateaux,  its  wet  wooded  to  v.  ses  and  alluvial  plains 
(•(»\  ered  witli  hard-wood  forests,  when  we  enter  Rupert 
Land  and  Canada's  north-west  territories. 

Prominent  here  is  frozen  stillness,  if  it  be  winter, 
or  if  summer  general  wetness,  with  substrata  of  ice. 
Inlan<l  seas,  lakes,  and  watercourses  stand  conspicu- 
(lus.  Not  to  mention  the  bays,  sounds,  and  channels 
which  communicate  by  straits  directly  with  the  ocean, 
tliei'e  is  a  chain  of  lakes  beginning  with  Superior,  the 
largest  body  of  fresh  water  on  the  globe,  and  stretch- 
ing due  north-west;  Wimnjieg,  with  Winni[>egoos  and 
Manitoba  beside  it.  Deer,  Wollaston,  Athabasca,  (jlreat 
Slave,  Great  ]"Jear,  and  scores  of  lesser  sheets.  By 
reason  of  these  aqueous  ^concatenations,  this  linking 
(>r  lakes  and  rivers,  one  can  travel  from  the  Atlantic; 
to  the  Pacitic,  from  the  gulf  of  Mexico  to  the  Arctic 
Ocran,  almost  wholly  by  water. 

Throughout  nmch  of  this  domain  the  climate  is 
divary,  the  country  treeless,  and  game  scarce.  Tlu; 
w  inters  are  extremely  cold,  the  sunnners  short,  with 
idcntiful  rainfalls  along  the  eastern  border,  whose 
wialth  is  in  its  fislu'ries  rather  than  in  its  furs.  Tin; 
lichest  of  all  that  reuion,  ai^riculturallv,  is  the  fertile 
hilt  extending  from  lied  River  to  the  Saskatclu'wan 
and  the  Rocky  ^Mountains,  at  the  threshold  of  which 
on  the  east  lies  the  Laurentian  wilderness.  North  of 
(10  vegetation  almost  wholly  <'cases;  and  yet  (Jods 
creatures  are  nowhere  more  boisterous  in  their  Irolics 
than  here. 

Notwithstanding  so  much  general  moisture,  thei-e 
art'  wide  tracts  sterile  fr  i  tiryness.  Rctwccn  the 
(^hrA]»pt'lle  and  the  Saskatchewan,  west  of  tlu'  looth 
nici  idian,  is  along  loni'ly  waste  of  treeless  jdain,  lulling 
midst  thicket-fiinged  hills,  while  north  of  the  chain 
<»t"  lakes  spreads  an  immensity  of  arid  surface  feebly 


408 


FOREST  LIFE  AXD  FURHUXTIXO. 


U  i 


supportinj^  a  stunted  ve<^ctation,  often  deolininiij  into 
lUiseit  absolute.  West  ot'  this  we  find  desert,  |»raiii(', 
and  forest;  IV'acc  River  flows  throuj^h  niucli  iu_iru(.,l 
countrv,  l)etween  high  banks  relieved  in  places  hy 
wooded  terraces,  l)ut  once  upon  the  higher  level  l!i(3 
indentations  disaj)]>ear,  leaving  the  eye  to  meet  copses 
and  j)rtiiiles  in  endless  perspective. 

Although  spring  is  tardy  after  the  long  cold  winter, 
yet  flowers  are  rpiick  enough  to  l»l<)oin  and  grass  to 
grow  wlien  once  the  snow  melts,  and  summer  with  its 
rii)ening"  sun  and  [)ure  elastic  air  seems  suddenly  to 
dio}*  upon  the  land,  and  finally  to  overspread  the  sur- 
face with  a  warm  transparent  haze,  as  if  in  tenderness 
to  veil  the  land  from  such  unaccustomed  joy. 

Tn  autunm  nature  assumes  her  most  ooivrcMus 
draj>e]y.  Even  the  shivering  .shrubs  tliat  nesth-  in 
some  hollow  or  nervously  ding  to  the  base  of  liilh 
show  color  wlien  tlu>  frost  strikes  them,  wliile  i!ie 
luxuriant  lon-sts  revel  in  rainbow  hues.  A  lortni;.  !it 
later,  and  the  gold  and  amber-leaved  beech,  the  icd 
and  yellow  leaved  ma[)le,  and  the  copper-leaved  o;ik, 
are  strijtped  of  their  gaudy  drapery  and  stand  nak.  I 
upon  an  (Uidless  sheet  of  snow.  Then  breatlies  uposi 
them  the  moist  breath  of  nature,  and  lo!  every  tv.l  ;• 
is  ji 'Welled,  encased  in  ice  which  glitters  in  the  s;m 
lik(^  a  forest  of  glass. 

Pass  over  the  mountains  intf)  British  Columbii, 
and  on  tlu'  rough,  hilly  plateau  are  found  Mater,  a;. I 
wood,  and  ))laiii,  though  there  is  no  lack  of  v.il!, 
rolling  nicuntains.  bare  and  by  no  means  pi-eposse-  ;- 
ing.  IJivt'rs  juiv  plow  their  (U>ep  fmiows  throu;  !i 
the  uneven  suii'ace,  and  leap  down  the  sides  of  t!ie 
plateau,  'i'liei-e  are,  iirst  the  ]*'raser,  then  Thomp.'.oii 
lliver,  and  Stuait,  Jiabine,,  Quesnelle,  Okanagan,  aiil 
C'hilcotin  lakes  and  rivers.  Almost  all  the  tributaii-s 
of  the  great  rivei's  Iumc  have  a  freak  of  becoming  in- 
flate<!  by  a  sense  of  theii-  im])ortunce,  and  so  wideuiii,.;' 
in  |)laees  inti>  lakes.  The  rivers  and  lakes  of  tlie 
western   shipe  are   less   in    number  and   extent  th.iii 


SURFACE  AND  CLIMATE. 


409 


those  of  the  eastern.  With  the  ^rackenzie,  Poaoo 
Eiver,  the  Athabasca,  Saskatchewan,  St  Lawrence, 
Mississippi,  Missouri,  Yellowstone,  ] Matte,  Arkansas, 
an<l  llio  del  Norte,  we  have  the  Colorado,  the  Sacra- 
mento, the  Columbia,  antl  the  Yukon. 

The  upper  regions  are  rainy,  and  the  lower  lands, 
where  fertile,  are  densely  wooded  in  the  deei)est 
p^reen.  There  is,  however,  in  the  interior  much  undu- 
latinjjf  lightly  woode<l  land,  as  well  as  open  prairie  ot' 
grcatei'  or  less  adaptation  to  jiastoral  and  a';iicnltural 
pnr[)osos.  As  a  rule  the  valleys  are  fertile,  and  the 
liiil-sides  are  wooded,  while  the  ]>lateaux  are  barnai. 
A  large  level  tract  between  Thoni[)S()n  and  Frnscr 
rivers  is  wooded.  There  are  places  in  these  high- 
lands of  awful,  uns[)eakable  gi-andeur;  towering  cliils, 
yawning  chasms;  places  where  granite  walls  tower  a 
tliousand  feet  and  more  abo^•e  foaming  water-falls, 
vvliich  dash  down  cliffs  and  thuiulei-  througli  ravines, 
(l!(>\>;;ing  the  wild  beasts'  roar,  and  flinging  rainbows 
tlirong'h  the  descending  sjiiay  up(»n  the  sky.  Into 
the  clear  li(|uid  blue,  for  example,  of  Stuart  Lake, 
wlui'e  the  salmon  after  his  wonderful  journey  from 
till'  Pacific  rests  as  a  strange)-,  foivst-clad  ]>ronion- 
torics  stretch  themselves,  while  from  its  w"s((.i-n  and 
nertlu'i-n  shores  tail  mountains  risi'.  Near  tlie  lii<;hest 
l;ind  that  se[)arates  the  Arctic  from  the  J^acilic  is 
Miick-od  Lake,  whence  to  the  Coast  Range  extends 
;iii  uneven  plati'au,  south  of  which  are  seas  of  grass 
with  shores  of  ^()rl'.■^t. 

l'l\ce])ting  north-western  Alaska, the  Pacific  slojie  is 
Avarnier,  and  toward  the  south  drier  than  co;i('s|ioiiil- 
iiig  latitudes  on  tlu^  Atlantic:  and  yet  in  j)laces  it  is 
fold  enough.  The  coast  of  Ih  itish  ( 'olumbia  is  bi-okeii 
iiil  )  island.-,  and  iidets  which  all'ird  multitudes  of  e\- 
'•'•llint  harbors.  A'^anconver  Inland  is  incky,  inouii- 
t.iiiious,  and  wooded.  Climate  here  is  modilied  by 
the  ocean.  The  site  of  Victoi'ia  is  one  of  the  most 
pi<tures(|ue  in  the  W(»i'l(!  The  whole  Xoitliwest 
Ct»ast  near  the  sea  is  warm  and  wet,  rain  falling  abun- 


410 


FOREST  LIFE  ANl  -  FUR-HUNTINO. 


I! 


dantly  (luring  all  the  months  of  tho  year.  The  southern 
shore  of  Alaska  presents  a  renuukahle  contrast  in  this 
respect  to  northern  Labrador  and  southern  Greenland, 
being  for  so  high  a  latitude  exceedingly  mild,  owing  to 
tho  warm  currents  sent  northward  fr<jni  the  Ja[)an  Sea. 
Kast  of  the  Cascade  Kang^c  the  climate  is  more  like 
that  of  California,  being  dry  in  summer  and  rainy 
during  winter.  In  the  interior  it  is  warmer  in  summer 
and  colder  in  winter  than  on  the  coast. 

Descending  southward  through  the  transparent 
waters  of  Admiralty  Inlet  and  l*uget  Sound,  whose 
gravelly  shores  are  feathered  by  dense  forests  ex- 
tending far  back  in  opaque  wil(lerness,  we  come  to 
the  Columbia,  flowing  from  afar  silently,  majestically, 
thoufjh  here  and  there  falling  in  cataracts  or  rushing 
boisterously  through  narrow  mijuntain  gorges,  tlie 
fertile  fields  of  Oregon  often  drenched  in  moistuie, 
then  to  the  drier  ■valleys  of  California;  and  tinaliy 
tnrnitig  to  the  eastward  we  encounter  the  arid  sands 
of  xVrizona.  East  of  the  Cascade -Nevada  range  we 
find  the  same  meteorological  jnfradations.  l^etween 
the  Blue  Mountains  and  tlie  Cascade  Ilange  in  the 
northern  part  there  is  nuich  level  country  wliose 
M'oixUess  surface  of  yellow  sand  and  clay  when  cov- 
ered witli  bunch-grass  and  shrubs  was  deemed  worth- 
less, but  since  converted  into  fields  of  waving  grain. 
IVoceeding  southward,  the  (Jlreat  JJasin  is  entered, 
and  the  sandy  sagebrush  country  of  Nevada  and 
I'tah.  East  of  the  Blue  Mountains  are  bare  roeky 
chains  interlaced  with  deep  gorges,  tlu'ougii  which 
ilows  and  foams  the  melted  snow  i'roui  the  surround- 
ing summits.  Tliough  there  are  on  the  Pacific  slo])!' 
hundreds  of  lakes  so  pellucid  as  to  bring  appaiciitly 
within  arm's  length  pebbles  ten  or  twenty  feet  distant, 
yet  there  are  scmie  unattractive  slieets,  thick  and 
murky  with  saline  substances,  and  ha\ing  no  visible 
outlet,  the  greatest  of  which  is  Great  Salt  Lake  of 
Utah. 

Eastern  Washington  is  elevated  and  irregular,  the 


HABITATS  OF  ANIMALS. 


411 


_'t\V('fU 


COV- 

orth- 
orain. 

a  ami 
r<>cl<y 
\vliicli 

I'oiintl- 

uvutly 
istaiit, 
U  ami 
visil»l(> 
akc  ol 

\n',  the 


v.ostorn  part  only  hoini^  densely  wooded.  Idaho  and 
^Montana  consist  of  rollinj^  table-lands,  with  many  <le- 
jdvssed  valleys.  Intersect inijf  ranj^es  of  mountains 
ivar  their  sunnnits  in  })laces  into  the  rei^ion  of  per- 
j)etnal  snow.  The  climatic  of  the  lower  lands  is  mild. 
Forests  of  pine,  fir,  and  cedar  are  interspersed  with 
orassy  plains.  The  Wahsatch  Mountains  (hvide  Utah, 
tlie  western  part  with  Nevada  bel(>nj,ang  to  the  Great 
IJasin  with  no  outlet  for  their  waters,  while  the 
eastern  part  is  drained  by  the  Colorado.  All  this 
region  is  arid,  with  slugiLjish  streams,  brackish  lakes, 
and  sandy  plains,  interspersetl  with  small  short  ridges 
of  mountains. 

The  term  prairie  is  apjilied  to  a  variety  of  open 
h'vel  surfaces.  There  are  the  alluvial  jiraii'ies  of 
til'.'  ^lississippi  Valley,  the  sandy  praiiies  of  the 
( >u'A])|)clle  and  Assinil)oine,  with  their  saline  [)onds 
h;df  hidilen  by  willow  and  aspen  Likewise  parts  of 
the  low  fertile  belt  of  the  Ked  Kiver  we  minht  call 
jiiairii'.  The  word  jdains  is  also  applied  to  innu- 
iiit'iablo  localities;  but  what  emiij^rants  to  Orejj^on  and 
("allfui-nia  understood  as  the  I'lains  was  the  ceuntry 
tliey  were  obliged  to  cross  with  so  nuich  tedious  labor 
Mliich  sti-etches  Westward  from  the  ^tissouri  along  the 
l*latte,  and  far  to  the  north  anil  to  the  south  of  it. 

Animals  of  various  kinds,  and  fisli  and  fowl,  were 
originally  «listributed  in  prodigal  ])r(»fusion  through- 
out this  region,  though,  as  wi'  have  si'en,  there  were 
stei"il(^  places  in  which  game  was  scarce. 

Almost  eveiywhere  beaver  were  pli'Utifnl:  the 
shai|)-toothed  otter,  on  whicli  no  otliei'  beast,  but 
man  preys,  likewise  had  a  widi'  range,  ha\ing  been 
seen  in  Mexico  and  (  V-ntral  America;  and  on  all  the 
plains  east  of  the  liockv  Mountains  wire  butlidoes: 
and  indeed  the  bul'i'alo  once  found  its  way  westward 
as  far  as  the  plains  of  the  upper  Columbia,  but  its 
residence  there  was  of  short  duration.  Mo(»se  llour- 
ished  about  the  Athabasca  and  IVace  lliver  country. 


412 


FOREST  LIFE  AND  FURnUXTIXa. 


>■■  '■ 


In  Arctic  quarters  were  reindeer,  herds  of  ton  thou- 
sand hein_i(  sonietinies  driven  from  thickets  to  the 
shore  of  the  ocean;  also  musk-oxen,  white  foxes,  and 
pohir  hears;  brown,  grizzly,  and  cinnamon  I)ears  were 
their  neighbors  on  the  south  and  dominated  the  foi-csts 
as  far  as  Mexico.  So  numerous  liere  (hn*ing  summer 
were  geese,  swans,  ducks,  pehcans,  bustnrd,  cianes,  Jiiid 
cormorants  as  to  cloud  the  sky,  an<l  so  noisy  as  to 
Hins'"  round  the  listener  a  curtain  of  sound,  'i'he 
ermine  was  a  northei-n  animal,  while  the  hul)itat  of 
the  American  sable  or  marten  was  a  htth;  south,  say 
between  latitude  05°  and  37°;  yet  its  ])i-esence  on  the 
Arctic  sliores  has  been  attested.  ]\lenti(>n  may  l)e 
made  of  the  walrus  on  Arctic  shores,  and  seals,  sea- 
unicorns,  and  black  and  white  whales.  ( Jcese  and  dut'^s 
were  evt'ry  where  from  the  ^lexican  gulf  to  the  Ardic 
Ocean,  and  swans  were  plentiful  in  jdaces.  Wolws 
were  numerous  at  the  north,  and  coyotes  south.  In 
the  northei'n  loresf  •  were  also  the  raccoon,  badger, 
and  musk-rat;  the  gray  fox  I'ancied  the  prairie. 

l^etween  the  northern  and  southern  extremes  the 
elk  ranged;  likewise  the  black-tailed  deer.  The  red 
deer  or  white-tailed  deer  enjoyed  a  wider  range,  cov- 
ering in  fact  almost  the  (.'utiiv  continent.  The  ante- 
lope belonged  specially  to  the  great  ]»lains.  The 
mountain  sheep  and  goats  foimd  their  homes  among 
the  rocky  crags  of  the  continental  range.  Lewis  aiid 
Clarke  saw  mountain  shei'})  at  the  Cascades.  The 
gi'izzly  bear,  tlie  largest  of  Anujiican  carnivora,  lived 
in  the  mountains,  though  descending  ev(>ry  antuiiin 
to  the  plains  for  grapes  and  berrie:s.  The  Califoiiiia 
lion  is  little  more  tiian  a  huLje  cat,  but  with  st>nses 
exceedingly  acute;  the  jtanther  is  his  smaller  brothtr. 
The  wolverene  spi-ead  over  the  whole  of  northern 
North  America,  extending  as  far  south  as  latitude  ."'l*  , 
or  perha})s  farther.  The  great  interior  valley  bt'tweeu 
Hudson  ]^av  and  the  <>ulf  of  ^lexico  was  the  habitat 
of  the  American  badij^er;  s(»uth-west  of  this  limit  was 
the  Mexican  badger.     The  special  domain  of  the  sea- 


DRESSING  SKINS. 


413 


otter  was  tlio  Xortliwest  Coast,  whoso  shores  and 
inlands  it  covei'cd  from  Ahiska  t(»  l^ower  (  alif'ornia. 
Fish  of  all  sorts  aboiuidod  in  the  lakes  and  rivers, 
the  piscatorial  feature  of  the  Paeiiie  slope  huinjj^  its 
salmon.  Over  the  phiins  iiorthwaid  and  westward 
from  the  uulf  of  ^Nfexieo  innumeraMc;  hjinds  of  cattle 
and  horses  ran  wild.  Most  marketable  furs  are  [»ro- 
cured  north  of  the  fortieth  parallel.^ 

It  was  the  i)oliey  of  the  fur  companies  not  to  ex- 
haust any  part  of  the  ct)untrv;  hcnco  when  it  is 
found  tliat  animals  are  on  tho  decrease,  the  district  is 


ahandcjucd    i'or   a  time 


^rii 


lore    wore   places    when 


l)e;iver  were  trapped  but  on-;  season  in  live.  Tlu! 
beaver  was  usually  taken  by  means  of  a  smooth-jawed 
steel-traj),  fastened  to  a  stake  (h'iv(!n  in  the  jtond  near 
the  (lam.  ]\lost  fur-bearinj^' animals  were  captured  by 
a  steel-ti;i|»,  poiseniuLC  and  shootiuL;'  beinn'  objection- 
able on  account  of  injury  to  the  skin.  There  wjis  tli«. 
clumsy  dead-fall  contrivance,  amony  others,  ^vhich 
the  steel  spring"  trap  suj)ersede(l. 

Vvlien  stri[»|>ed,  the  skin  was  stretehed  until  dry, 
after  which  it  was  folded,  with  the  fur  inward.  Ten 
(»r  twentv  made  a  bun<lle,  which  when  tiu'htlv  nressed 
and  coi'ded  was  i(;ady  lor  transj»ortation.  'i  he  eighty- 
four  or  ninety-j)ound  packs  of  the  ]>ritish  American 
coni])anies  were  uiiilbrm  in  sixe  and  sh;)j)e,  and  were 
pressed  by  wedges  or  sci'ews  into  the  smallest  compass 


illK 


1   1 


lound  wi 


til   tl 


lonu's, 


th 


dl 


le  smaller  and  tmei'  sians 


I  ii 


siKJi  as  \\\v.  marten,  musk-rat,  and  otter,  of  which 
there  are  oiti'ii  four  or  live  hundre(l  in  a  bale,  beinn' 
]itit  inside  and  incloseil  by  the  c(nuser  kinds,  deer, 
^vo]f,  buii'alo,  and  bear. 

Iluiiteis  commonly  used   the  bi-ains  of  the  aiiimal 
for  (hess!iiL>'  the  skin.     After  the  tlesh  and  i^rain  were 


I  /'r/W 


111,  4:( : 


miui  III  I'ltjii  r^. 


Hill  llhrr  S,lll<  ninil,  HJ;    /h,U,.-i'  //uls 


A  i'ir/ii»i.ir  n  I  rii  jijii  r  K  1 1 


T, 


M.'.;    Jur/nirJs 


■  I'liliir  /I'liiii 


I  til  II,    •_'.!, 

•-'7  t  S4  ; 


Jliil^itiili/i.i's  /liiil.-iiiii  1)1  11,  (iO,  (i(i;   Sr<  III  <  ill  t/if  I'liikij  Mitiii'lu 


•JSS;    \V,II., 


ill  r 


/;. 


/;. 


'/. 


lU;    / 


III  II fl' I  III  s 


'/>.//vAs,  4:;i;;  .lA 


oi-.j  til  , 


.1- 


■-'IS-  17:  f/i>in.<'sJiiiirii<!/.-2-2C>;  /tiiniit/'ti  /.'irul/ir/imis,  MS.,  i.  llS--_>(); 


Vii  li. ,■'.■<  Hi i-n-i'l'  ir.,s7,  <;-l-il;    /,( 


V oik.s  licloiigiiiy  to  hunting  iiml  iiuturul  history. 


(/  <  'liir/.i'sJoiiriKi/,  ,'{77;  mi'l  niaii}  other 


414 


FOREST  LIFE  AND  FUR-HUNTING. 


removed  from  tlio  pelt  it  was  sojjked  in  a  decoction 
of  brains  and  water,  and  rubbed  with  the  hands  as 
it  dried. 


IJeiween  1812  and  1  841  the  southern  fur  districts  of 
tl»e  J'acitic  States,  that  is  to  sav  the  California  eoun- 
try  iyinjj^  between  Oregon  and  Mexico,  aside  from  in- 
dividual trappers  and  private  tradiniij  companies,  was 
oceupicd  by  the  llussians.  l^ikewise  at  the  I'xtreine 
north-west,  fictm  Simpson  liiver  to  Berinj^  Strait, 
the  llussians  held  sway;  while  from  1821  to  IH-M, 
between  these  two  distant  [»oints  the  intermediate 
reLjion  as  well  as  the  interior  back  of  Alaska  was 
dominated  solely  by  the  Hudson's  Hay  Company. 

The  company  then  nund)ered  among  its  servants 
many  French  Canadians,  as  well  as  Scotch,  English, 
and  Irish,  though  at  first  Orkney  men  were  chitdly 
cm[)loyed  as  boatmen,  lumters,  and  laborers.  I  will 
now  endeavor  to  give  the  reader  more  complete 
knowledge  of  the  origin  and  character  of  that  singular 
class,  the  Canadian  boatmen  and  fur-hunters,  and  tlicn 
proceed  to  institute  some  comparisons  between  them 
and  the  An ijlo- American  wood-ran<xer. 

Out  of  the  desire  of  Montreal  merchants  for  the 
distant  savage's  stock  of  peltries  arose  a  class  sni 
(/enefis.  There  is  no  being  like  the  (Canadian  voi/c- 
(jcin'— or,  if  he  be  on  land,  the  coureur  dcs  hois — 
except  liimself  lie  cannot  be  called  a  cross  between 
French  and  Indian,  though  that  wouM  be  the  neai-ist 
approach  to  I'ace  measurement  tliat  we  coidd  niaUe. 
His  (lalhc  oi'iiiinal  he  certaiidy  retains,  volatile  enouiih 
at  iirst,  but  wlien  sublimated  by  sylvan  ireedom  IVoiii 
restraint  he  is  a  new  creation.  It  was  his  nature, 
dilferent  from  that  of  other  men,  that  made  him  thus; 
for  of  none  but  a  Frenchman,  not  matter  what  were 
the  engendering  circumstances,  could  a  voyageur  bt; 
niade,  any  more  than  another  metal  beside  potassium 
thrown  upon  water  would  float  and  burn. 


COUREURS  PES  BOIS. 


415 


OiiLriiiallv  tile  wild  animals  of  Ainorica  woro  liiiiitod 
only  for  lood  and  clotliinLf  sufficient  to  supply  the 
moderate  re(juii-ements  of  so  thinly  peopled  a  legion. 
IJiit  \vith  the  advent  of  the  all-devoiuini^  white  men 
eastern  forests  were  soon  made  tenantless,  and  the 
trader  was  ol)li<>vd  jjjiaduallv  U)  i)ress  west  and  north. 

In  a  surprisingly  short  time  the  Fn^nch  Canadian 
would  heeome  half  savat^e,  and  so  attached  to  his  wil  I 
life  and  associates  that  civilization  with  itsstiilini,'  con- 
M-ntionalities  and  oj)pressive  comforts  became  i'orever 
after  <listasteful.  To  the  fur-trade  the  coureurs  des 
hois  weie  as  the  miners  in  j^'old-producin^f  districts. 
It  was  they  who  risked  the  dauij^er  and  pei-formcid  the 
labor,  while  the  prudi'iit  ])olitic  trader  reaped  the  har- 
vest. The  coureurs  des  hois  were  forest  pedlers  ratht-r 
than  hunters;  they  seldom  enjjjaiLjed  in  trap[)inLC,  hut 
conlined  themselves  j>rinci[)ally  to  traftickinLj  with  tlie 
natives;  they  were  a  »^o-between,  assisting-  both  tlio 
iiunter  an'  the  merchant.  To  the  early  Flench  tra<ler 
they  were  a  forest  factotum,  but  with  Ihitish  domi- 
nation their  <-allin\,''  declined,  and  tlii'y  became  simply 
vovaLreurs,  or  boatmen.  Thev  were  the  first  in  (/'anadii 
to  link  savaLjism  to  civilization,  and  in  the  conscience- 
less race  that  followed  they  were  dragy^ed  to  death 
with  the  sylvan  society  they  loved. 

Jjike  the  orthodox  miner,  they  were  always  ponni- 
li'ss.  Success  had  little  to  do  with  permanent  pros- 
jH'iity.  Obtaining  from  the  merchant  credit  for  su(  h 
iuticles  as  they  reijuired,  knives,  hatchets,  guns,  am- 


munition, tobacco,  calico,  Ijlankets,  beach 


aiK 


I  oti 


ler 


tiinkets,  they  set  out  from  the  trading-post  singly  or 
ill  companies  of  two,  thi'ee,  or  four,  in  canoes  usually 
of  i»ircli  bark,  which  they  could  easily  carry  round  Wm 
niany  raj)ids  they  encountered,  or  even  for  some  dis- 
tance across  thc!  country.   Sometimes  they  joined  tin  ir 


>toek 


an( 


1  labors   in   an  adventure  of  six  or    twehe 


months,  and  ])enetrating  the  more  distant  paits  they 
eitln>r  followed  the  native's  in  tlnir  hunting  excursions, 
ur  nieetiiiir  theui  on  their  return  relieved  theiu  of  their 


I 


410 


FOREST  LIFE  A\D  FUR-HUNTIN'O. 


jn'c'cious  Imrdtius  in  cxcliamn'c.'  for  Huch  triHos  as  o;\j>ti- 
vatt'd  the  ivd  nijin's  cliildisli  oyo. 

KettiiiiiiiL^'  with  lich  carjLJfoc's,  not  unfixMiucntly  at- 
t(ii(U'(l  \>y  a  cttiicoiu'si'  of  savaL^c  luiiitsiucii  with  lluir 
Avivfs  and  cliildi'di,  tiicy  wvn^  ^iVL-tcd  witii  snilKs 
anionic  ircnc'ial  I'ljoiciiiufs.  Si'ttliiii^-  tlu-ir  arciaiiit  \v"t!i 
tiic  iiuicliaiit,  thus  insuriiiin'  tivsh  civiht,  they  l^iinc 
thciusolvcs  up  to  plcasiu'i',  and  'luickly  s(|uand(ir(|  .ill 
tlicii- ;4'ains.  \  tV'W  short  days  and  nij^dits  sulliccd  to 
|ilacc  iiair  linancc's  exactly  whci'c  tluy  wi-rc  a  year  or 
ten  years  In'ioiv-  that  is,  at  zero;  and  it  is  a  (|ni'slion 
in  whii'h  they  most  delighted,  the  IVei-  licentiousness 
of  the  I'oivst  or  th<j  (.Irunkeniiesb  and  dehauchery  of 
civilization. 

Because  the  Frenchman  Mas  set  unlike  the  Indian, 
so  much  more  unlike  him  than  was  the  I']n;;lish!ii;iii, 
in  the  closer  relationshij)s  he  was  less  uneiiduiaMe 
to  till'  Ameiican  ahorin'inal  than  any  other  ioreiniin-. 
Jjike  the  Spaniard,  the  Indian  was  pompous,  promt, 
superstitious,  treacherous,  and  crui'l ;  like  the  iMiu'lisli- 
man,  he  was  cold,  diL',nitied,  oj^otistical,  crafty,  and  co- 
ercive. Now  the  I'^renchman  may  have  a  [)urpose.  hut 
he  never  foi-jj^ets  that  he  is  a  Frenchman.  Without 
the  slightest  hesitation  lu'  In'aves  dann'c  "  and  emhraccs 
fatigue;  without  heiuL;'  one  whit  less  couraL(cous  tli.ui 
the  Si)aniard  or  l']nL>lishman,  j)ossil)ly  lie  may  not  he 
so  eiiduiiuL^.  Jn  this  respect  he  is  iKtt  unlike  the 
Indian:  without  a  murnuu"  he  accepts  sutferinn'  as  his 
late',  heai'inn'  ^M*  ""^l^^'i"  it  with  the  utu'.ost  j^-oodduunor: 
hut  the  apex  of  patience  j)assed  ••nd  he  at  once  su<'- 
cund)s.  There  is  no  wailing?  over  his  fate;  overcome 
l»y  labor  ami  misfoi'tnne,  or  lost  or  starved  in  tin' 
forest,  he  lays  himself  down  to  deaili  Avith  tlii^  same 
nonchalance  with  which  he  hore  life's  heavy  hurdeus. 

l>ut  it  was  his  Fi-eiich  suavity  of  manner,  his  mer- 
curial li^ditdieartedness  and  soft  winsome  ways  tlint 
ca))tivated  the  stern,  staid  Noilh  American,  and  made 
the  suvaLje  love  to  have  him  near  him.     The  Fuiili-h- 


1 '■ 


ii 


TFIK  FUFATIIMAN'. 


417 


iiiMM  WMs  ii  luiiiLj  to  In-  r('s|u'('t(Ml  and  (riirtMl,  the 
l''itncliiiiaii  to  l)f  cmlti'iicc'd  and  l<»V(d;  luiifc,  \vl> .11 
I'loiii    Monti'cal,  soon  at'tor   ('artier   liad    loiiiid    that 


Itl.lCC 


tl 


\r  sons  of    s\V('( 


•t  V 


raiifc,  witli  lioarts  a> 


li-ht 


and  huovant  as  tlu'iv  littK'  l»oats,  ])addl('(|  thrir  way 
far  up  sli'f.nns  nrw  to  I'iUi'oju'an  eyes,  and  with  the 
t't-arlt'ss  playtuhu'ss  of  kittens  sjMvad  tluii"  hiilliaiit 
trinkets  lirt'ore  eyes  jj^litteriii*^  with  adinii-ation,  and 
roaX(.'d  and  cajoh-d  thesi;  dismal  denizens  of  thi*  forest, 
(|ui«kly  I'allinLj  into  their  ways,  (piickly  |iei'eei\  in^'  all 
theii-  weaknessi's,  <|iii('kly  throwini^  <»tr  whatever  re- 
niaininn'  shreds  ol"  civilization  nii^dit  yet  he  haiinin-^  to 
themselves,  and  hecMnnini^  as  tilthy  an<l  as  iVee  as  the 
lordliest  savai,'e  thert",  eating',  diinkini^,  and  smoking; 
witii  the  men,  laiiLjhini,'',  eluittinLj,  and  mari-yiiiLj  with 
the  Women,  lillinif  the  air  with  traL,'rant  i4(M)d  choer 
and  merriment  wherever  they  went  —  no  wondi'r 
these  hard-featui'ed,  hai'ddieai'ted,  ht-astly,  and  hloedy 


S'l'oV\Il-Ul» 


hal 


)es  o 


f  tl 


le  Woo( 


I  wel 


('onju( 


I  su<-I 


I  compan- 


ion ■.liij),  and  I'l'joieed  in  tin-  eominij^  of  a  l*'reneh  trader 
as  in  the  arrival  of  a  piismal  ray  frctm  a  new  orl>. 

.\nd  so,  eomini,''  and  .i^'oin;^  hetween  town  and  en- 
campment, lioatinn'  streams  and  lakes,  and  trampiiij^" 
forests  and  prairies,  workinijj,  playiiiijf,  buy in_<4',  selling", 
launhin^,  sinirin^',  prayini;',  sweai'in^',  hut  always  cither 
sweatiiiL;'  for  nain  or  re\'ellin<j:  in  a  speedv  I'iddance  of 
their  hard  earninns,  thev  easilv  ad;ii)ted  to  chan-je 
of  circumstance  and  dress,  chan«>o  of  heart,  head,  and 
natui'e. 

They  easily  aftected  the  weaknesses  of  their  forest 
friends;  adoptecl  lon^'  hair,  which  if  liuht  and  curled 


(It 


li;;liti'(l  ( 


lusl 


<v  maids;  ai'rave( 


I   tl 


K'msclves   m  <'iiii- 


cracks,  decoi'atinj^'  their  hroad  honnets  with  ea^h; 
feathers,  and  their  leathern  huntin^'-cniats  with  hear 
ol-  hoise-hair  fVin_u;'t>s;  and  if  suiliciintly  icnenadi- 
Mud    Na^'raiit    they   did    not   <lisdain   to    render  their 


atur 


i's   more  expr(>ssive    hy  vermilion,    i;rea 


am 


ochre,  to  receive  theii-  boiled  butfalo  meat  and  li_;hted 
l»ipe  from  the  hand  of  an  atiectionutc  and  admiring 

UUT.  N.  W.  O0&8T,  Vol.  I.    27 


-'  '  i.!if  i 


Mil 


418 


FOREST  LIFE  AND  FUR-IIUNTINT,. 


native  iiym[>li,  or  even  to  assist  in  the  national  scalp- 
takiiiL? 


'nu'lr  heaiitiful  lanLTiuiLro  irreatlv  (kteii orated  wli 


t  !! 


broui^lit  into  such  familiar  contact  with  tho  liarsh 
j^uttural  of  the  Anierican  al)orininal.  In  disposition 
and    dailv   intcrcourso    with    each    other    thi;v   were 


iffecti 


out 


an( 


I   ol>li 


dd 


iH'nii,%  audressiiiL^  eacn    otner  as 


th 


'cousin'  and  *  bi'othei','  with  constant  intei'change  of 
kind  otKces.  Excejit  when  under  cuii^ai^enunit,  at 
wliich  times  they  worked  fast  and  faithfully,  thry 
wer-i'  as  lazv  as  they  were  imi)rovident.  To  their  em- 
jiloyers  they  were  respectful  and  sui>missive.  In  all 
his  lon-^and  perilous  joui'neyin'^s,  Mackenzie  i\ienti<)ns 
hut  oni'  act  of  wilful  disohechcnci',  and  that  was  a 
I'efusal  to  descend  a  fearful  rapid  in  a  crazy  canoe,  to 
Avhich  any  iVeeaufent  in  his  s(!nses  would  liave  ohjeeted. 
And  although  a  \villini4",  <"<'mpetent,  and  faitld'ul  ma  i. 
for  this  siiiL-le   act  he   was  stii'inatized   hv  his  com- 


-h 


Ui 


d 


mandei"  and    iiis  comi'ades  as   poltroon    .''iid  cowiir<i 
throU'-hout  the  rmnainder  of  the  iouriiev. 

ii'oniinent  in  the  character  of  llic  I'^-eiich 


No  I 
di 


ess  p 
tl 


hK 


i,anadian  tnan  nis  compamonaiiU-ness  m  aoon^inai 
(juarters  i>>  his  contentedness  in  lowly  estates,  lie 
seiuis  to  take  to  Scotc-h  service^  as  nat  uiallyas  to  savaije 
domesticity.  Altiioun'h  he  loves  to  talk,  and  dance, 
and  sinti'.  he  does  not  disdain  work,  jiarticulai'ly  ilail- 
minis((  ird  spasn«odically  ;  ad  in  not  too  larL^o  dosi's. 
'JMiis  willin^nt'ss  always  to  remain  the  Scotchman's 
beast  of  liurdcn  may  he  tracrd  likewise  from  hisoiii^in 

t.      His    mother  count rv 


a  IK 


I    A 


lurricjtn    envuM.MUien 


and  his  Mncestors  were  a  mixiui'e  of  I'eudalism  and  dt- 
inocrary,  of  popciT  and  j)roteslant  Ism.  The  jieopk! 
w«'rc!  nothinLT,  the  ;^(»verMn)ent  e\i  rythiiii^'.  I'lirsts 
and  princes  divided  hctwcon  tiiem  tlu'  fruits  of  the 
pea.sant's  lahoi-.  So  in  the  eai'ly  s(  ttliMuent  <if  the 
St  Jjawrence  feudal  seiiniieurs  hiMU^dit  iheir  ilrnlls 
(r<(iih(iiii<'  and  (h'oifs  dv  iin>ii/inii(j(',  which  made  a 
stockade  the  necessary  heiLjinniniLj  of  e\e»  '  town. 
There  the  old  system  was  continued;  seiun  jurs  were 


[''■>H 


HALI-  BRREDS. 


41!) 


1)0111  of  scijxncurs,  and  serf's  of  serfs.  Oovernment  was 
not  lor  tile  hottiycoisic;  and  the  more  liaULfhtily  the 
J'ritislicr  eari'ied  hniiself,  the  more  <jl)e(Uent  became 
t!ie  i>()()r  voyaufeur.  The  indei)endent  life;  wliich  he 
lost  with  loss  of  eountrv,  the  aholition  of  the  license 
system  and  <(eneral  e^an^•e  <»f  customs,  I  will  not  say 
wvn)  nut  severelv  felt.  It  was  a  sad  hlow  tt)  the 
French  Canadian  when  i'rom  his  unrestrainetl  condi- 
tinii  he  was  ohliujed  to  descend  and  take  service  with 
his  country's  enemies;  hut  being  forced  to  it  heyiehU'd 
L;racefully. 

lleligion,  T  must  say,  laid  its  ictters  lightly  upon 
the  (iallic  adventurer  in  the  New  World;  i'or  unlike 
thi'  Spahish  zealot  or  the  Knglish  puritan,  tht^  mer- 
curial mind  of  the  Frenchiiiaii,  who  at  home  was 
soiin'thii  g  of  a  I'ree-thinker,  became  emaneipate(l 
fifiiii  traditional  thraldom  alm<»st  immediately  upon 
l.inding  anndig  the  strange  scenes  of  the  western 
wilderness;  so  that  while  on  thc^  St  I^awreiice.  Jesuit, 
I'l'anc'iscan,  and  (  alvinist  fought  lor  the  juomul- 
gation  of  theii'  own  peculiar  faith,  the  tough  coii- 
letiis  des  l>ois,  delighting  in  adventure,  cared  lit  lit;  for 
eitht'l'. 

As  the  }>lood  of  the  Frenchman  mixed  more  and 
more  with  that  of  the  native  Anu-rican  the  oceuj»ation 
ef  \oyageur  fell  into  the  hands  of  half-breeds,  in  whom 
\\;is  imited   to  ^ome  small  <\tent  the   intilliu'eiice  of 


(•i\  ih/.ation  w 


Lh  ti 


e  instinctive  cimning  of  sa\agism. 


IVmii   tlu^   former  they  inherit  a   social   disposition, 
tViim   i\\v    iattev   gregarious    liabits.      Their   home    in 
winter   is  a   lixed    l(»g-hoase,  in    summer  ;i    nioval.l 
v>  i^■\vam.    Their  la/y  ell'oits  at  agriculture  aiv  usti.illy 
ned  witii   ill   success;   thougii  where  the  bhtod  is 


crow 


Ivb 


l>l'(iperly  l)re\Ve( 
produced  tine  farms. 


il  with  suitable  sun  and  soil  they  have 


}■ 


!IT 


'■>^vQ  SHIiiihtii'ti  Jimnitil,  .\i\unnry  \S'M,  ',\\\   'J!);    IIhiiik'I,  Ui'>t.  I'lul..  viii. 


Siii.yiiiii  ,H 


l/n< 


•')!)-  I):t:  iit'siili'M 


ii,;iil  I'll,-  l.iiiitl,  M\  .'».">;    Willi 

A'l nilir  M,„i/li/ii..\i\\;mi-\  IsTtl;  /'" 


I  liist 


iirv  iiii'l  tiav( 


Is;  //../,; 


Ill 


,/,'x  />, 


■'  r/M,  i. 


'/.,  i\.   107.  IIS   |!l; 


Ml 


ri(k'/<  .I'll'.,  -7  !S,  Il'J;  Ami' rsiin'o  yoiihinHt  Cvuet,  MS,,  '2'Ji-b, 


Irrni'i 


II 


'■l1 


FOREST  LIFE  AND  FUR-HUNTIXO. 

Altlioiiij^li  tlio  Ani^lo-Ainorioan  wood-raniofprs  hv- 
cauw  (leinorali/.wl  en()ii;^li  in  tluir  iiitiiuju'v  witli  tlic 
natives,  and  althoiiu^h  thvy  were  ]»orliaj>s  coarst-r,  more 
brutal  and  Moody  in  thcirstate  of  scnii-savajL^dsm  than 
tlio  b'roncli,  the  ti'a[)j)or  upon  tlio  United  States  fron- 
tier never  l)ecanie  so  a  ]>art  of  the  IncUan  witli  whom 
]i(!  assoeiated  as  did  the  Canadian;  and  for  the  very 
good  reason  that  lie  ('()uld  not. 

]5et\\een  the  English  cohuiists  and  the  American 
uhoriginals  there  was  ever  a  deadly  antagonism,  which 
(li<l  not  ])revail  in  Canadian  hunting-grounds,  where 
the  fur-trade  was  regarded  as  (»f  greater  imj)ortanei' 
than  agricultural  oc('U|)ation.  A  herce  liatred  of  iho 
intruding  raee,  as  the  pi-ogressixc  people  of  tlu;  Cnited 
States  ra[)idly  crowded  tlu-ii*  way  wi.'stward,  was  ic- 
turned  ]ty  the  intrudei-s  with  merciless  contempt  ami 
injustice. 

Cpon  the  hroad  slioulders  of  tlie  usually  tall,  spare, 
tough  frame  of  the  trajtper  whose  hij-thplace  may  he 


Keiituck 


M 


issouri, 


X 


ew 


o|- 


or  Coiniecticut,  a 


l)ig-l)one(l  fi'ame,  interknit  with  sinews  of  steel,  it  is 
not  uncommon  to  see  a  head  holding  at  once  the 
sagacity  of  the  savage  and  the  instinct  of  the  wild 
heast,  together  with  tlu'  stronger  cuiming  of  civiliza- 
lion,  the  whole  i'aced  l»y  features  of  almost  child- 
like ojienness  and  sim))licity.  Yet  stir  tlu>  inner  j»<hiI 
with  any  injui'v,  and  stj'aightway  that  so  lately  guile- 
less countenance  will  hla/e  with  hellish  hate,  while  tlu^ 
nniscles  m<»\'e  convulsivi-ly  and  hot  hlood  "ourses 
thiongh  swollen  \eins,  and  the  eyes  shoot  fori h  forkcfl 
revenge.  IJeing  himself  (he  ligliter  of  his  wrongs, 
he  mi'ans  to  «l(»  Ihe  woi-k  t»f  justici'  thoroughly,  lie 
n«'\ei-  foigets  a  kindness  or  an  injmv;  and  unless 
maddened  hy  drink  or  injustice,  he  is  as  haimless  as 
a  sleeping  serpent.  As  siu'cly  as  tlu'  unlettered  aho- 
riginal  race  fadi's  hefore  predominant  <'i\  ili/.ation.  so 
Hurely  sinks  the  cixilized  man  who  ventures  almie 
upon  the  sea  (»f  savagism. 

Jf  possihle,  the   ri'ckless  exti'avagauce  of  the   fur- 


THE  FUR-HUN'TER  AND  THE  MIXER. 


421 


liuntc-T  was  more  iiisuiu;  tliaii  that  of  tlie  iiiiiKr.  Think 
of  a  lif'o  of  (lander  and  privation  in  tliu  distant  wildci- 
iK'ss  foi'  one,  tliivi',  or  livt;  years,  witli  at  least  e(|iial 
cliancr  of  never  retnrnin^-;  think  of  the  toil  atten(nn^' 
ihi;  >lo\v  aircunmlation  of  furs  and  of  hi"in;L^ini,^  tluni  to 
market,  then  at  hist  ol"  ai'riviiij^  at  a  ien(K.z\(ms,  fort, 
oi-  town;  think  of  the  whole  cateh  heinjjf  every  dnihir 
thi;  |)(»or  fool  is  woilh,  except  what  he  may  cairy  (»n 
liis  back;  think  of  tlu'  results  of  all  this  i-isk  and  lalntr 
h>  ini;"  s(juander(  (I  in  thiee  days,  in  two  days;  or  of  the 
hunter  after  a  .sin'jlu  niyiil's  levelrv  iioinsj'  hack  to 
the  forest  as  j)ooi-  as  when  he  lirst  went  there,  an'ain 
to  «;athi'r  and  to  s(juandei'.  I  say  thi'  fin-huntir  is, 
if  jiossihle,  more  insane-  in  hi.s  dissijiations  tlian  the 
L;.)ld-huntei-:  for  the  former  take's  ^n-atcr  risivs,  and 
is  suiv  of  nevei-  secuiiiiLf  a  loi'tune,  which  the  latter 
never  forgets  is  within  his  raiii^e  of  ]»ossii»ilities. 

►Since  the  discoMiy  of  yold  in  fnrdumtin^*  districts 
llie  two  puisuits  have  often  keen  united.  In  IJritisii 
(ithunhia  many  mined  duiiuL,^  sununer  and  trajiped 
ill  winter.  Nor  were  j)artners  and  proprietois  iVee 
\'n>\\\  this  propensity  to  prodiLjality.  Nowhere  was 
i\fr  seen  more  lavish  hospitality  (hu-inj.*'  the  earlier 
\«;irs  <»r  this  ceiitui'y  than  in  the  homes  of  the  l''ro- 
I'isliers,  the  Mc(  JiHi\rays,  and  the  Mc'l\-i\  ishes  of 
.Montreal,  who  vied  with  each  othei'  in  luxurious  osten- 
tation and  convi\  ialitv.  Wlu-n  the  fiU'  kiu'^  tra\elle(f 
lie  was,  like  the  I'epresentative  ('alifornian  «•!'  Is.")(), 
a  marked  man.  Mi»re  paitii'ulaily  the  jeweller  knew 
liini. 

( )nce  haviiiLC  fallen  within  the  sui)tle  inlhience  of 
I'nrcst  fascinations,  few  e\-ei'  weri'  content  to  retmn 
tit  the  stilliiiL,''  atmos|)here  t>i' straitlaced  e(in\«iit  inn- 
.ilisms.  Of  all  the  thousands  who  left  l(»\inL;'  Ik  arts 
and  wendi'd  their  wav  to  the  wilderness,  ntit  one  in 
ten  was  evt-r  heard  of  l»y  his  friends  ai^'ain.  Some 
perished  fi<»m  hunger  or  fatii^ue;  >omi-  uei-f  stun-^ 
hy  Miiomous  J, tiles,  or  were  torn  in  piecis  l»y  wild 
lieasts;  some  fell  'rom  elitls  and  others  were  swallow rd 


i 


42*2  FOREST  LIFE  AND  FUR-HUNTING. 

1)V  treacherous  waters;  fever  seized  sonic  and  irv 
winter  «)tliers;  and  finally  there  were  those  who  w(  ru 
tortured  to  death  hy  savay;es,  and  those  who  were 
shot  l'i<un  heliind  hy  their  comrades  lor  the  juick  wlii<li 
they  carried,  while  some  few  died  in  theii*  hlankcts  in 


H!a<'lV 


And  vet,  while  the  hones  of  tiie  ninetv  and 


nine  lie  hleacliinjjf  in  the  wilderness,  the  one  returniii'H" 
with  horsi^  or  hoat  packed  hijjfh  with  rich  |»eltiies 
alone  is  remembered.  I  am  told  hy  an  old  iiir-tra(l<r, 
who  has  given  nie  many  facts  of  interest,  that  while 
stationed  at  various  posts  he;  was  ohliged  to  hring  into 
the  field  amiual  recruits,  amounting  to  one  new  man 
for  eveiy  two  sent  out  the  previous  year,  and  that  in 
a  term  of  three  years,  during  which  two  hundied 
might  have  been  employed,  not  n.')rt!  than  forty  would 
be  kn(»wn  to  be  alive.  The  liuticements  of  fur-hunting 
wer«'  nnich  the  same  as  thosi>  of  LTold-s^atherinyf.  JJoth 
were  alluring  in  their  risks  no  less  than  in  their  it  - 
wanls.  While  holdin<'"  their  victim  firndy  within  their 
giasp,  both  encouragt'd  him  with  the  peipetual  hope 
of  some  day  i-etui'ning  to  honu^  and  friends,  even  hini- 
silf  not  knowing  that  he  would  not  if  he  could. 

It  is  th(>  fate  of  progressive  humanity  always  to  be 
wanting  something;  nor  do  f  sei*  that  it  matters  much 
whether  it  be  emi)ire,  fame,  or  beaver-skins  that  inge 
men  forward.  As  we  are  constituted, something  with- 
in must  prompt  action,  else  were  we  already  de.n!, 
though  foi'tuiu'  Hit  us  for  yeais  to  come.  Iler-e  in 
the  wildeiiiess  we  see  comforts  abandoned  and  life  sys 
tematically  risked  for  so  poor  a  trifle  that  niaiiy  would 
not  ?-ea<*h  out  their  hauil  to  obtain  it.  Without  a  inui- 
mui'  we  see  hardships  met  befoie  which  brave  in  n 
might  <|uail  without  dishoncu';  met  and  held  in  cheer- 
ful »'inbiace  until  violent  death  or  |>remature  old  ;ige 
cuts  short  their  cai'cer.  As  matters  (»f  course,  Iniig, 
«liflicult,and  dangerous  jo\u'neys  nre  undi'rtaken  m<thth 
alter  nmnt  h  and  yt'ar  alter  year,  in  which  patieix'e  and 
endurance   are   e(nially   fried.      Long  excursions  are 

inefiines  made  to  far-off  trading-grounds,  in\olving 


s< » 


BOATMEN  AND  WOOD-RANGERS. 


423 


rc-'stloss  travel  dav  and  niLrlit  in  ohUt  to  return  before 
.snows  enclose  them  to  their  destruction,  and  this  only 
to  1)0  cau;^ht  for  the  winter  in  the  wilderness  witlioiit 
shelter,  and  dependent  tor  food  wholly  on  the  |»reca- 
rious  supply  ot"  wood  or  stream.  Their  daily  lll(! 
consisted  of  thi'illin<;  adventures  and  hair-hr-'adth 
escapes,  pei'ils  and  sulferinj^.s  unheard  (S,  yet  which 
when  [)assed  they  deemed  scarcely  wortli  the  men- 
tioninjjf. 

Tliero  was  a  class  on  the  United  States  frontier 
called  free  trapj)ers,  who  were  their  own  niastcis  in 
everythin<j^,  huntin;^  oidy  on  tlie'ir  own  account,  either 
sinj^ly  or  in  companies  of  two  or  four.  Tluv  wci-e 
much  courted  l>y  tradei-s,  who  hy  retaininijf  them  near 
at  Iiaml  not  oidy  added  to  their  strenjj^th  and  safety, 
hut  to  their  profits,  as  witii  tl'eir  liquor  and  supplies 
it  was  seldom  ditlicult  to  secure  all  the  I'urs  a  hunter 
could  gather,  and  keep  him  in  debt  besitle. 

Tn  furdumtinuf  i»nrlance  the  word  voyage  was  ap- 
jtlicd  to  all  terra<|Ueous  journeys,  and  rui/(i</>'hry  wei\i 
simply  l)oatmen,  that  is  to  say,  French  Canadian  boat- 
men, thougii  tlieir  duties  weie  vai'ious,  and  ;is  such 
thev  retained  their  neculiarities  until  their  c;<llii!g 
Wiis  extinguisiied  by  the  sprea<l  of  civilization.      The 


CDlll'I'ltl'S    i 


h'S     h 


us,  or  rangers  <»!  TUe  woods,  oi 


f  Th 


d> 


bnsli 


I'jiiigi'rs  as  tht'V  art'  sometimes  called,  wcie  tlioso 
oiijinidlv  bi'ou^ht  into  vet  <'l(»sei'  contact  with  the 
native's,  eating,  sleeping,  and  himting  with  tli- in,  nnd 
so  ({('generating  int()  savagism,  (tidy  tlie  more  (piickly 
to  disappear  with  their  savage  fiiends,  while  the  boat- 
men, ;is  in(li\idu.d  tralHc  becam-  less  j»rofitaI)li\  took 
s(i'\  ice  with  t  lie  fin  comiianies,  an«l  l>y  pusliing  fart  her 
;iiid   i'artlier  iii(«»  the  w  ildei-ness,  i-etaincd  llicir  indi 


\  iduahtv  nil 


td  til 


(  ir  occupation  was  gone 


Tl 


ic  w  ood- 


rumier  ol"  ( 'an;ida  was  about  on  a  par  with  thetiupper 
ol"  the    I'liited    St;'t( 


»ne   wlio    hiintci   citlicr   for 


limscU'  or  Ibi   an  expedition  or  com|»any 


win 


the 


boatman  proper  ahnost  necessarily  took  service  either 


^M 


42t 


FOREST  LIFE  A\D  FUR-HUNTIXO. 


for  a  longer  or  shorter  ju'iiod,  fsjtccially  in  later  yiais. 
^vitll  a  fiu-ljuntliiL!;  conipaiiy. 

Tlic  J^'i'dicli  (';i!i;i<lijni>  have  IxM-n  cMlK-d  tlir  liiicst 
l)oatincii  in  tlu'  world.  This  statt^nu'Ut,  |K'rha|»s,  is 
tnu'  il*  coiifim-d  to  white  iiu'ii.  Hut  thei-e  jire  iiiMiiy 
tri!)(s  of  lii<liaiis  and  islanders  nion-  exjuM't  wilh 
theii*  <'anoes  as  I'or  exaniplo  the  Alaskans  and  the 
Kanakas — than  any  Eurojtean,  however  savaj^ized  hy 
forest  life. 

'^fhe  orthodox  fui'-hiintin!/  canoe  was  hirch  haik, 
sewed  \silh  snriice-r(»ot  lihiH',  and  the  seams  made 
ti^ht  with  resin.  'JMiey  were  from  thirty  to  forty  feet 
lonLi',  tivi'  or  six  wide,  li^ht  and  !L;iaeernl,  i^andily 
painted,  and  eapahle  of  eai'ryini^'  three  |iasscnmcis, 
wi(h  a  erew  (tf  ei^ht;  and  th(»n«^h  readily  lloalin;^'  lour 
tons  of  Irei^ht,  mi;;*ht  he  easily  home  on  the  sh(»ul- 


ders  (»r  two  men.      Hut  tlu'  hirch  can 


oe  was  no 


t  th 


one  usually  emitloved  in  the  Oji'Lfon  waters.  Here 
pi'evailed  the  hateau,  thii'ty-two  I'eet  loni^'  and  six 
and  a  hall'  feet  amidsiiips,  made  (»f  (piarti-r-incli  pine 
hoard?*,  hoth  ends  sharp,  without  keel,  and  proprjled 
either  with  oais  or  paildles.  Larjjfer  and  smaller  hoats 
than  these  were  made;  also  canoes  consist  iii'.*' of  a  sin^K' 
lo'4'  dun"  o-it.  A  hoat  was  made  at  ()kanaLr'tn  specially 
tor  liut  traile  and  nnulehed  alter  a  whale  hoat,  onlv 
lar- 


,,,. 


Tl 


lev  Wt 


■re  c!iid<er-hnilt,  with  all  the  tind>er; 


ilal.   and   so  li-jht    a>  ti'   he  easily   cairied.      In   their 
constru<t ion  pine  uuui  was  u>»'d  in>tead  ot  pitch. 

I)ischarn'ed  Iriim  an  enLjaLrenient,  the  \'iyaii'eurs 
Were  very  much  like  sailois  a>iiore.  S«nue  tew  carried 
their  earniuijfs  to  their  wi\es,  hut  most  ^>^'  them  la\ 
isiied  theii"  ^ains  upon  their  swe» tliearts,  huu^hi  I'T 
themscK-es  new  finely,  and  ute,  drank,  and  playttl 
until  nothing-  was 

T 


left. 


H'.ake  up  a  company  of  Noya^eiu's  t.»i-  an  expeth- 
lion  »".as  like  enrollin;^'  a  eri'W  of  sailers  fn-  a  voyage. 
They  wtic  usually  enna^i-d  tor  a  cci-tain  time,  and 
rectived  part  of  their  |iay  in  ad\anee,  as  they  were 
prosc-i'hially  p<-iiiile->,  and   n<   -ded   an  enTiit.  I^sides 


INLAND  NAVICATION. 


42.') 


linviiiLT  <>M  j^roi'cs  to  |>ay.  Tlwn  ilici'i'  iviusf  Ik-  a  iifcli- 
t  ral  ciroiisi'  with  tlu-ir  iViiinls  Ixlnrc  iiuitiii^-,  at  wliicli 
they  (liiiiU,  li.u'lit,  frolic,  and  tlaiiif  imlil  it  is  tiiia-  lor 
lliiiii  to  take  tliL'ir  \t\iwv  in  the  boat. 

It  is  a  wild  uiif'ittci'cd  lil'f,  a  huoyant,  joyous,  rcv- 
iHiu^",  rollickiiij;-  lit'r,  full  of  iH-aiity,  with  cvci-  IVcsli 
and  it'cuiriiij^  tascination.  Sec  tlu'iii  as  they  sit  at 
iii;;iit  ratiii;^,  sjiiokiiii^,  and  chatting;  I'ound  the  iiidily 
(•aiiij»-lipc,  with  wt-ai'V  liiuhs  and  soiled  clothes,  alter 
a  day  <»r  many  |»orta'4''s,  oi-  |terjia|»s  aller  a  wreck  in  a 
)M|)id,  or  a  heating'  stoi'in,  their  dark  luxuriant  hair 
liillinn'  in  tan'uled  Ui-isses  i-ound  their  Kron/id  laces, 
and  theii'  uncouth  liLjuro  ca'^tiii;;-  weird  shadows  on 
the  l)aek]:,n'olUl<l  lolia^e.  See  tlie!M  as  they  rise  iVoni 
their  hard  thounh  welcome  hed,  at  the  lirst  I'aint 
streak  of  d.awn  on  a  frosty  moi'iiiny,  to  tin-  ^•uid(•'s 
h.U'.di  leatheiii-\(iiced  call  of  "IJrc!  /rrc!''  jukini;' 
j^uod  humoi'  ^r-idually  arising'  out  of  the  whee/cs, 
snet'/i's,  urunts,  and  t;i'umltlcs  (»f  their  somnoK  ncc. 
See  them  uov. ,  I'icri'V  and  musical  as  larks,  throw  iniL; 
themscKcs  with  their  hin'^a'^e  into  the  lioats,  and 
slio\in'4'  from  the  hank  out  upon  the  placid.  |M>li>jic(l 
water,  ^trikini;'  up  their  morniu'^'  s<»n'j^  to  the  soft,  low- 
in   thmic  dip  of  theii    paddhs,  which  rise  :ind  fall  in 


iiiirNon    as 


il    I 


no\  >■( 


I    1 


>v   on 


hand 


he     tleelieUMI''" 


thish  Upon  the  sky,  as  fi:  m  some  hui;-e  heacoii  lire, 
hidden  l>eyond  the  distant  hills,  marks  the  ajiproach 
of  all  awakeniui;' day  ;  <ir  if  through  the  trees  the  sun 
i>  lirst  sei-n  Hooding;'   Hie   landscape   with   a    iiacklin'^ 


li'^iit    an<l    ^ttlMi'^    al»la/e 


the    I 


ce-ci  tvered 


loua^'e 


wt  re  enoai;h  to  turn  >i>u\  petrdaction  mto  respon>i\e 

hein;."'. 

Landing    aiioul    nine    o'clock,    hicakfa^t    is    hastily 
<  ookcd  and  eaten  :   t  hen    'ouio  t  he  lon^-,  >tron!4.  h  a\  v 

pllll   of  tlie  d.i\    if    it     he    up   the   >tr»am,  or   the    llecjUcnt 

di  ath  (lod<;inn  dcNceiit  of  rapid>  if  it  he  downward; 
a  li\e-minute  pipe  of'  tohacco  e\i  r\  two  lii>ur.s.  diams 
at    staked    intvi\iil>,   usually    thiiv  or   foui'  a  »lay    if 


wm 


II, 

1 

!■   ^ffi 

'     rffi  : 

k 

p 

H ' 

^ 

HI  ^ 

[ 

IBS  < 

li' 

420 


FOREST  LIFE  AND  FUR-IIUXTINTr. 


li(|U()r  1)0  i)lc'ntiful,  and  liiiiflicon  in  tlic  boat  at  noon; 
and  tlms  the  usual  routine  wears  time  away. 

One  other  ])icture,  and  <»nly  one.  may  iittinj^lv  l>e 
luniLT  heside  that  of  hyperborean  morning',  and  that 
is  summer's  <^^ol(|(>n  sunset.  ]?aint  .leJKtv.ih,  Joy,  and 
life  with  a  liandf'ul  of  clay!  Faintly,  ah  I  how  Taint  ly 
to  yeainiiiL?  (tonseiousness  nature's  surjiassinj^  ladiance 
is  t'elt;  hut  n<>  toiiLTUe  of  man  mav  name  it.  Never- 
theless  tlieso  ])oor  ij^noi'ant  French  boatmen  felt  it, 
were;  thorou'ddv  in  svinnathv  with  it,  were  indeed  a. 
|>ai-t  of  it ;  and  from  their  lips  broke  sjiontaiieous  son-^', 
half  ))i-ayi'i-,  half  praise,  which  brought  them  neai'cr 
heaven  than  mi<>'ht  have  done  anv  catliedral  choir. 
The  ])lay  <if  beauty  wliich  the  sun  llin^s  back  in  its 
diujlial  departuri^  is  best  j-ellected  when;  tlie  jdaiiet 
has  been  least  nnitilated  bv  man.  \othin<>"  can  be 
more  impressi\(;  than  natui'e's  silent  voit-e  hit  in  tlic 
frai^a'ant  air,   breathed    (t\er   the   jilacid  lake  by   the 


avin<r  ibre.st,  all  irlowiiiL''  in  iilinmierin'jf  twi- 


jLJ^entlv  w 
li,L,dit." 

J  hit  it  was  when  reachini^  the  end  of  a  lonuc  ;ind 
iK-rilous  journey  that  the  vovau'em-  nu'i'Lred  into  lii^ 
ij^aycst  mood.  It  was  then  the  elaborate  toilet  was 
ma<le:  men  and  boats  decorated,  with  I'ibbons,  tas.sels, 
and  !Li;audy  feathers  streaming!;'  from  <i,'a iters  and  cap;  it 
^vas  then,  in  their  most  biilliant  buntiuL;',  tluwAfO/.so/^  u 
r<irii'<>n  was  sti-uck  and  tlie  jdaintive  paddlin;^'  nu'lody, 
M'hirh  the  distiint  listener  mi_L,dit  almost  fancy  to  I»e 
the  verv  voice  of  mountain,  wood,  and  stream  united, 


SWi 


■lied 


oil  neaier  ai>i>roa<-Ii 


int 


\\l 


o  a  iivmn  ol  dceo  maniv 


lb 


exultation,  and  with  tlourish  of  paddle  kee[tiii;^-  timt; 
to  sonjjf  and  chorus  they  swept  round  bi-nd  or  point, 
nnd  lande<l  wit  h  a  w  ho,)p  and  wild  lialliM)  w  liich  c;m>i'd 
the  timid  di'ei"  or  ea^le  j)oisrd  «»n  cloud-ti|t])i'(|  moun- 
tain to  pause  and  listen,  or  which  mi<;lit  ahuosl  briii'j; 
to  life  tlu>  tree-toj>  l)nried  mummy  of  their  red-fai-;'d 
friend.      It  was  a  most  brilhaiit  and  insp.iiitiii'. 


to  stand  upon  the  bank  and  wiln 


th 


ai'ii\a 


1   of 


bii''ade  of  li''lit  canoes,  daslnii'''  up  with  arrow  swift- 


THE  FLU  llllIOADK 


427 


i<X  and 

to  liH 
't  was 
Is, 
it 


ilSS( 

•q.:     ^ 

\nSiiii  <!' 

■lody, 

to  l'>' 

liiiiu'*!, 
luniilv 


iut, 


i)(> 


:UV-i'<i 


lii«i' 


tn'.i;^' 


l-la.-.l 


>C(.'llf 


111  ..r  a 

■;\v  ill- 


ness to  tlio  very  (mIij^c  of  the  little*  wharf  hcfiiiv'  the 
lort,  then,  like  a  Mrxican  with  his  mnstanuc,  eoniin;^' 
to  a  sudden  stop,  a«-coni|>lishe(|  as  if  hy  niiiatlc  hy 
haekiiiLf  water  sinndtaneously,  caeh  witli  his  utmost 
strenufth,  then  rolling,'  th<'ir  paddles  all  tonctlur  on 
the  gunwale,  shake  fVoni  their  l>ri'>ht  vcrniihon  Mados 
a  shower  of  s|>j'ay,  iVoni  which  the  rowers  litj^htly 
cnii-ri^e  as  I'rom  a  eloud. 

At  any  of  the  forts  aloni^  the  r<Mite  ureat  was  tln! 
joy  upon  tlie  arrival  of  the  aininal  cxjtri'ss  which 
hidu^ht  letters  fi'oni  fiiends  and  intelli^cnee  from  th(( 
outside  woild.  The  cry  onci;  raised,  it  raj)i(lly  passed 
from  mouth  to  m()Mth:  "The  express  I"  "The  exjtressl" 
an<l  hefoi'c  the  hoats  had  touciied  the  hank  a  motley 


•rowd  liad  uatlu'i-i'd  tiien 


ant 


I  if 


sue!  I  a  si<>' 


ht   1 


las 


heen  fre(|uent  and  exhilaiatini^  at  all  the  posts  durin;^^ 
the  )»ast  century  what  shall  we  say  of  the  numerous 
fleets  that  enlivened  the  solitudes  during-  the  palmy 
(lavs of  the  Northwest  Companv!*  IVtween  Montreal 
and  Fort  William  not  Kss  than  tt^n  hriucadi-s  of  twenty 


•h 


.1  t 


canoes  eaen  used  to  j)ass  and  rej)as.s  evi-iy  summer, 
carryinn"  suj»plies  to  the  country  al)ove'  and  briii;_;iii,n' 
<lown  furs,  all  theij*  trallic  then  passinj^  ovei*  this  i-oute. 
I'pon  a  strano'er  the  «'ll\'ct  of  these  passiuLj  l)riL;ades 
was  most  thrillin-^s  how  tlieii  nuist  it  have  heen  with 
him  wiio  throui^di  tedious  summei-s  and  lou'^j^  dreary 
winters  was  for  years  huried  in  these  western  wilds' 
hmied  until  cominu^  hack  to  city  hustl"  was  like  r<'- 
tmniiiLr  to  life,  and  who  now  found  himself  sun-ouin!.  I 
hy  forty  or  sixty  of  th(>se  fantastically  painted  ;i:i  I 
hrinht-j)addled  hoats  itisliin^-  thi-oii;:h  the  water  .it 
leindeer  speed  uiidei'  a  cloud  of  llyiui;-  sju-ay  toward 
their  last  landinu',  while  in  the  hi-east  of  every  tu;- 
'.riii;4  oarsman  t  Iiere  were  t  wenty  ca^cd  Iio/.a'inas  which, 
1  isiiiM-  faintly  tirst,  wei-e  poured  in  soni;'  u|)on  I  he  hree/e 
fi-oiii    ti\-e    hiuhlred    tfiundous  ton^Mies,  until    linally. 


oicakmo-  all  control,  they  would  hurst  loit  li  m  <Mie  loud, 
joii;.'  pe.il  of  triumphant    joy. 

JSonielimi's  a  fur  hri'>;.;le  was  a  iUet  of  boats,  some- 


!M 


If 


42S 


FOnKST  LIFK  AND  FUR  riUNTIXd. 


times  11  (ijiiii  of  horses,  and  soiiictinu's  a  tiaiu  n('<loM-^ 
slf<|<;;('s.  It  was  Hot  iiiK'oiiiiiioii  in  the  luouiitaiiis  of 
Ihilish  Colmilhia  to  see  t\V(>  llUluh'ed  horses,  liideii 
eaeli  with  two  paelva^cs  of  I'lirs,  wintliiij^  with  the 
narrow  trail  roini<l  ehtls  and  tlirou^h  passes  oii  theii- 
way  iVoiii  the  bleak  u|ihiiKls  to  ciiiou  navigation  on 
.some  river. 

I'r()hal)lv  tlu're  is  iiothinij  more  oxeitintf  in  a  U\v- 
hunter's  lil'e,  or  in  any  hie,  unhss  it  i>e  whei-e  one  is 
hroiinht  Tare  to  face  witii  the  |»r(»hahihty  of  deatli  in 
tile  form  of  an  attackiiii;;  I'oe,  niiin  or  heast,  than  thi; 
i'unnin'4'  of  i-apids,  which  in  I  he  watercourses  of  hyper- 
l)or»'an  America  are  a  featur*'. 


{.ipids  Were    rnn    nnder   two  conditions,   nninteii 


tionally  .ind  intentionally.  'I'he  explorer  descending-  ;in 
unknown  stream  mii>-ht  lind  himself  suddenly  in  the 
toils  of  waters.  An  i»minons  roar  would  lirst  notify  him 
ofdaiiu'er  from  which  retreat  was  impossihie,  the  only 
coiUM'  heinj.;'  in  directing' the  Ixtat  down  the  toi-rent.  At 
sui  h  times  thoui^ht  and  iiction  must  he  simullaneons; 
for  the  hoidman,  knowing*  nothinin'  of  tin"  current  or 
what  the  next  instant,  would  hriu'^'  l"oi-th,  had  only  his 
eye  to  Ljuide  him,  and  should  his  frail  cr.ift  strike  upon 
a  rock  it  was  dashed  in  pieces.      It  is  dillicult   tt>  coii- 


cclNC  of    a    place    wliere    coolness   and    tjUlcUness    \\(  l( 

jntire  re(piisite,  for  hesides  the   tinnult.  in   which   Ih 


d  1 


oimd  liimsell  enyan'tM 


If 


h.-k 


new  not  the  moment  w  Ihii 


II 


>th 


lie  inii^'lil  come  upon  a,  |)erpen(l!cular  lall  or  otlx  r  im- 
knowii  passage  to  ine\itahU'  dt  stru<-tion. 

Such  eases,  Ik »ur\('i,  weiT  not  i'onunon.  There  was 
iv;citt'nu'nt  •iioUi^h  in  shooting-  a  rapid  where  kno\vl- 
elu'e  was  unitetl  with  skill  and  the  veutiU'e  was  made 
deliherately, 


vapitis   w» 


■re   rim    with   full   or  half-loaded  hoal: 


sometimes  part  of  the  men  wt.mld  step  out  to  liL^hlen 
tiie  hoat  ;  or  carjLjo  and  men,  all  .savi'  the  boatmen, 
mi^^ht  he  discharged,  leaviiii;'  tlu'  canoe  empty, 


A.  th 


le  rajiKl  is  approaclied  tlie  i>owinanai 


d  ste 


ers- 


UrWIXC  OF  n.MMDS. 


4J0 


nioTi  ris(»  oroct  and  «jiiirkly  cxdiinii,'!'  tin  ir  oars  lor 
slioi't  |>a«lillcs;  tlicii  |ir<ij»iiiii;r  tlicir  kiu-cs  aLjaiiist  the 
'.MlllUalr,  as  miU'li  lu  steady  the  huat  as  themselves, 
th .y  hold  their  paddles  in  the  watei*  edgewise  v.itji 
the  eaiioe,  while  the  iniddle-iiKii  |>nt  t'urth  all  their 
st relict h  upon  their  «»ars  that  it  may  l»e  the  ltett(  r 
Uuideil. 

Thus  into  the  seethiiiLf  tjoud  the  frail  hark  dowii- 
wai'd  j»hm;^es.  Now  it  i-iishes,  as  it'  to  iiievitalije 
destruction,  towaid  a  rock;  l»iit  our  stroii'^  siiiiul- 
taiieoiis  stroke  ot"  hoNvmaii  and  steersman,  who  always 
ai't  ill  coiieert,  sheers  it  f'o)-c  and  alt  t<»  <tiie  siilc, 
while  onwai'd  it  ^^ocs  midst  the  hisses  ot'  tieree  eiir- 
reiits,  rising',  t'alliir^-,  hcatin;^  and  heaten  ai^^ain^'t, 
whirled  here  l»y  an  i'*\*\y,  tlir<»wn  violently  tlieivr 
a!,'ainst  a  howlder  wlii<h  makes  its  rihs  crack,  escap- 
uv^  one  daiiLTt'i'  <>iily  to  find  itself  instantly  upon  an- 
other, luitil  tinally  with  loii'^-drawn  hreath  it  reaches 
the  (|uiet  waters  hrlow,  if  indeed  it  be  not  wrecked 
ill  the  perilous  |)assaLje. 

h  is  interest iii'^'  to  maik  the  carriaLje  resj>ectively 
of  voyai,''eur  and  Indian  in  su«-h  i-nierLjencies:  one  nier- 
lily  chants  his  hoat  soult,  the  other  is  stern  as  silent 
death.  N'et  as  the  i'linchiiian  in  inaiiy  I'espects  so 
readily  hecaini'  Indian,  so  the  Indian  in  some  few 
thiii'^^s  hcsidc  drinkiiij^,  smokinL,^  sweariuLif,  and  tho 
like,  hecauu!  Kreiich.  In  due  time  the  sava^je  hoat- 
niaii  so  far  foi'Ljot  his  taciturnity  as  to  take  up  the 
custom  of  sinuin'4".  wJiich  eiialded  him  to  |taddle  nioii! 


>t<'adi!v  ai 


Ml    Kec  » 


hrlter    til 


lie 


It 


IS    etKlllett*'    now 


auioiii!^  the  natives  of  l>iiti>li  ('olumhia  for  the  steer-;- 
nian  to  lead  with   the  soni^^,  the  crew  joining  only  in 


tl 


le  c||(»l'US. 


Iletween  the  cauoeincn  there  was  fpiite  a  distinc- 


tion.    T\u'    foreman    and    steeisman    were    th 


ose    oil 


w 


lit  >i'  skill   and    iiei've   the  safety  of    life   and   carL,'o 


(IcpeUi 


I.mI;  I 


lence  their  i>av  was  often  twice  o|-  thrice 


MS 


much  as   the   middk-uien,  who   merely  [tro[>ellc'il 


the  hoat. 


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fliotographic 

Sciences 

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as  WEST  MAkN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y    H580 

(716)872-4503 


430 


FOREST  LIFE  AND  FUR-IIUXTIXG. 


--,■.  i 


■A    ' 


I'  ■ 


To  mako  these  merry  boatmen,  who  in  the  face  of 
fatigue,  hunger,  or  danger  would  strike  into  a  Cana- 
dian barcarolle  as  they  lustily  plied  their  paddles, 
material  was  necessary  different  from  that  brought 
from  the  Orkney  Islands,  which  was  well  enough  in 
its  v/ay,  to  be  sure,  staid  steady  Scotchmen,  but  slow, 
clums}^  without  skill  and  without  enthusiasm,  and  far 
from  their  border  land  of  naturalness. 

While  boats,  horses,  and  sometimes  carts  were  em- 
ployed in  summer  travel  in  many  parts  of  British 
North  America,  only  snow-shoes  or  sledges  drawn  by 
dogs  could  be  used  in  winter,  the  streams  being  frozen 
over.  A  dog's  sled,  to  which  three  or  four  intelligent 
brutes  are  hitched  tandem,  is  usually  about  nine  feet 
long  by  sixteen  inches  in  width.  It  consists  of  two 
thin  boards,  of  oak  or  birch,  turned  up  in  front  and 
lashed  toijether  with  deer-thonsfs,  sometimes  with 
sides,  but  often  without.  Sleds  of  double  width  are 
made,  before  which  dogs,  usually  six  in  number,  are 
harnessed  two  abreast.  Four  doars  will  draw  from 
two  to  four  hundred  pounds  twenty-five  or  thirty -five 
miles  a  day. 

Thus  journeying  as  day  dcpnrts  and  the  crimson 
liiilit  fro"  1  the  western  hori  lushes  the  cold  white 

solitude,  the  traveller  look  >out  hnn  for  a  restmg- 
place.  Water  and  wood  are  usually  the  first  con- 
siderations in  selectinof   a  site;    sometimes  feed  for 

.  1      •  • 

animals  and  protection  from  savages  claim  attention. 
Quick  work  is  made  of  it  when  each  of  the  party  has 
his  special  duty  and  knows  how  to  perform  it.  An 
Indian  woman  will  have  her  lord's  tent  ready  while 
yet  his  animals  are  scarcely  unladen.  Camping  in  the 
forest  in  winter,  while  one  is  felling  trees  for  the  firo 
another  spreads  branches  for  beds;  others  prepare 
food,  brought  in  by  the  hunters,  attend  to  cargoes  and 
boats,  or  wagons  and  animals,  as  the  case  may  be.  A 
fur- trader's  tent  or  lodge  on  the  United  States  frontier 
et)nsisted  of  eight,  ten,  or  twelve  poles,  the  lower  ends  of 
which  were  pointed  and  placed  in  the  ground  so  as  to 


DRESS  AND  FOOD. 


431 


,cc  of 

ddlcs, 

gli  ill 
.  slow, 
nd  far 

ro  em- 
3ritisli 
Avn  by 
frozen 
iUigent 
no  feet 
of  two 
>nt  and 
;s  with 
dth  arc 
bcr,  arc 
kv  from 
rty-fivc 

irimson 
white 
L'csting- 
st  con- 
bed  for 
cntion. 
rty  has 
it.    An 
while 
f  in  the 
the  fire 
prepare 
oes  and 
be.    A 
Hfrontier 
ends  of 
iso  as  to 


y 


describe  a  circle  eight  or  ten  feet  in  diameter,  tlio  l)lunt 
tf'ps  being  drawn  together  and  fastened  by  thongs. 
Tliis  frame  was  then  covered  l)y  dressed  bullalo-skins 
sewed  together,  but  left  open  in  one  place  for  entrance. 
Xothing  was  more  cheering  than  a  blazing  log  camp-fire 
in  the  wilderness  at  night,  and  nothing  more  pictu- 
resque than  a  band  of  hunters  in  their  long  hair  and 
fanciful  costume  flitting  before  the  ruddy  glow  wliich 
threw  weird  figures  upon  the  surrounding  foliage,  or 
reposing  at  full  length  after  supper,  smoking,  laughing, 
chatting,  and  story-telling. 

Of  the  French  and  Scotch  fur-hunter  the  ordinary 
dress  was  a  striped  or  colored  cotton  shirt,  open  in 
front,  leathern,  woollen,  or  corduroy  trousers,  and  a 
l)lue  cloth  or  blanket  capote,  that  is,  an  outside  gar- 
ment made  from  cloth  or  a  blanket,  having  a  hood,  and 
serving  the  double  purpose  of  cloak  and  hat.  This 
was  strapped  closely  to  the  body  by  a  scarlet  worsted 
vest.  Capotes  were  sometimes  made  of  leather,  lined 
with  flannel  and  educed  with  fur,  which  made  them 
very  warm.  The  conhiroy  pantaloons  were  frequently 
tied  at  the  knee  with  bead  gaiters.  When  the  capote 
was  not  employed,  head-dresses  were  as  varied  as  they 
were  fantastic.  Some  wore  coarse  cloth  caps;  over 
tlieir  long  black  glistening  hair  some  wound  a  colored 
liandkercliief  into  a  turban;  black  beaver  hats  ainonsj 
the  more  foppish,  and  bonnets  with  gold  and  silver 
tinsel  hat-cords  were  now  and  then  seen,  almost  hid- 
den, however,  under  feathers  and  tassels.  Ornamental 
moccasins  covered  tlu;  feet;  round  their  swarthy  necks 
])rllliant  cotton  handkerchiefs  were  tied  sailor  iasliion, 
and  from  their  scarlet  belt  were  suspended  knife  and 
tobacco  pouch.  Leggings  were  fretjuently  worn;  and 
when  the  cold  was  intense,  two  or  three  suits  would 
be  put  on  at  once.  The  voyageurs  loved  to  decorate 
any  part  of  their  dress  with  plumes  and  bunches  of 
iHvers  colored  ribbons  with  the  ends  gayly  floating  in 
the  breeze. 


432 


FOREST  LIFE  AND  FURHUXTIXG. 


Somewhat  similar  was  the  dross  of  the  United 
States  trapper,  though  greatly  modified.  The  blanket 
coat,  often  without  tlie  hood,  the  moccasins,  and  the 
deerskin  pantaloons  were  there,  though  in  place  of 
ribbons,  feathers,  and  tassels  leather  fringes  answered 
every  purpose.  As  an  outside  garment  a  shirtof  leather 
or  tiannel  was  worn  belted  round  the  waist.  Kit 
Carson  dyed  with  bright  vermilion  the  long  fringes 
of  his  soft  pliable  deerskin  hunting  shirt  and  trousers, 
not  disdaining  to  ornament  the  latter  with  porcu- 
pine quills  of  various  colors.  A  rich  fur  cap  covered 
his  head  and  embroidered  moccasins  his  feet.  On  his 
left  shoulder  he  carried  his  gun,  while  under  his  riglit 
arm  hung  his  bullet-iiouch  and  powder-horn.  At 
his  belt  were  fastened  sheath-knife,  tomahawk,  and 
whetstone. 

For  food  the  fur-hunter  took  what  he  could  get. 
As  a  rule  his  chief  dependence  was  his  rifle.  His  diet 
was  principally  meat,  fresh  or  dried.  Sometimes  for 
months  or  even  years  he  saw  neither  bread,  salt,  nor 
any  vegetable.  j\Ieat  alone,  fish,  flesh,  or  fowl,  was  all 
his  lardei'  contained,  and  well  contented  was  he  always 
to  have  it  full,  cN'cn  of  his  sole  sustenance.  To  a  cap- 
tive among  the  Indians  living  only  on  meat,  bread 
becomes  distasteful. 

But  usually  each  fort  had  its  little  garden-patch,  and 
in  some  instances  even  grain  was  raised.  The  rations 
a  voyageur  received,  however,  were  very  difl:crent  in 
the  several  parts  of  the  fur-hunting  region.  Thus  in 
New  Caledonia  there  miijht  be  ffiven  him  for  his 
day's  food  a  dried  salmon  or  eiofht  rabbits:  at  Atlui- 
basca  it  would  be  eiglvt  pounds  of  moose  meat;  on 
the  Saskatclicwan  ten  pounds  of  buffalo  meat;  at 
English  Ilivei-  three  white  fish,  while  in  the  far  north 
his  fare  would  be  half  fish,  half  reindeer.  Rations, 
however,  were  by  no  means  regular;  when  food  was 
plentiful,  all  finvd  sumptuously;  when  scarce,  each 
contented    himself  with   his  portion,  whatever  that 


PEMICAX. 


433 


iTiii/lit  be.  Every  cdiblo  substance  tliat  came  to 
hand  was  utilized.  Roots  were  sometimes  dug  and 
berries  dried.  Geese  and  ducks  were  taken  at  Fort 
York  in  great  quantities  in  summer  and  salted  for 
winter  use. 

Complaints  were  frequent  at  the  fur  companies' 
posts  by  the  servants  as  to  the  quantity  and  quality 
of  their  food.  Wilkes  testifies  that  the  men's  ra- 
tions at  Fort  "Vancouver  were  not  what  they  should 
l)e.  When  a  little  forethought  and  application  were 
sure  to  bring  abundance  theie  seems  no  excuse  for  a 
lack  of  plain  healthy  food.  Men  receiving  seventeen 
pounds  per  annum,  though  board  was  included,  could 
not  ■sometimes  with  their  wages  thrown  in  obtain  food 
and  clothes  enough  to  make  them  comfortable:  and 
the  fur-hunters'  ideas  of  comfort  were  by  no  means 
extravagant.  ]\Iuch,  however,  was  the  fault  of  the 
men  themselves;  for  land  was  allotted  them,  and  time 
allowed  in  which  to  plant  and  gather;  or  if  that  were 
too  nmcli  to  expect,  wives  were  furnished  them  of 
whom  it  was  the  fashion  to  make  drudges. 

In  preserved  food  the  great  staple  is  pemican — that 
is,  dried  meat  pounded.  The  flesh  commonly  used  is 
that  of  the  buffalo,  deer,  elk,  or  antelope,  and  for  long 
keeping,  as  in  Arctic  voyages,  it  ma}''  be  prepared 
with  fat,  spices,  and  raisins.  For  it,  as  for  many  of 
their  forest  conveniences  and  comforts,  the  fur-hunters 
arc  indebted  to  the  Indians. 

Pemican  is  prepared  by  cutting  the  lean  flesh  into 
thin  slices,  and  partially  cooking  or  curing  them  in  the 
sun,  by  exposure  to  frost,  or  by  placing  them  on  a 
wooden  grate  over  a  slow  fire.  When  dried  they  aro 
pounded  between  two  stones  or  with  other  implements. 
Often  the  sun-dried  flesh-Hakes  are  baled.  But  this 
is  simply  dried  meat;  it  must  be  broken  into  small 
])ieces  before  it  is  pemican.  When  thus  pulverized 
it  is  put  into  a  bag  made  of  the  animal's  hide,  with 
the  hair  outside ;  after  being  well  mixed  in  about 
equal  proportions  with  the  melted  fat  of  the  animal, 

HIBI.  N.  W.  Coast,  Vol.  I.    28 


434 


FOREST  LIFE  AND  FUR-HUNTING. 


the  bag  Is  sewed  up,  when  it  cools  and  hardens,  and 
is  ready  for  storage  or  transportation.  In  tliis  state 
it  will  keep  for  years,  but  should  it  be  massed  in  large 
quantities  it  is  inclined  to  ferment  in  warm  weather, 
in  M'hich  case  it  must  be  opened  and  aired. 

It  is  usually  eaten  uncooked,  and  without  salt  or 
other  seasonin<jf:  when  flour  is  at  hand,  some  may  ad- 
vantageously  be  added,  and  the  whole  boiled  in  water, 
in  which  state  in  Hudson  Bay  countries  it  is  known 
as  rohhUmo.  Berries  are  sometimes  added,  when  it 
is  called  sweet  pcmican.  It  is  a  healthy,  nutritious 
food,  and  tliough  not  palatable  at  first,  habit  and 
hunger  soon  reconcile  the  i)alate  to  its  use.  Pemieau 
is  specially  adapted  to  long  journeys,  being  nutriment 
in  a  greatly  condensed  form;  a  hundi'ed-pouud  bag, 
measuring  three  feet  by  ten  inches,  will  comfortably 
sustain  four  men  a  month.  It  is  made  in  all  the  oTc-it 
buffalo  ranges,  the  chief  depots  for  its  muimfacture  in 
British  America  being  the  Red  River  and  Saskatche- 
wan districts. 

Of  incalculable  benefit,  not  only  to  the  poor  Indian 
but  to  his  white  extinguisher,  has  Ijeen  the  flesh  of 
the  buffalo,  whether  in  the  form  of  fresh  or  dried 
meat  or  pemican;  indeed,  without  it  long  joui-neys 
in  certain  directions  and  at  certain  seasons  could  not 
be  made.  Dried  buffalo  meat,  which  is  re<jarded  as 
planier  food  than  pemican,  so  crusty  as  to  break  to 
pieces  in  one's  fingers,  with  cold  water  has  been  the 
principal  fare  of  uncomplaining  thousands  for  years. 

In  wilderness  travel  it  often  becomes  necessary  to 
abandon  articles  whicli  for  some  reason  cannot  be  car- 
ried, or  to  store  them  for  use  on  returning.  A  boat  may 
be  broken,  animals  or  men  may  succumb  under  fatignu', 
or  provisions  may  be  reipiired  in  a  certain  place  at  a 
future  time.  Contingencies  thus  arise  in  which  it  be- 
comes necessary  to  secure  propeity  from  molestation 
by  savai^es  or  wild  beasts. 

This  is  done  by  hiding  it  either  in  the  branches  of 


CACHIXG. 


433 


trees,  or  iu  liollow  logs,  but  usually  undorgrouuJ;  and 
ofootls  tlius  hidden  are  said  to  be  cached,  i'rom  cache r, 
to  conce;u. 

The  greatest  skill  and  care  are  requisite  to  perform 
this  feat,  so  that  the  prying  eyes  of  man  or  nose  of 
Ix'ust  sliall  not  discover  the  things  hidden.  The  situ- 
ation chosen  should  be  as  dry  as  possible;  then  form 
a  circle  two  feet  in  diameter,  remove  the  surface 
carefully  and  sink  a  hole  })erpendicularly  eighteen  or 
twenty  inches,  after  which  widen  it  as  you  g(^  down, 
so  as  finally  to  have  a  subterranean  pitcher-shaped 
cavity  six  or  eight  feet  deep,  large  at  the  bottom  ana 
small  at  the  top.  The  earth  thus  removed  must  be 
carefully  taken  away  and  thrown  into  a  stream,  or 
otherwise  made  to  disappear.  For  a  floor  are  laid 
sticks,  on  which  dried  grass  or  skins  are  spread,  thus 
giving  nuMsturo  an  opportunity  to  settle  at  the  bot- 
tom, without  destruction  to  the  property.  Sticks  are 
likewise  j)laccd  against  the  sides  to  serve  as  protection 
against  the  damp  earth.  The  goods  are  then  stowed 
away,  and  over  all  a  skin  is  laid;  the  top  of  the  hole 
is  tilled  with  earth,  Avhich  is  covered  with  the  original 
sod  or  surface  so  as  to  present  as  natural  and  undis- 
tui'bcd  an  appearance  as  possible. 

All  tracks  are  carefully  obliterated,  and  if  in  the 
forest,  the  place  is  strewed  with  leaves  and  branches 
as  in  its  original  state. 

Note  is  taken  of  the  direction  and  distance  from 
any  prominent  object,  so  that  upon  description  a 
person  not  present  at  the  caching  can  find  the  place. 
Of  course  holes  of  larjjfcr  or  smaller  dimensions  are 
made  according  to  necessity. 

In  very  cold  latitudes  meat  is  hidden  and  preserved 
ill  a  river  by  cutting  a  hole  in  the  ice  and  suspending 
it  from  a  stick  in  a  bag,  and  then  pouring  water  over 
tlie  aperture  until  the  surface  is  smooth  ice  again. 
This  method  of  concealment  may  have  been  taught 
explorers  by  the  natives,  who  j)ractised  it  long  before 
white  men  set  foot  upon  these  shores,  or  even  by  their 


436 


FOREST  LIFE  AND  FUR-nUXTING. 


own  dogs,  whoso  instinct  directs  thorn  to  cache  tlioir 
surplus  food.^ 

'Thoao  who  dosiro  fuller  descriptiona  vnW  find  thorn  in  /7/(/n.v.<o«',s-  ///!<<. 
Vnncoitrer  filaiid,  MS.,  08;  Compton't Northwest  Coaxt,  MS.,  28;  IUjcI.ii  Momi- 
tain  Journal,  1805-0,  MS.,  1-39;  Dunn's  Or.,  80,234;  Townsend'x  A'«r.,-:,J2; 
(/(>.t',s  Adv.,  117;  Ballanfyne's  Utidaun  Buy,  249;  Victor\i  Iliver  of  /he  IIV-s/, 
49-50,  57,  80,  82-3,  85,  87-8,  110-11, 142,  140;  Wislizemts,  A /(.■>ll in/,' (}-'.),  57-05, 
92;  Jiohiuson'n  Great  Fur  Land,  27-40  et  sen.;  Jfarper'n  Maij.,  xii.  S4()-0; 
'J\>d\-i  Xiw  (Mfedon!a,'Mii,,3i  and  the  several  lort  journals  and  correspuadeuco 
of  tradei's  and  factors. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


THE  FUR -TRADE  UNDER  BRITISH  AUSriCES. 
1G07-1843. 

Early  Evousii  Discovert — Hexrt  Hudsox— Grosselie!?  and  Rahtsson, 
Assisted  by  Prixce  Rupert,  form  the  Hudson's  Bay  Compaxy — Tub 
Charter — Territorial  Limits  op  tiie  Company — The  French  In- 
vade Rupert  L,ind — The  Planting  of  Forts  round  Hudson  Bay^ 
Boundaries — The  Treaty  op  Utrecht — Character  and  Policy  of 
the  Corporation — Territorial  Divisions — Material  of  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  Company — Inner  Workings  of  the  System — Stock — 
FuES — Currency — Trade — Intercourse  between  Posts — Profits- 
Parliamentary  Sanction  of  the  Crown  Grant. 

Great  Britain  was  not  the  nation  all  this  while  to 
looli:  upon  a  lucrative  traffic  anywhere  without  havin/^ 
a  finger  in  it.  Least  of  all  in  America,  where  spoil 
was  the  just  reward  of  the  strongest,  and  whose  ulti- 
mate partition  should  mark  the  relative  importance 
of  European  powers,  was  glowing  opportunity  to  be 
neglected.  Yet  of  the  three  great  names  forever 
linked  to  the  discovery  of  the  far  north-east  two  were 
f(jreigncrs  and  the  other  a  penniless  sailor.  Beside 
the  llag  of  England  upon  the  coast  of  Labrador  in 
149G  Cabot  planted  the  banner  of  the  Venetian  re- 
public. The  son  Sebastian,  unable  to  collect  his  pay 
from  Henry  VII.,  whose  previous  parsimony  had  lost 
liim  Columbus,  took  service  under  Ferdinand  of  Spain. 
Little  was  done  during  the  following  eighty  years. 

Alphonse  de  Xaintoigne,  who  had  accompanied 
Eoberval  to  Canada,  followed  Cabot's  course,  and  John 
Davis  reached  the  entrance  to  Baffin  Bay.  Elizabeth 
became    somewhat   excited   over  the   spurious   gold 

(407) 


438 


THE  FUR-TRADE  UNT)ER  BRITISH  AUSPICES. 


])rou'L,^lit  back  by  Frol)ishor,  and  in  1577  H  oavo  liim 
new  fleets;  luit  with  the  npeninj^  of  the  seventeenth 
eentur'  Enjjjlish  cnjiidity  awoke,  and  wliile  the  colo- 
nists wi-re  i)lanting  settlements  under  KinLj  James' 
patents,  the  more  northern  regions  were  not  neglected. 

On  behalf  of  a  company  of  London  merchants 
Henry  Hudson  in  1007  sailed  to  the  east  coast  of 
Greenland  in  an  attempt  to  discover  a  north-west 
passage.  The  year  following  a  similar  attempt  re- 
sulted in  failure.  The  enthusiasm  of  the  London 
merchants  cooling,  Hudson  turned  his  steps  toward 
Holland,  where  a  small  yacht,  called  the  llaJf  Moon, 
was  furnished  him  by  the  Dutch  East  India  Com- 
pany, in  which  in  1009  he  sailed  northward,  but 
baffled  by  icebergs  he  turned  his  prow  west,  toucjied 
at  Newfoundland,  whence  coasting  southward  ho  en- 
tered New  York  harbor,  and  ascended  the  river  which 
bears  his  name. 

After  this  success  for  the  Dutch,  almost  ])eforG 
Holland  had  independent  national  existence,  tlie 
London  merchants  were  ready  for  another  \enture. 
Sailing  in  the  Discovcyy  in  IGIO  Hudson  followed 
Frobisher's  track,  and  passing  through  Hudson  Strait 
entered  an  inland  sea  virgin  to  European  keels.  This 
was  indeed  a  long  sought  highway  to  India.  But  as 
he  continued  his  course  the  astonished  shores  of 
Hudson  Bay  held  him  in  wintry  embrace,  and  when 
spring  approached  the  patience  of  the  ci-ew  was  gone. 
Breaking  into  mutiny,  they  seized  their  conunander 
and  his  son,  and  with  seven  faithful  sailors  cast  them 
off  in  an  open  shallop  among  the  icebergs.  This  was 
the  last  that  was  heard  of  them. 

Exploration,  English  and  French,  by  sea  and  land, 
slowly  followed.  Captain  James  wintered  at  Hudson 
or  James  Bay  in  1032,  and  in  1050  Jean  Bourbon 
sailed  to  the  farther  end  of  the  bay  in  a  vessel  of 
thirty  tons,  trafficking  with  the  natives.  Little  was 
thought  of  this  far  north  inland  icy  sea,  with  its  low 


OROSSELIEZ  AND  RUPERT  LAND. 


439 


marshy  sli(^rcs;  at  this  time  it  was  scarcely  deemed 
worth  fij^htin^  for.  Thou«:fh  fur-hcurinj^  uulmals  were 
jdentit'ul,  there  was  no  hick  of  them  in  less  iiihos- 
jiitahle  climes.  Hence,  when  in  KJ'JO  Louis  Xilf. 
Mavc  the  C()m[)a_o"nie  tie  la  Xouvelle  France  a  charter 
of  tlie  district,  little  attention  was  paitl  to  it. 

Some  time  after,  however,  a  Frenchman  named 
Grosseliez'  visiting  that  region  became  deeply  im- 
])i-essed  by  its  neglected  wealth,  and  |)rop(jsed  to 
his  government  to  utilize  it,  but  without  success. 
Title  and  ownership  Ijeing  (juestions  of  little  moment, 
Grosseliez  addressed  himself  to  the  court  of  England, 
where  in  Prince  Rupert  he  found  a  patron.  A  vessel 
called  the  Nonsuc/ikcfc//,  Captain  Zacharj'  (illlam, 
was  equipped,  in  which  Grosseliez,  with  a  renegade 
companion  named  Kabisson,  sailed  in  lOHH  for  ]lud- 
son  -Bay,  wintered  on  the  east  main  near  Kujiert 
liiver,  and  built  there  the  first  fort,  calling  it  Fort 
Charles.'*  Returning  with  the  prestige  of  success,  a 
charter  was  obtained  from  Chai-les  J  I.  in  favoi-  of  the 
Governor  and  Company  of  Adventun  rs  of  England 
trading  into  Hudson  Bay,  dated  May  2,  1G70,  with 
Prince  Rupert  as  first  gtnernor,  assuring  the  dukes, 
carls,  lords,  knights,  and  gentlemen  composing  it,  and 
their  successors,  of  the  sole  trade  to  Hudson  strait 
and  bay,  with  permanent  proprietorship  over  all  the 
countries,  coasts,  and  confines  of  lands,  seas,  lakes, 
and  rivers  not  actually  possessed  by  the  subjects  of 
any  other  Christian  })rince,  with  all  the  animals,  fish, 
and  minerals  therein  contained,  to  be  reckoned  as  one 
of  the  British  ])lantations  or  colonies  in  America, 
under  the  name  of  Rupert  Land.  Over  this  territory 
and  the  natives  thereof  the  company  was  to  exercise 
forever  supreme  civil  and  criminal  jurisdiction,  with 

•  KnoM-n  also  ns  Desgrozeliers,  the  Huguenot.  M.  (Janieau  designates  him 
as  ii  French  refugee,  and  evidently  i.s  not  favorably  impressed  with  iiini,  as 
ho  complains  bitterly  of  his  treachery,  as  he  calls  it.  .See  also  Xorthwest 
Company's  Narrative,  of  Occtirri'iice-i,  10.  Forster,  llisf.  Voi/.,  .S"(i-7,  calia  him 
Do  Orosseliers,  or  I)e  tJroselie,  an  entciiirising  burghci-  of  Canada. 

■'The  Fort  Rupei-t  of  Hudson  Bay  stood  'near  tiie  mouth  of  the  River 
Nemiscau,  iu  the  bottom  of  the  bay,'  and  was  built  iu  1G77. 


440 


THE  FUR-TRADE  UNDER  BRITISH  AUSPICES. 


power  to  pass  laws,  rjraiit  lands,  and  make  war  and 
j)uaco  with  any  nations  not  christian.  For  exactly 
two  hundred  years,  or  until  1870,  when  the  territory 
was  hroui^ht  under  the  don)inion  of  Canada,  the  eom- 
j)any  thus  enjoyed,  under  the  crown,  all  the  rii^iit.s 
and  powers  of  commercial  sovereignty;  in  whii-li  «2;iit 
there  was  hut  one  flaw,  which  was  that  the  lantl  givcii 
did  not  helonif  to  the  jjfiver. 

It  will  bo  noticed  that  the  territorial  limits  of 
the  company  are  here  vai^uely  defined;  and  many 
fierce  disputes  with  the  French  nation  and 'bloody 
aft'rays  with  rival  fur  companies  arose  in  consecjuence. 
Tint  before  bounds  could  be  of  mutrh  im]H)rtance,  the 
]>i'lnciples  of  ownership  must  be  several  times  fouylit 
out. 

As  the  company  planted  posts  at  the  entrance  of 
streams  round  the  shores  of  the  bay,  the  jealcjusy 
of  the  French  was  newly  aroused.  By  way  of  tiie 
Saguenay  Iliver  in  1671  an  expedition  was  sent  irom 
Quebec  by  Governor  d'Avougour  under  St  Simon 
and  La  Couture.  Of  the  region  of  desolation  whicli 
Ihcy  found  they  took  formal  possession  in  the  name 
of  the  king  of  France,  burying  upon  the  shore  a  brass 
])late  graven  with  the  royal  armorials  in  token  of 
ownership. 

Fearful  of  the  power  1  e  had  invoked  in  England, 
(xrosscliez  returned  to  his  old  allegiance,  craved  par- 
don of  France,  was  forgiven,  and  his  services  were  ac- 
(^epted,  though  too  late  to  be  of  any  benefit.  In  IGS  L 
an  association  was  formed  in  Canada,  called  the  North- 
ern Company,  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  trade  at 
Hudson  Bay.  With  two  vessels  Grosseliez  was  sent 
thither  to  drive  out  the  English,  whom  ho  had  jire- 
^■iously  introduced  to  those  parts,  and  to  demolish 
their  factories,  which  now  numbered  three,  there  being, 
beside  Fort  Rupert,  one  at  the  Monsonis  Iliver  and 
one  at  the  St  Anne  Iliver.  Instead  of  fighting  the 
3'^nglish.  however,  the  French  proceeded  to  the  moutli 
of  the  liiver  St  Therese,  and  there  built  a  fortress 


FRENCH  AND  KXCLISII  FIOriTIXOS. 


U\ 


which  they  called  Fort  Bourbon.  Retuniiiijjf  to 
Qiieboc,  Grosseliez  qujinvlU'd  with  his  company  and 
jiroci'odod  to  France  tor  redress,  which  he  liiiled  to 
olttain.  In  a  rage  he  sold  Fort  Bourbon,  with  its  store 
of  furs  valued  at  four  hundred  thousand  francs,  through 
the  British  ambassador  at  Paris,  to  the  English,  who 
raised  the  establishment  into  a  four-bastioned  foi-t, 
M'ith  a  water-ditch  ten  feet  in  widLh,  manned  it  well, 
iiiid  stored  it  with  munitions  of  war.  The  French 
court  complained  of  this  runaway  proceeding  to  the 
English  king,  who  pronused  that  the  fortress  shoukl  be 
I'cturned;  but  the  king  was  unable  to  k.>  ;>  his  word. 
The  Northern  Comj)any  was  linall}^  merged  into  the 
Conii)any  of  Canada,  which  latter  society,  it  will  bo 
remeudjercd,  had  been  formed  by  M.  "r  :ccaud,to  A\-hon\ 
the  Oudiettc  peltry  monopoly  had  been  Ir-ansferred 
bv  M.  Boddes. 

For  some  time  prior  to  the  close  of  the  century  the 
Anglo-Americans  had  been  pursuing  an  aggressive 
pollc}'-  in  New  France;  but  the  French  now  deter- 
mined to  wrest  Hudson  Bay  and  Newfoundland  from 
British  domination;  in  pursuance  of  which  plan  ^I.  dii 
Troves,  D'Ibcrville,  Ste  Helene,  and  Maricourt,  witli 
a  bt)dy  of  Canadian  regulars,  proceeded  overland  in 
1085  to  dispossess  the  English  on  Hudson  Bay. 

First  invested  was  the  four-bastioned  fort  of  Mon- 
sonis,  mounting  fourteen  guns,  which  was  carried  by 
assault.  Fort  Buport  was  next  dismantled,  and  a 
British  vessel  at  anchor  in  the  bay  ca[)tured,  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company's  governor  being  one  of  the 
])risoncrs  taken.  St  Anno,  mounting  forty-three  can- 
non, then  capitulated.  It  was  the  largest  and  most 
important  factory  at  that  time  on  the  bay,  having  in 
its  store  peltries  valued  at  fifty  thousand  crowns. 

Returning  to  Quebec  in  the  autumn  of  1087  with 
the  captured  vessel  laden  with  furs,  D'Iberville,  on 
whom  the  command  now  fell,  renewed  hostilities  the 
following  year,  and  again  cleared  Hudson  Bay  of  the 
British.     Rallying,  the  English  were  repulsed  before 


442 


THE  FUR-TRADE  UNDER  BRITISH  AUSPICES. 


•  ■'i 


St  Anne  "'i  1G81),  but  capturing  the  fortress  tlic  fol- 
lowing year,  it  was  wrested  from  them  by  the  French, 
only  again  to  fall  into  British  hands  two  years  later. 
In  1G'J4  Fort  Bourbon  was  reduced  by  D'Ibervillc, 
whose  brother,  M.  de  Chateaugua}^  was  killed  in  the 
attack.^ 

]\Ieanwhile  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  nothing 
daunted,  continued  to  i)lant  forts  and  reap  their  annual 
harvest  of  rich  peltries;  and  notwithstanding  losses 
of  over  one  hundred  thousand  pounds  during  tliese 
affrays,  they  were  able  to  pay  shareholders  a  dividend 
of  iifty  per  cent. 

Yet  the  French  were  at  their  heels.  After  direct- 
ing attention  eastward  for  a  time,  during  whicli  oc- 
curred  tlie  reduction  of  Pemaquid  in  1097,  and  a 
successful  attack  on  St  John  with  a  squadron  of  five 
ships  brought  for  him  from  France  for  the  final  re- 
duction of  Hudson  Bay  domination  by  M.  de  Serigny, 
D'Iberville  sailed  to  Fort  Kelson,  where  he  arrived 
with  one  vessel,  the  Peliain,  having  parted  com])any 
with  the  others  on  the  way.  There  he  found  three 
l>ritish  ships,  the  Ilainpshhr,  the  Dchriiu/,  and  tlie 
Jlmlsojis  Briij;  after  destr<»ying  them  all  he  took  the 
fort,  the  reduction  of  which  placed  him  in  possession 
of  the  whole  territory.* 

Europe,  having  spent  its  strength  in  most  interest- 
ing and  necessary  human  slaughters,  proposed  for  a 
time  general  pacification,  and  a  quadruple  treaty  was 
signed  at  Byswick,  by  the  terms  of  which  the  Frencli 

■"TIic  French  were  in  possession  of  Foi't  Bonrl)on,  which  we  call  now 
York  I'ort,  from  the  year  lU'JT  to  171-1.'  JJohlm'  jlinlnoii'.t  Ihtij,  18.  During 
thi.s  time  M.  ■Icremio  was  at  first  lieutenant  and  afterwanl  governor  there. 

*  Freneh  trappei-s  cried  down  English  goods,  wliile  on  all  occasions  tlio 
Engli.sh  (k'preciated  J'rench  articles.  While  the  Freneh  held  Michilniacki- 
nac  the  natives  of  Lake  Winnipeg  tolil  Carver  tliat  if  they  could  always  1»' 
sure  of  ii  supply  of  goods  at  that  place  they  would  not  carry  their  furs  to  the 
factories  on  Hudson  Hay.  At  the  same  time  they  displayed  some  cloth  of  an 
inferior  quality,  which  they  said  they  liad  purchased  from  the  English,  and 
in  which  they  wei'c  badly  cheated,  /{((i/ii'il,  ll'i-'t.  Phil.,  viii.  !(!);  Ko/il't  lli-<t, 
J.lixnii'.,  ii.  ,S2;  Jiiiixi'irH  //int.  Am.,  ii.  'Hm;  <'(trri;r'.s  Tnn-cln,  iii.  Notwith- 
stiuiding  which,  on  the  whole,  English  goodj  were  superior  to  the  French. 
The  Indians  became  fjuick  judges  of  the  (|Uality  of  goods,  an<l  few  JMiglish 
numufaetured  articles  then,  iis  now,  were  sui'passed  by  any  iu  the  world, 


TREATIES  OF  UTRECHT,  RYSWICK,  AXD  PARIS. 


443 


lothinj^ 


'idend 


call  now 
Dui-iiiL; 

tlu'iv. 
Iisious  tlu! 

liilmacki- 
liilways  lie 
liirs  to  till' 
llotli  (if  iiu 

^lisli,  anil 
|,/(/\.f  //;.<'. 

Notwith- 
Froiicli. 

Iv  ICii^Ush 

lorkl. 


Barlow  v;as   u'ovenior 


were  to  restore  all  they  had  taken  from  the  English  in 
America,  At  the  same  time  lliulsou  Bay  was  recog- 
nized as  belongiuf^  to  France.  Five  years  of  (/iKtsi 
])eace  followed.  New  excuses,  howt'vcr,  were  found 
for  new  butcheries.  In  1704  overland  expeditions 
from  Canada  northward  again  set  in;  Albany  and 
other  forts  were  besieged  with  ureater  or  les 
and  former  follies  reiinacted. 
at  Albany  at  the  time,  and  played  tlie  hei'o  w  itli  con- 
siderable success.  Notified  by  an  Indian  of  the  ap- 
])ioach  of  the  French,  Barlow  kept  the  stri> 'test  guard. 
At  night  the  enemy  came  and  demanded  admission. 
Barlow,  who  was  looking  out  for  them,  re])lied  that 
the  governor  was  asleep,  but  if  they  would  wait  a 
moment  he  would  get  the  key  and  open  the  gate  to 
tliem.  The  French,  thrown  off  their  gur.rd,  ci-owded 
I'ound  the  entrance.  Instead  of  opening  tlie  gate,  how- 
ever, Barlow  opened  two  loop-holes  and  discliarged 
upon  the  expectant  besiegers  the  contents  of  two  six- 
])oun<lers,  which  killed  more  than  half  of  them,  in- 
chulinuf  their  connnander,  a  reneufade  Irishman.  The 
remainder  then  went  their  way.  It  was  only  with 
the  treaty  of  Utrecht,  followinij:  tlie  war  of  succes- 
sion,  that  peace  to  the  far-off  dismal  borders  of  Ifud- 
s;)n  Bay  was  fully  assured.  In  the  treaty  signed  at 
Ftrecht  the  30th  of  ATarcli  1713,  l^^i-eiicli  domination 
ill  America  was  much  rbridged,  while  I'^nglish  tei'ri- 
tory  v.as  laru'ely  extended,  France  cijdinu'  to  I'^niiland 
Newfoundland,  the  province  of  Acadia,  or  Nova 
Scotia,  and  the  Hudson  Bay  territory.  It  had  been 
admitted  by  the  treaty  of  Ryswick,  signed  in  Sep- 
ti'iuber  ](!i)7,  that  all  the  Hudson  Bay  territories 
iieloiiLi'ed  to  France:  by  the  treatv  of  I'trecht  it  was 
admitted  that  three  fourths  of  the  lauds  hitherto 
claimed  by  the  comjiany  belonged  to  l*'raiiee;  it  was 
niily  by  tlu!  treaty  of  Paris,  in  17();),  that  title  to 
all  those  territories  was  confirmed  to  (Jireat  Ihitain. 

The    treaty   of  Utrecht   attem])ted    to    defiiu;    the 
limits  of  the  lands  then  ceded  in  the  north,  but  with 


HA 


THE  FUR-TRADE  UNDER  BRITISH  AUSPICES. 


ill  success.  Broadly  speaking,  the  surfaces  drained  by 
streams  emptying  into  Hudson  strait  and  bay  were 
given  to  England,  while  those  drained  by  streams 
flowing  in  opposite  directions  belonged  to  France. 
This  /'ne,  beginning  at  some  point  on  the  noT'tli- 
eastcrn  coast  of  Labrador,  is  easily  enough  carried 
south-westerly  round  the  sources  of  Rupert,  Abbit- 
tibbe,  Moose,  and  Albany  rivers;  but  when  the  re- 
gion of  Lake  Winnipeg  is  reached,  difficulties  arc 
met;  for  if  all  the  waters  hence  flowing  into  Hudson 
Bay  were  encircled,  the  Bed  River  and  Saskatchewan 
distiic;ts  would  be  included,  which  obviously  was  never 
intended  either  by  the  charter  or  the  treaty.^  The 
truth  is,  at  that  time  the  geography  of  this  western 
region  was  wholly  unknown.  When  the  company  as- 
certained the  connecting  links  of  this  water-chain 
they  claimed  as  their  southern  bound  the  highlands 
diverging  south-westerly  from  Lake  Superior  and 
windiuLj  round  between  the  sources  of  Red  River 
and  tlie  Mississippi,  which  would  bring  them  witliiu 
United  States  territory  two  degrees  or  more.  British 
geographers,  immediately  after  tlie  conquest,  drew 
the  boundary  line  between  Canada  and  the  Hudscm's 
Bay  Company's  territory  within  three  or  four  hun- 
dred miles  of  the  bay  on  the  south-western  side.** 
Dui'ing  the  second  hundred  years  of  its  existence,  how- 
ever, the  monster  monopoly,  playing  ruse  contre  rusG 
in  its  century-games  for  domination,  exceeded  in  terri- 
torial limits  tlie  wildest  anticipations  of  its  managers; 
spreading  northward  and  westward  until  its  area  was 
nearly  one  third  larger  than  all  Europe;   and  while 


'  'Ivcncliing  the  lianks  of  Nelson's  River,  the  riilge  ceases  to  divide  streams 
at  tlieii'  lioiids,  iuid  is  traversed  by  tlic  outlet  of  Lake  Winnipeg,  whiuli  re- 
ceived iVom  t!io  nouthwai'd  the  waters  of  the  I'ed  River,  and  disehargcs  itsilf 
throu;^')i  I'lay  (ireen  Lake  and  Nelson  River,  into  Hudson's  Bay.  West  of 
this  river,  the  liighlands  resume  their  former  eharacteristic,  ami  rise  at  the 
sonrc  :  of  Ihirntwood,  Churchill,  and  Beaver  rivers,'  Boiichette's  Brit.  Den., 
i.  2!)-;)0. 

"Kojjarding  the  northern  and  western  bounds,  as  no  lines  had  been  de- 
fined, the  I'uinpany  laid  claim  to  the  northern  o"  \  M'csteru  oceans.  See  plain 
lefeireil  to  in  the  Report  from  the  Select  Committee  ou  tlio  Hudson's  Bay 
Company. 


A  CLOSE  CORPORATIf  N". 


44S 


spanning  the  continent  at  its  broadest  part,  and 
touching  at  once  the  three  great  oceans,  it  ruled 
supremo  a  hundred  native  nations  lield  as  slaves  of 
its  policy  and  laws. 

But  not  without  much  management  and  many  se- 
vere struggles  was  this  mighty  end  achieved.  ]  )u]ii!g 
the  first  century  of  its  existence  the  company  did  not 
penetrate  with  its  operations  more  than  four  hiuidred 
miles  inland.  Its  policy  was  that  of  a  close  corpora- 
tion in  an  epoch  of  the  closest  commercial  secrecy. 
Not  knowing  the  extent  of  its  resources  or  d(jinain, 
it  was  determined  no  one  else  should  know  tlieui. 
Discovery  and  settlement  were  discouraged.  "For 
the  discovery  of  a  new  passage  into  the  South  Sea" 
was  one  of  the  purposes  for  which  they  aslced  a  char- 
ter, and  yet,  until  forced  to  it  by  the  pressure  of  prog- 
ress, all  their  powers  were  exerted  to  prevent  the 
opening  of  an  interoceanic  passage  along  their  bor- 
ders.' Not  only  did  they  systematically  keep  tlieir 
servants  and  agents  in  ignorance  respecting  such  parts 
of  the  business  as  did  not  come  under  their  immediate 
observation,  but  they  made  frequent  changes  in  tlieir 
appoiiitments,  blinding  them  as  to  tlieir  movements, 
enjoining  upon  them  the  strictest  secrecy,  and  for- 
biddinfif  the  cultivation  of  the  soil   further  than  a 


'They  'conceal  all  the  advantages  to  be  made  in  that  country,  and  give 
ont  that  the  climate,  and  country,  aiid  passage  thitlier  arc  ni''ch  v.oiiio  and 
nioro  dangerous  tlum  they  really  arc,  and  therefore  oblige  their  captain?  not 
to  in;iko  any  charts  or  journals  that  may  discover  those  seas  or  coii;it«;.  They 
huvo  Ijcea  so  base  to  tlieir  country  as  not  only  to  neglect  it  thcni;Klvi'n,  l)ut 
to  jirovent  and  discourage  any  attempt  to  lind  out  t>o  beneficial  a,  pas-i^'o.' 
J>(,l)li.i'  Jfiiflsoii  Jiay,  '2,  .'57.  KUis,  Robson,  Pragge,  and  Unifievillo  bring 
biniilarnocusiitions.  These  charges  arc  denied  by  llcurne,  who  point.)  to  tho 
atttiiiptd  of  liean,  Christonhcr,  .fohuston,  and  iJuncan  to  find  a  noitli-west 
piissiige,  and  concluded  that  the  'air  of  myatci'y,  and  affectation  of  P'xrocy, 
jii'iliaps,  which  formerly  attended  some  of  tho  Company's  proceeding's  iii  tho 
j'jiiy,  might  give  rise  to  those  conjectures.'  Jfcnnn-'s  Jouriun,  x.\i.  ''i'lu.'ir 
total  disregard  of  every  ol)jcct  for  which  they  obtained,  and  luiv;'  now  held, 
a  royal  charter  for  nearly  ono  hundred  and  fifty  years,  entilks  tlieni  t;)  any- 
thing but  praise.'  Lnmloii  Ijuarti'vhj  Ticnev,  October  ISlti,  Mb  Uiutreville, 
JIik'hoii.  Buy,  71,  charg"".  the  English  adventurers  with  sleeping  at  liio  edgo 
of  tho  sea.  In  178!)  ■''ley  had  a  few  intorior  posts  where  a  languid  t-ado  v.as 
carried  on.  They  paid  their  men  scarcely  ono  (juarter  as  much  as  did  tiio 
Nonluvcst  Compari/,  and  were  served  accordingly.  Vinterbotluini,  J  lis/.  U,  S., 
iv.  1!),  with  twenty  others,  repeats  tho  sauio  charyo. 


446 


THE  FUR-TR.\DE  UNDER  BRITISH  AUSPICES. 


U 


■JK 


If 


m 


garden  patch  for  the  iiniiiediatc  or  temporary  supply 
of  vej^ctables.  Even  the  springs  that  moved  tlie  vast 
machinery  were  pressed  behind  closed  doors,  and  or- 
ders of  wei,Ljhtiest  import  were  breathed  in  whispers. 
When,  finally,  in  1709-72  Samuel  Hearne  was  ordered 
by  the  company  to  journey  northward  and  ascertain 
what  manner  of  things  were  there,  his  journal  was 
kei)t  concealed  for  twenty  years  thereafter. 

While  the  Frencli  counted  their  establishments  by 
scores,  during  the  first  half  century  of  the  ccnnpany's 
existence  there  were  planted  in  Rupert  Laud,  that 
is  to  say  the  countiy  round  Hudson  Bay,  scarcely 
over  a  half  d(;zen  ])osts;  but  during  the  latter  })art  of 
the  same  century  their  establishments  increased.**  Tlio 
sloop  Bearer  sailed  from  Albany  Iliver  to  Moose  Kivir 
to  found  a  factory  there  the  7th  of  September  172'J; 
thence  westward  and  back  from  the  shore  the  com- 
pany extended  their  occupation,  paying  no  more  at- 
tention to  chartered  limits  than  did  the  rival  tiaders 
who  erected  forts  iu  regions  surrounding." 

In  all  its  relations  to  the  ccjuntry,  then  and  subse- 
quL.itly,  the  C{^m])any  has  stood  in  the  ])osition  of  a 
trading  colony,  being  in  direc'  antagonism  to  au'ri- 
cultural  and  mining  interests:  although  mininu:  colo- 
nies  bi'ing  scarcely  a  denser  population  than  trading 
colonies.-'" 

A'^arious  efforts  were  made  to  break  the  monopoly, 
whicli  was  to  tliese  misty  hyperl)orean  regivjus  what 
the  ICast  India  Company  was  to  the  soft-aired  Orient. 
Arthur  Dobbs  and  Umfreville,  among  others,  pub- 


"  Until  tlie.  Xortliwcst  Coinpany  wakened  tliem  to  lifo  liy  iliirin;:;  opi)o>'i- 
tion  tluTc  \v!Ui  no  yrc.'it  displaj' of  inti'lliL'once  or  entorprise  on  tlio  [uut  of  the 
utlvi-'nturcrs  t^il<lin^'  into  Hudson  J3ay.   d'tiM  Joiirnn/,  i. 

"Seldom  wvvr  tlii"  ri.ufiits  of  fiu'  omiiianics,  that  is  to  way  if  any  of  them 
vxov  iiail  any  i'i<;lits,  to  domain  gianted  respected  liy  rival  companie;).  I'lntiT- 
ing  ii  territory  at  a  distance  from  anj'  fort,  the  natives  there  found  were  always 
glad  to  sa\o  themselves  a  dillieult  and  often  dnn.^'eroiis  journey  tlii'on;;]!  the 
domain  of  enemies  liy  disposin;4()f  tlieir  peltries  at  home.  Carrr  r'.-<  Tnii-d.-i,  1 1 'J. 

'"  'I'ladiuL,'  colonies,  says  Jleeren,  'consist  at  tirst  of  nothing  more  than 
factories  and  staples  for  the  convenience  of  trade;  but  force  or  franil  soon  in- 
larges  tli<'m,  and  the  colonists  hecome  eon(|UcrorH,  without,  however,  losing 
Biglit  uf  the  uriy;inal  ol)jcct  of  their  hcttlenicnt.'  Hint.  lutnairliLK,  '1-i. 


EARLY  TE]lRITORIAL  DIVISIONS. 


447 


upply 
L'  vast 
id  or- 
spers. 
"dci'L'd 
crtaiu 
il  was 

iits  l)y 
panv's 
],  that 
:'arccly 
)art  of 
.«  The 

!  IvivcT 

•  1721); 
c  Com- 
oro at- 
ti'adci's 

sub^o- 

)n  of  a 

)  a!>'i'i- 

'jr  eold- 

i'adiu,!i," 

Kopt  )ly, 
wliat 
>i'io'.it. 
pub- 


lished books,  one  iu  1744  and  the  other  in  1700, 
()p])osing  the  continuance  of  tlic  charter  on  the  i^round 
of  ibrfeiture  and  injustice."  All  <j;reat  monopolies  are 
unjust  and  injurious;  men  combine  and  monopolize 
for  no  other  pui'pose  than  to  exclude  others  havinijf 
e(iual  rights.  Probably,  however,  these  connaercial 
adventurers  did  as  well  for  England  in  that  region  as 
any  others  would  lia\e  done.  Uy  the  treaty  of  Utrecht 
tlie  ])asition  of  tlie  com})any  was  materially  improved, 
as  tliey  had  no  longer  the  French  to  trouble  them. 

The  western  part  of  Rupert  Land,  that  is  to  say, 
the  country  innnediately  west  of  Hudson  Bay,  was 
once  denominated  Xew  South  Wales.  Between  this 
and  the  Sto!iy  Mountains  were  the  Mackenzie  Biver, 
Athabasca, and  Sas];atche\van  districts;  while  between 
the  great  dividing  ridij'e  and  the  Pacilic  Ocean  British 
or  An ''lo- American  territorv  ^vas  first  called,  begin- 
ning  at  Blount  St  Elias,  Xcw  Norfolk,  Xew  Cornwall, 
Xew  Hanover, Xew  Caledonia,  and  Xew  Georgia.  On 
some  m;ips  Xcm'  Hanover  comprised  the  coast  nortli 
of  Fraser  River,  and  Xew  Georgia  the  coast  south  of 
that  point,  wliile  Xew  Caledonia  covered  the  great 
interior.*^     Otliers   called  it  all  Creo-on  west  of  the 


]'o('ky  ^fountains,  l)etween  latitudes  54'  40' and  42'.''* 
To  facilitate  l)usiness  their  territory  was  divided  by 
the  Hudson's  ]jay  Company  at  various  times  in  various 


wav; 


When   the    wliol 


e   wes 


tern   Enu'Ush  America 


was  ihially  overspread  by  them,  afiali-s  were  conducted 
un<k'r  four  departments,  tlie  northern,  the  southern, 
tlie  Montreal,  and  the  Columbia,  the  first  behinii'  the 


3  oiiposi- 
liii't  of  thu 

of    tlH'll 
.       Mil'.!'!'- 

iro  iilwiiv-i 
Von";!!  till' 
J,,,7x,  IIJ. 
Iioro  tliau 

KOOU  I'll- 

Lji-,  losing 


Fnifi'cvillo,  \\]\n  was  in  tlie  Hudson's  l>ny  Coinjiany's  siTvico  from  1771 
to  IV^-,  ;ui(i  who  was  thoronglily  faniilar  wit.'i  tlioir  system,  iknoiinci's  many  of 
tlii'ir  jiracticos,  and  iliMws  (vmipa-.-isons  lu.'twci-'a  tlu.in  ami  Xlu^  ( 'anada  I'om- 
]iaiiiu:i  not  siiL'cially  favorablo  to  tliu  t'ornun'.  'I'iio  trutli  is,  tin;  I'liiici;  Kupirt 
Association  li^havoil  very  niuih  as  any  nioa  in  their  piact's  woidd  iiavo  doiu". 
Thi'V  wt'fc  a  (.■orp-)ration  eoniposud  of  purscnis  of  high  and  low  do;'ivi.',  nnd'.  r- 
jxoing  privations  for  gain,  ami  it  was  suai'culy  to  bo  expected  that  tliey  sliould 
lie  pi'i  I'cct  in  tivcry  respect. 

'-Vancouver  ca'led  the  coast  bctwecu  4.T  and  .^O'  Xew  Georgia;  between 
50'  and  ■">4'»Xew  Hanover.     Since  aljout  181"J  we  hear  of  \(!W  Caledonia. 

^■'lluncluUc'a  llr'tt.  J./otii.,  i.  oli,  ."j-lj  maps  in  Ttrins'  O rA^Mnt. ,  M\iX  Dunn' &  Or. 


448 


THE  FUR-TRADE  UXDER  BRITISH  AUSPICES. 


Frozen  Ocean,  the  second  cxtondino'  from  Tliipcrt 
River  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  the  third  lying  round 
Montreal  and  thence  north-eastward,  and  the  fourth 
comprising  the  British  Cohnnbiaand  Oregon  countries. 
The  Cohimbia  department  was  afterward  dividetl  and 
called  the  Oregon  and  Western,  the  term  Columbia 
being  used  thereafter*  as  a  district.  All  the  depart- 
ments were  subdivided  into  thirty-four  districts,  con- 
taining at  one  time  one  hundred  and  fifty-four  posts." 


^*TTmii>e  of  Commovs  Report  on  Hiuhoii's  Ba;i  Company,  3G5-7.  In  this 
report,  printed  in  1857,  the  Northwest  Const  is  accredited  witii  two  dcpiirt- 
mcuts,  eight  districts,  and  thirty  posts,  as  follows : 

Nuinlr>r  of 
Post.  liucality.  Department.         District.  Iniliuiis  Ir.- 

qucntiiit;  it. 

Fort  Vancouver Washington  Ter.  .Oregon. .  .Columbia. 2>J(J 

Umprjua Oregon  Tor Oregon. .  .(,'oluiulna, 

Capo  Disappointment.  .Washington  Tor.  .Oregon. .  .ColiimWa, 

Chinook  I'oint Wasluiigton  Ter.  .Oregon. .  .Columhia, 

Cawceman Washington  Ter.  .Oregon. .  .Columbia, 

C!ia!npocg Oregon  Ter Oregon. 

Kisqually Oregon  Ter (Jregou. 

Co'.vlitz Oregon  Tor Oregon. 

I'ort  Colvillo Wasliiiigton  Ter.  .Oregon. 

Feud  dOreillc  River. .  .Indiiiu  Ter Oregon. 

rhvtho.ids Washington  Ter.  .Oregon. 

liootcnais Waishington  Ter.  .Oregon. 

Okanagnn Washington  Ter.  .Oregon. 

\ValIa  Walla Oregon  Ter Oregon. 

I'ort  Hall Oregon  Ter Oregon. 

Fort  Vm\%6 Oregon  Ter Oregon. 

I'ort  Victoria Vancouver  Is. 

]\)rt  Rupert Vancouver  Is 


....  800 

....  Jo;) 

....  lo:J 

....  101) 

.Columbia 1.jO 

.  Columbia TiCO 

.Columbia iJO 

.('olvillc «U0 

.Colvillo 4'j;) 

.Colvillo .".00 

.Colvillc 500 


,  .Colvillo 

, . Snake  Country . 

,  .Snake  Country. 
.Snake  Country. 
.Western.  .Vaiicftuver  Is.. 
.Western.  .Vancouver  Is.. 


::oo 
:ioo 

•JOD 

'_'00 
000 
(,00 


Xaiialmo Vancouver  Is. .  .  .Western.  .Vancouver  Is. . . .  8,000 

I'ort  Lan^ley Indian  Ter Western.  .Frascr  River 4,000 

1^    .  o-    "  T   T      rr  -tiT    *.        fN.W.  Coast 10,00;) 

I'ort  Smipson Indian  Ter Western  \  -.»    ,,         ,,,  •, 

■'■  1^  jSorthcrn  inbes 

Kamloops Indian  Ter Western  1  ™,  -n 

Fort  Hope Indian  Ter Western  ]  Tl'ompson  R 


.,"),()00 
l2,00i) 


, .  New  Caledonia. 
,  .New  Caledonia. 

.New  Caledonia. 
,  .N(  w  Caledonia. 

.Now  (Jaledonia. 

.New  Caledonia. 

.  New  Caledonia. 


2,000 


Stuart  Lake Indian  Ter Western. 

M'Leod  Lake Indian  Ter Western. 

I'rascr  Lake Indian  Ter Western. 

Alexandria Indian  Tor Western. 

I'ort  trcorge Indian  Ter Western . 

liabines Indian  Ter Western. 

Connolly  Lake Indian  Ter Western. 

Thouph  official,  this  is  by  no  means  a  complete  list  of  the  forts  on  tlio 
Faciiio,  but  it  may  include  all  in  active  operation  at  that  time.  At  Honolulu 
was  a  post,  and  s(>mo  time  previously  there  had  been  one  at  San  I'rau'  'sro. 
In  New  (JalCdonia  north  and  east  of  Kamloops  were  Forts  William,  (iai:  v, 
iiiid  Al)ercrombio,  not  mentioned  in  the  list,  not  to  mention  Wran;;e:l  m- 
iStikccn.  Mr  Stuart,  one  of  tlie  lirst  to  cross  the  mountains  with  a  view  to 
occupation,  in  his  Aiito(/r(i/'h  Xot's  given  by  Mr  Anderson  in  hial/in/.  .\'i>rlh- 
iced  VviisI,  MS.,  lj;»4~t),  applies  the  term  Western  Caleilouia  to  'the  win  lo 


OFFICERS  AND  SERVANTS. 


449 


800 
KK) 
lUU 
lOD 
].■)() 

no.) 

'2ri() 

,     «uo 

,  rm 

,  nijo 

,  :iOO 

.  im 

,      20^ 

.  'JO') 
5.000 
,  4,000 
.  3,000 
,  4,000 
,10,(100 

.;;,"),ouo 

,  -2,000 


>12,000 


on  Iho 
Honolulu 
•'raiu.:!sfo. 
111.  (juiry, 
■au;;o;i  oi' 
ii  view  to 
s/.  Xirih- 
;ln,'  wln.!o 


In  ilio  sovonil  fur  companies  there  were  various 
f^rades  of  office  and  service.  In  the  Hudson's  Bay 
(^>ni})any,  if  we  except  the  London  governor  and 
directcn-s,  there  were  nine;  in  the  Northwest  Com- 
pany, seven.  Of  the  former  there  were,  first,  a  local 
governor,  residing  in  America,  having  his  head-quar- 
ters first  at  Prince  of  Wales  Fort,  afterward  at  Yor-k 
Factory,  and  later  at  Fort  Garry,  with  jurisdiction 
over  all  tlie  establishments  of  the  company;  secoiul, 
chief  factors,  who  might  have  charge  of  a  department 
or  of  a  factory,  supplying  the  lesser  forts  of  a  district; 
third,  chief  traders,  usually  in  charge  of  some  single 
but  important  post;  fourth,  chief  clerks,  who  are  sent 
witli  a  crew  of  vo3'^ageurs  on  frequent  expeditions  or 
placed  in  charge  of  minor  posts;  fifth,  apprenticed 
clerks,  a  kind  of  forest  midshipmen,  raw  lads  fresh 
from  home  or  school,  full  of  fun,  spiced  with  miscliief, 
who  write,  I  ?)ep  store,  and  attend  their  seniors;  sixth, 
postmasters,  usually  laborers  promoted  for  good  be- 
haN'icrr  to  tlie  rank  of  gentlemen,  and  often  i)laced  in 
charge  of  a  small  station  or  outpost;  seventh,  inter- 
preters, generally  laborers  with  a  smattering  of"  the 
native  dialects  of  their  vicinity;  eighth,  voyageurs,  or 
boatmen;  ninth,  laborers,  employed  in  various  ways, 
as  in  chopping,  carrying,  mending,  trapping,  fishing, 

of  that  tract  v,-c;itward  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  to  the  Pacific,  extending  from 
the  (,"()himliia  Itivcr  until  it  intersects  that  ideal  line  that  ia  8upi)oseil  to 
divide  Ihu  I'acilic  from  the  Frozen  Ocean.'  '  Lut  surely  you  are  not  .scrioun,' 
exclaiintd  Mr  Anderson  once  in  reply.  'Western  Caledonia,  properly  speak- 
i!!g,  is  the  tract  of  country  occupied  by  tlic  Tacully  or  Carrier  tribe,  and  the 
district  of  Ni:%v  Caledonia,  our  eomniereinl  divisiou  of  the  country.'  Again, 
liie  territory  west  of  the  Rocky  ^fountains  has  been  denominated  the  western 
department.  'The  mIioIo  tnidin;.  teriitory,'  writes  Mr  Finlayson  in  ids 
]' (I II -Oliver  Ik'  iiid  mill  Xurihiue.it  Coniil,  MS.,  88-0,  'was  divided  into  four  de- 
]iarlnients,  namely,  ^Montreal,  the  southern,  the  northern,  and  the  western. 
'J'hcru  were  four  chief  factors  for  each.  These  departments  were  constituted 
tlistricts,  each  commanded  l)y  cluef  traders  and  clerks.  There  were  .sixteen 
chief  factors  and  thirty-two  cluef  traders  in  all.  All  districts  west  of  the 
liocky  Mountains  made  up  the  ■western  department,  which  was  under  tlio 
ilireclion  of  one  man,  who  again  was  subject  to  the  governor  of  all  the  de- 
l)artments.'  Evidently  the  terms  district  and  department  are  here  loosely 
used.  Some  called  tiie  territory  traded  in  by  each  fort  a  district.  Thus  Mi- 
I'inlayson  ivmarks,  'Xisijually  extended  from  the  Chehalis  River  to  Wiiidbey 
Island;  Langleyfrom  Whidbey  Lskmd  to  Millbank  Sound;  MeL()Ugldiu  fi'o-.i 
the  lattei'  to  Skeena  River ;  Simpson  from  the  Skeeua  to  the  Russian  bouudai'y 
of  Alaska.  'J'hi'se  were  tlie  trading  allotments.' 
iliax.  :*.  W.  Coast,  Vol.  I.    29 


if  u  ■ 

si 

!i  I 


4.j0 


THE  FUR-TRADE  UNDER  BRITISH  AUSPICES. 


rougli  carpentering,  Macksmithing,  or  Ijoat-buildlni^. 
The  laborer  could  not  rise  higher  than  postmaster,  wliilt; 
the  apprenticed  clerk  might  become  chief  factor,  or  even 
governor.  Five  years  of  intelligent,  faithful  service 
entitled  the  .apprentice  to  a  clerkship,  and  after  fioni 
ten  to  twenty  years'  further  service  he  became  chief 
trader,  who  was  a  half  shareholder,  and  in  a  few 
years  thereafter  chief  factor  or  shareholder.  Sjjeak- 
ing  generally,  the  chief  factor  directed  the  affiiiis  of 
the  company,  and  the  chief  trader,  acting  under  the 
chief  factor,  managed  traffic  with  the  natives. 

The  systems  of  the  Northwest,  Pacific,  and  other 
large  companies  were  essentially  the  same,  except  tlie 
highest  office,  which  instead  of  being  that  of  gov- 
ernor was  vested  in  a  board  of  partners,  or  proprietors^ 
The  connnandor  of  a  fort  or  district  was  often  called 
governor,  while  the  term  partner  took  the  place  of 
both  chief  factor  and  chief  trader.  Likewise  .some 
of  the  inferior  places,  such  as  apprenticed  clerk,  i)ost- 
master,  and  interpreter,  were  not  formally  recognized. 
The  compensation  of  the  higher  officers  was  partly 
salary  and  partly  commissions.  Clerks  and  all  lesser 
servants  received  only  their  wages,  without  any  par- 
ticipation in  the  profits.  Wages  greatly  varied  v.ith 
time  and  place.  Laborers  received  from  ten  to  thirty 
pounds  a  year,  seventeen  pounds  being  the  usual 
rate.  Apprenticed  clerks  began  usually  with  twenty 
pounds ;  apprenticeship  ended,  their  salary  was  raised 
to  one  hundred  or  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  and 
board.  The  returns  of  a  chief  trader  were  from  four 
hundred  to  eight  hundred  pounds,  while  the  chief 
factor  usually  realized  from  eight  hundred  t^)  fifteen 
hundred  pounds  per  annum.  Umfreville  complains  of 
the  petty  tyranny  often  exercised  by  the  governor 
of  a  fort.  Such  a  governor  was  appointed  for  three  or 
live  years  at  a  salary  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  ])ounds, 
with  a  percentage  on  the  amount  of  business  done. 
In  his  day,  17i)0,  servants  were  treated  scarcely  as 
men,  receiving  but  six  pounds  a  year,  and  this  pit- 


IXTERNAL  REGULATIONS. 


4ol 


lessor 

par- 

v.itli 

:liirtv 

usual 

outy 

•alsod 

s  and 

four 

•hii-f 

ftcoii 

ins  of 

cruor 

•00  or 

unds, 

done. 

ly  as 

pit- 


tance was  often  withheld  on  account  of  l)ad  l)ehavior. 
A  tailor  in  those  days  was  paid  eight  pounds  j)or  an- 
num. Apprenticed  clerks  then  began  on  ten  pounds, 
and  were  advanced  at  long  intervals  to  fifteen,  twenty- 
five,  and  forty  pounds  per  annum.  It  was  in  the  vu- 
listment  and  treatment  of  servants  that  the  perfect 
absolutism  of  the  system  was  manifest.  During  all 
tlie  long  journey  from  apprcjnticeship  to  chief-tradir- 
sliip  the  employes  were  called  the  company's  servants; 
connnon  laborers  might  seldom  aspire  to  that  honor. 

Of  the  servants  of  the  Northwest  and  Hudson's 
Bay  companies  full  three  fourths  were  Scotch  high- 
landers  and  Orkney  men.  There  were  a  few  Irish- 
men, and  fewer  English.  Voyageurs  and  laborers 
wore  composed  largely  of  French  Canadians  and  half- 
l)reods.  In  1835  there  were  but  two  cliief  I'actors 
west  of  the  Rockv  Mountains,  John  McLouijfhlin  and 
]3uncan  Finlayson,  above  whom  in  the  organization 
stood  (done  the  local  jjovernor  in  Canada  and  the  i-'ov- 
ernor  and  board  of  diroct(jrs  in  London. 

Chief  fact(jrs  were  ex  ojjicio  members  of  the  council, 
seven  of  whom  with  the  governor  formed  a  quorum. 
Xorway  House  was  their  place  of  meeting  during  the 
iirst  half  of  the  present  century,  and  their  delibera- 
tions were  strictly  private.  In  1857  there  was  one  seat 
of  council  for  the  northern  de[)artments  at  Norway 
House,  and  another  for  the  southern  at  Moose  Fac- 
tory, The  chief  factors  failing  in  their  attendance, 
chief  traders  were  admitted  to  council  to  make  up  a 
(juorum. 

At  all  the  principal  stations  of  all  the  great  com- 
})anios  a*  local  council  sat  every  year  to  appoint  mas- 
tors  of  posts  and  apportion  the  various  duties;  but 
none  of  less  rank  than  bourgeois,  partner,  or  share- 
holder were  admitted  except  by  special  invitation. 
Tlien  trembled  all  outside  the  doors.  It  was  the 
policy  of  the  company  to  change  the  places  of  their 
servants  frequently,  thus  breaking  up  any  irregular 
practices  which  they  might  easily  have  fallen  into  in 


4-2  THE  FUR-TRADE  UNDER  BRITISH  AUSPICES. 

tlioir  isolation,  and  durinuf  tlicso  solonin  dcliburationf^ 
the  unpopular  or  slill'tlcss  wero  sure  to  liavo  given 
tliuni  some  distant  or  disagreeable  business.  The 
council  had  power  to  reprimand,  mulct  by  penalties, 
or  suspend  any  subordinate.  Offenders  wero  some- 
times tried  before  a  fort  governor,  chief  traders  or 
clerks  appearing  on  either  side  as  counsel. 

A  deed  poll  executed  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Coni- 
]i;iny  the  Gth  of  June  1H34,  following  that  of  t!io 
•JGth  of  March  1821,  more  particularly  prescribed  the 
duties  of  chief  factors  and  chief  traders,  and  regulated 
the  inner  workings  of  the  material  composing  tho 
organization.  All  traffic  for  personal  profit  was  strictly 
prohibited.  Umfreville  says  in  his  day,  1780-90,  any 
one  taking  service  must  before  embarking  send  his 
'box  to  the  Hudson  Bay  House,  there  to  be  examined, 
lest  it  should  contain  articles  used  in  private  trade; 
and  should  the  subordinate  happen  to  haxo  a  few- 
more  shirts  or  socks  than  were  deemed  necessary,  tlie 
surplus  was  taken  from  him.  So  on  his  discharge,  not 
o'.dy  his  effects  but  his  person  was  carefully  examine;!, 
lest  ho  should  purloin  a  scrap  of  fur, 

A  factor  or  trader  after  wintering  throe  years  in 
the  country  might  retire  with  his  full  share  of  profits 
for  one  year,  and  half  profits  for  four  years.  Three 
factors  and  two  traders  might  have  leave  of  absence 
for  one  year.  Wintering  five  years  in  the  field  en- 
t  itled  the  factor  or  trader  to  half  profits  for  six  years, 
Tlircc  factors,  or  two  factors  and  two  traders,  might 
annually  retire  in  rotation.  The  legal  representative 
of  a  deceased  officer  was  entitled  to  the  same  profits 
as  would  have  accrued  to  such  person  if  living. 

Obedience  was  the  main  duty  of  the  subordinate; 
after  that  intelligence  and  energy  were  profitable. 
Enlistment  was  for  three  or  five  years,  durinix  whicli 
term  every  hour  of  the  day  and  night  belonged  to  the 
company.  All  must  stand  ready  to  do  soldier's  duty 
at  any  moment,  and  the  servant  was  always  to  defend 


BOUXI)  SERVANTS. 


4.J3 


flio  company's  offic^crs  and  pro[)ortv  Nvitli  Ills  lift'.  For 
th(j  trafKc  wc^t  of  tliu  Rocky  Moiiiitniiis  a  class  of 
servants  wero  articled  in  Canaila  who  woro  to  1».( 
returned  to  the  place  of  enlistment  on  tlu;  t!X|)irati<t:i 
of  a  term  which  was  equivalent,  after  deduction  for 
H'oiii''  and  returnin<jr,  to  two  and  a  half  years'  actual 
servi(!e  in  a  three  years'  cni:;a<:jenient. 

With  provisions,  the  company  kindly  furnished  its 
servants  with  wives  who,  with  their  children,  in  re- 
turn for  what  they  ate  must  perform  certain  li^lit 
labor  in  the  field  or  «^arden,  if  such  existed,  or  else- 
where, as  prescribed.  Should  a  servant  desire  a  year's 
aljsenco  before  the  expiration  of  his  term,  he  must 
i;ive  a  year's  notice,  and  afterward  make  good  \i\\ 
l;)st  time  at  his  ori<nnal  waijes.  While  under<j:oin:^' 
soldier's  duty  he  was  entitled  to  a  new  uniform  every 
two  years.  Should  he  desire  to  remain  in  the  country 
after  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  en<,'ag-ement,  ho 
nii^^dit  do  so  provided  his  past  behavior  had  been  good 
and  the  company  oflered  no  objection;  in  which  case 
lifty  acres  of  land  were  set  apart,  for  the  use  of 
■which  he  mast  render  annually  twenty-eight  days' 
service  for  seven  years,  the  company  reserving  the 
light  to  expatriate  him  at  any  moment  before  or 
afterward.  For  disobedience,  desertion,  or  neglect 
of  duty,  forfeiture  of  Avages  was  the  usual  penalty. 
With  such  a  pittance  of  pay  the  servant  was  almost 
always  in  debt  for  advances;  this,  towther  ^\■ith  faniilv 
attachments  which  by  no  means  increased  his  ca})ital, 
and  the  arbitrary  conditions  of  his  enlistment,  left  him 
little  better  than  the  chattel  of  the  company. 

Laborers  in  peace,  soldiers  in  times  of  danger,  tliey 
M'cre  subject  to  their  masters  without  protection  or 
a[)pcal.  Not  that  they  were  badly  treated:  they  were 
simply  bound. 

There  was  never  any  hope  of  independence  for 
them  or  for  their  children;  there  was  no  such  thing 
as  establishinsj  themselves  in  business  in  that  region 
after  their  term  of  servitude  should  have  expired 


4M 


THE  FUR-TRADE  UNDER  BRITISH  AUSPICES. 


N<»  feudal  systuiu  ever  bound  more  absolutely  serf  to 
baron." 

It  was  an  admirable  system,  in  its  way,  that  of  i\n> 
}[u(lson's  ]3ay  Conii)any  durinj^  its  later  years,  and 
admirably  executed:  very  dift'erent  from  that  of  tlic 
cliivalrous  and  mettlesome  Northwest  Company,  as  w  c 
shall  [)resently  see,  but  calm,  correct,  di;jjnilied,  me- 
thodical, and,  thouj4'h  composed  chieliy  of  Scotchmen, 
like  its  j^'reat  rival,  more  Eni;Tish  tlian  the  Canada 
Company  in  its  adherence  to  traditional  business  lornis 
and  etliics.  So  complete  was  its  machintjry  that  evci  v 
transaction,  no   matter  how  insi<^nilicant,   passed   in 

''The  term  'governor  in  the  Hudson's  Bay  Oontpany  service  was  imiily 
nn  hoiioi'ai'y  title  conferred  l>y  virtue  of  heiuLj  the  senior  ciiief  factor.  Th(  ii 
there  was  a  hoard  of  govui'uort  that  iiietattlie  lluilson's  iJiiy  ( 'onii)any"s  liDU.-e 
nt  Licliine,  to  wlunn  all  tiiese  American  jiosts  reporti'il ;  and  then  then-  wim 
a  hoard  of  governors  in  London  that  ranked  there,  and  to  wiioin  the  entire 
business  was  suljulitted.'  Kraiis,  in  Ohjinina  ( 'Inh  t'oiit'vi:tiOii)ii>>^  MS.,  '20.  'I'lie 
governor  and  coiuicil  had  no  legislative  power;  they  eonld  regulate  their  onmi 
nd'airs  only,  but  they  took  good  care  that  there  sliould  be  no  all'airs  but  theirs 
i:i  the  territory.  All  faetcns  considered  themselves  inuler  tlicir  eonnnissions  as 
magistrates.  Sir  Heonje  SIdi/wiii,  in  llouiic  of  Voiiunoii»  I'cjit.  II.  It.  Co.,  til  7. 
E.  KUice,  ill.,  .329,  states  that  the  governors  and  council  watched  carefully 
the  morals  of  tlie  young  men  in  their  charge,  who  were  caiefuUy  sehctid 
fi'om  good  families  at  home.  If  by  morals  he  means  not  «]>j)rii))riating  th(! 
company's  time,  furs,  ov  li(piors,  then  were  these  governors  patterns  of  ]ii(ir;il 
instruction.  If  by  chicanery  oi  debasement  the  company's  interests  could 
be  best  served,  as  in  taking  to  themselves  native  women  or  selling  to  the 
natives  rum,  then  the  governors  did  not  hes'tatu  boldly  to  procliiiin  im- 
morality to  the  young  men  as  the  best  moraliiy.  Both  Sir  James  Douglas, 
Prirnfc  Pii/ii'rs,}il>i:.,  1st  series,  80-2,  and  Tolmie,  y//s<.  I'lnjit  Sounil,  MS.,.')!)-?, 
giv((  interesting  deUiils  respecting  the  lIu<lson's  ]5ay  Company's  nuiterial  and 
management.  Says  Mr  Finlayson,  Vaiicoiirtr  IMaiid  and  Northve.tt  Con-it, 
^IS.,  ;{.")-7,  90:  'Tlie  system  of  the  H.  B.  Co.,  after  the  coalition,  was  to  hire 
yo'.nig  men  as  clerks.  Thoy  got  £20  for  the  first  year,  ,C2.">  for  the  .second, 
£;U)  for  the  third,  ,f40  for  the  fourth,  CiO  for  the  fifth.  If  they  behaved 
satisfactorily  then  £~Ty  per  annum  was  given  for  a  term  of  thi'ee  years.  Tiiis 
again  was  increased  to  ilOO  per  year,  '"''le  clerk  was  after  this  supposed  lu 
be  a  head  or  *  uished  clerk,  capable  of  taking  charge  of  a  post,  to  be  head 
accountant,  eti  And  on  merit  he  was  made  a  chief  trader  or  a  chief  factor. 
Tlu^  profits  of  e  company  were  composed  of  100  shares,  after  all  i)aymcnts 
had  been  mad  •  8o  shares  of  this  100  were  appropriated  to  the  trad'^i'.s  on  tiu' 
coast,  the  balai  was  appropriated  to  a  pension  fund  for  the  disabled.  A  ciiii  f 
factor  got  two  i  hty-fifths  of  the  profits,  and  a  chief  trader  got  one  eighty- 
liftli.  The  aceo  its  were  closed  on  the  1st  of  June  every  year.  We  got  a 
retii'ed  interest  •  .si.\  years  and  one  year's  furlough,  or  my  representative 
wonhl  get  it,  T  ,  whole  of  the  profits  were  divided  into  tenths;  four-tenths 
went  to  pay  the  ■,  rtners  here,  and  six-tenths  to  pay  the  partners  in  J'higlaiul, 
the  London  stocL.iolders.  These  four-tenths  were  divided  into  100  shares. 
(Jenerally  speaking  two  clerks  were  kept  at  each  post  of  trading;  this  was  in 
case  of  sickness  or  for  defensive  purposes.'  See  also  7sf(ij(s,  lliift.  Or.,  ^IS., 
1G;5-7;  liaynal,  HUt.  Phil.,  xii.  504;  UmfreviUc's  JIudsou's  Baij,  113-23. 


HUDSON'S  BAY  COMPANYS  STOCK. 


4.-.0 


rci^uLir  coui'so  fVoiii  j^nulL-  to  o'I'ikU",  from  its  orijijin  iu 
tliu  wildcincss  to  its  result  in  a  slmreholdor's  pockot. 

The  oriLiiiial  stock  of  the  Iluclson's  Bay  Conn)aiiy 
■was  X'lOjfjOO.  Notwitlistaiuliniif  losses  l)y  the  Freneli 
amouiitiiiL,^  to  :L'I  I  S,014  in  1G84  and  in  KJHH,  tlu-i-o 
were  dividends  of  fifty  |>er  cent.,  and  in  lOHl)  u  divi- 
dend of  twenty-five  per  cent.  In  IG90  the  stock  was 
trebled,  and  a  dividend  of  twenty-f,'vo  per  ctnit.  de- 
clureil  on  the  now  stock.  From  1002  to  l()i)7  there 
Mas  further  loss  by  the  French  of  £J)7,5()0,  l)ut  in 
1720  thev  had  so  ^\r  recovered  as,  with  a  call  of  ten 
I)er  cent.,  to  again  treble  their  capital  stock,  niakinijf  it 
now  L'l) 4,500.  After  this  for  many  years  their  divi- 
dends averaL,^ed  nine  })or  cent;  and  (lurin<(  a  period  of 
one  hundred  and  ten  3'eai's,  that  is  to  say  from  1  (»!)() 
to  1800,  there  was  a  [)rofit  on  the  original  stock  sub- 
scribed of  biitween  sixty  and  seventy  per  cent.  ])er 
annum.  Tlien  it  was  voted  to  add  three  times  as  much 
by  subscri[)tion;  each  subscriber  actually  paying  I'lOO 
to  receive  stock  valued  at  i'oOO,  making  the  nominal 
stock  .1*378,000,  the  money  paid  on  the  last  watering  of 
.£280,500  being  £3150.  In  1821,  cri[)pled  in  its  wars 
with  the  Northwest  Company,  £100  on  each  share 
was  called,  making  the  stock  £200,000.  Between 
1800  and  1821  profits  were  small,  sometimes  four  i)er 
cent.,  sometimes  nothing.  Tlie  Northwest  Company 
estimated  theirs  at  the  same  figures,  so  that  the  stock 
of  the  cond)ined  companies  was  £400,000.  A  sinking 
fund  of  ten  per  cent,  on  £200,000  had  been  set  aside 
l)y  the  Hudson's  ]]ay  Company  to  oppose  tlie  Noi'tli- 
west  Company  in  their  operations  west  of  the  Rocky 
^Mountains. 

But  this  was  onl}'  the  beginning  of  great  things. 
After  a  breathing  spell  of  quiet  mono[)oly  for  a  quarter 
century  we  find  in  1847  dividends  on  stock  valued  at 
,'J400,000  ranging  from  ten  to  twent}'  per  cent.,  while 
the  mai'ket  value  of  the  shares  was  from  two  hundred 
to  two  hundred  and  twenty -five  per  cent,  premium. 


4S6 


THE  I'UK-TRADE  UNDER  BRITISH  AUSriCES. 


Another  inflation,  as  laid  before  the  select  eonimlttee 
of  the  House  of  Commons  in  185G,  raises  tlie  stock 
to  £1,2G5,0G7  19s.  4d.  Two  thirds  of  those  who  were 
then  proprietors  had  paid  for  their  stock  from  two 
hundred  and  twenty  to  two  hundred  and  forty  per  cent. 

The  colonization  scheme  in  18G3  of  the  Intoiiia- 
tional  Financial  Society  Limited,  w^liich  announced 
itself  ready  to  receive  subscriptions  for  the  issue  at 
par  of  capital  stock  in  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com})aiiy, 
afforded  an  opportunity  to  raise  the  stock  of  the  cor- 
poration to  £2,000,000,  to  float  which  £1,930,000  nf  it 
was  offered  in  twenty-pound  shares,  value  being  based 
on  1,400,000  square  miles  or  89G,000,000  aci-es  of 
land  belonging  to  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  v.hicli 
mod'st  pretension  brings  a  return  in  ten  years  of 
£81,000,  being  more  than  four  per  cent,  on  the 
£2,000,000. 

In  1789  there  were  in  the  employ  of  the  comjianv, 
if  we  include  seventy-five  seamen  who  navigatc;d  the 
two  ships  and  one  sloop  annually  each  way,  v.liich 
then  constituted  the  ocean  service,  three  hundred  and 
fifteen  men.*"  In  184G  there  were  five  hundred  and 
thirteen  articled  men  and  fifty-five  officers,  which  with 
a  net-work  of  trading  routes  between  posts  extending 
from  tlic  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  gave  them  not  only 
extraordinary  influence  with  the  natives,  and  the  trade 
monopol}'^  of  the  north-west,  but  the  actual  domina- 
tion of  those  regions,  religious,  political,  and  social. 
In  1856  the  affairs  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-two 
establishments  were  managed  by  a  governor,  sixtcjcn 
chief  factors,  and  twenty-nine  chief  traders,  assisted 
by  five  surgeons,  eighty-seven  clerks,  sixty-seven  ])()st- 
masters,  five  hundred  voyagcurs,  and  twelve  hundred 
l)ermanent  servants,  besides  sailors  on  sea-going  vessels 
and  persons  temporarily  employed — about  three  thou- 
sand men  in  all.    At  the  time  of  the  final  expiration 


"*With  charnctci'istic  freedom  of  expression.  Rnynal,  TTUf.  Ph'L,  xii.  5(54, 
rctluc(.'(l  the  numlicr  in  1812  to  140:  'Mais  on  n'y  eoniptait  en  LSI  J  (in'iiivinm 
cent  qua  1  ante-six  persoimes,  toutes  attaoliOea  au  bervice  da  cette  cunipa^'uie. ' 


FURS  AXD  PELTRY. 


4o7 


of  its  riglits  tlicrc  were  two  hundred  and  tliirty-nino 
proprietors,  representin<^  a  capital  of  £400,000,  allairs 
being  administered  by  directors  in  London  elected  by 
a  general  assembly.  In  1831)  a  regular  court  of  jus- 
tice for  the  territory  was  established  at  llc;d  Iliver; 
and  later  on  Vancouver  Island  a  special  court  admin- 
istered justice.  Parliamentary  stipulations  rcMpiired 
tlie  arrest  of  murderers,  who  with  the  testimony  wei-o 
to  be  sent  to  Canada.  All  minor  offences  officers  might 
punish,  and  practically  there  was  no  appeal.^^ 

TJie  terms  fur  and  peltry  are  often  employed  synon- 
ymously, although,  strictly  speaking,  I'urs  are  the 
dressed  and  peltries  the  undressed  skins.  Niirrowcd 
yet  further  in  definition,  peltry  includes  only  skins  cov- 
ered with  short  hair,  such  as  buffldo,  deer,  and  elk,  l)ut 
the  original  technical  signification  is  now  well  nigli 
lost  in  the  popular  one.  Color,  thickness,  fineness,  and 
length  of  hair  all  exercise  an  influence  in  determining 
values.     Supply  ilso  affects  price;  for  example,  one 

"The  Wfsfmhis/rr  I?ri-ieic,  July  1S07,  gives  a  concise  history  of  tlie  MM- 
son's  J  >ny  Company,  under  the  title  The  La^t  Off  at  Monojiolii.  On  pii'^e:-;  4()5-7!i, 
(•'ri'riilioiiy.i  Or.  mill  Cat.,  arc  given:  1.  Extracts  from  the  royal  charter  to  the 
lltulsonVi  Bay  Company.  2.  An  act  for  extending  the  juris  lictina  of  coiiiti 
ill  ( .aiiada.  3.  An  act  for  regnlating  the  fur-trade.  4  and  .").  (^rowii  grants 
of  exclusive  tra<lo  to  the  Hiidaon's  ]iay  Company  after  its  iunil^;amati(jn  with 
the  Northwest  Company.  For  copy  of  royal  charter  of  HiTO  J'.iul  crown  ','ra;it 
of  18;{7  SCO  Home  of  ('ommons  Ucpt.  Ifiulson'if  JJai/  Co.,  408-10,  and  J/(^/■^'»■.s• 
Jfiiiltii)ii\i  liiuj,  l.")l-U.'.  A  large  part  of  Fitzgerald's  Exuiiunutlon  of  the  <  '/mr!  r 
(ni'l.  I'rocead'nujs  of  the  Hudson's  liny  Co.  is  devoted  to  arguments  against  tho 
corporation.  Likewise  in  Ilonxe  of  Commonif  I'cj>t.  Jludtioii'.'i  Ba;i  <  'o.,  .*5S()-7, 
ia  tho  testimony  of  Mr  MacDonell,  may  be  found  opinions  regarding  claims 
of  t'"j  Iludsoi  '  ]5ay  Company  and  their  riglits  mnlcr  charter,  sliowing  tli.it 
the  charter  'cannot  confer  upon  the  Hudson's  Bay  (Jompany  those  jiowers  and 
inivilegi's  which  they  assuniu  to  exercise  under  it.'  On  jiagcs  417-1!',  ■'/.,  is 
a  copy  of  a  letter  from  Mr  Pelly,  governor  of  the  Hndson'.s  Bay  Cnni]  any,  to 
Lord  (Jlenelg,  applying  for  a  renewal  of  the  grant.  See  also  L'raiin'  llUt.  Or., 
MS.,  Kil-I];  (/Difrcville.'-i  IIik/xoii'.-i  Urn/,  l-(j;  J/o)7//(',s ////'/.s'Oi ",■>■/>( /,.").")- 7  ; 
j'>ohl,.i'J/ii,lsoii\'iJJii!/,  \-\:l?.;  .Vaipifi'.'i  Jirltixh  Col.,  110-17;  RU-hinhni,'.^  Poho- 
111 'jiiiii.t,  irj-1.3;  ..1  /'eit'  Wui\l-ion  the  .  /i((/,>'o»'«  Ben/  Coiiipain/,  8;  Jiorct:l:fi 
''"iHi'laoii  the  Pariiir,  Sl-2;  i'(trbi-'n  E.r.  Tour,  1S7-S;  <,'rii>/'.-<  l/iy/.  Or.,  IC!, 
4;i  ,-),  89-90;  nriti.sk  North  Am.,  2.-)5-fl;  H7//.t,i'  Xar.,  iv.  •);  Ho.ih'  /,'-/  /Unr 
S<ttlfmcHt,  "2-7;  Wwldinjton'x  I'raxcr  Hirer,  '2!)-35;  VirJor's  Uirt  nf  tif  llVv/, 
-7;  ///»*'s' /,;/i',  ;5S4;  //•r/^.'/'-i  ..l.s^o/vrt,  511 ;  ])tiii)x''!i  Or.,  \'\\.  w.;  Co.,:'. t  A  dr., 
i\.  XX.;  Fariihntii'.s  Trarrl.t,  4rA;  T<irfir\t  SkHih,  02.  According  to  a  state- 
iiicnt  of  the  Northwest  Company,  Xnrraiii'e  of  Ornirri'iir<.i,  ;?,  just  prior  to 
tiie  lieginning  of  the  Beil  River  settlement  in  181 1  Hudson  Bay  stork  'had 
fallen  from  "J.'iO  per  ecu.,  to  hetwecu  50  and  GO  in  couse(|ueuco  of  niisfortuuo 
or  mismanagement  of  their  ailairs.' 


':• 


458 


THE  FUR  TRxVDE  UNDER  BRITISH  AUSPICES. 


jja! 


of  the  most  difficult  animals  to  trap  is  tlic  silver  ftx\, 
and  the  skin  is  correspondingly  high,  being  worth 
from  fifty  to  seventy-five  dollars.  I  have  seen  it  stated 
that  thirty  guineas  are  often  paid  for  the  skin  of  the 
black  fox,  the  price  of  which  diminishes  with  the  pres- 
ence of  white  hairs.  The  ermine  is  a  costlv  fur;  and 
after  it  the  sable,  sea-otter,  beaver,  and  seal.  These 
last  mentioned  w^ere  all  caught  in  steel  or  wooden 
traps,  while  deer  and  buflfaloes  were  shot  or  snared  by 
the  natives." 

Notwithstandinsf  the  immense  business  transacted, 
the  constant  buying  of  furs,  and  the  selling  of  various 
connnodities  from  different  parts  of  the  world,  in  the 
dealings  of  the  fur  companies  with  their  servants  as 
well  as  with  tlie  aborigines,  no  gold,  silver,  notes,  or 
other  circulating  medium  known  as  money  was  em- 
ployed. 


19 


■  1 


"'American  ermine  and  sable  were  less  esteemed  than  some  others.  Rus- 
sian aalilc  was  regarded  the  best,  and  next  to  it  that  of  the  Kuvopoan  iiiart(.';i, 
wliilc  the  American,  which  is  obtained  from  the  dark  l)ro\vn  and  olive  coIoiimI 
marten,  ranks  third.  The  ermine  of  the  eastern  continent  \a  ri'iirescntcd 
by  the  interior  fur  of  the  American  stoat.  Otter  luive  been  nearly  ixtciini- 
nated,  except  in  J5ritisli  North  America;  such  is  the  ease  with  tlio  beaver,  the 
jioiUtc  of  the  Romans.  Seals  have  also  sufl'ered  much  from  the  nicrcikss 
raids  of  all-devouring  man.  The  present  total  yield  is  only  about  loJ.OOl), 
about  two  thirds  of  Avhieh  eome  from  Alaska,  where  the  United  States 
government  has  very  properly  placed  restrictions  ujion  tlie  catch.  The 
niiinopoly  of  the  fishery  there  is  held  by  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company, 
which  has  twenty  trading-posts  on  the  continent  and  islands. 

''••  Usually  a  beaver-skin  was  made  the  standard,  and  all  other  values, 
European  merchandise,  as  well  as  other  skins,  were  measured  by  it.  Thus  at 
Albany  J'"ort,  Moose  River,  and  East  Main  in  \~o\i  with  tlie  skin  of  one  fidl- 
grown  Ijcaver  a  native  could  buy  half  a  pound  of  beads,  or  one  pound  i(f  Iha/jil 
tobacco,  or  half  a  pound  of  thread.  A  gallon  of  lirandy  cost  four  beaver-skius; 
broadclotli,  two  beaver-skins  a  yard;  blankets,  six  beaver-skins  each;  hand- 
kerchiefs, one  and  a  half  beaver-skins  '■ach;  powder,  one  and  a  half  pounils, 
and  of  sliot  live  pounds  for  a  beaver-skin;  and  so  on  through  a  long  list,  the 
quantity  of  goods  given  for  a  beaver-skin  greatly  varying  according  to  remote- 
ness and  competition.  Also  at  the  time  and  place  last  mentioned,  tlii'ce  niar- 
tenn  were  counted  as  one  beaver;  likewise  one  fox,  one  moose,  two  deer,  one 
Wolf,  ten  pounds  of  feathers,  one  black  liear,  were  each  ecpiivalent  to  oiiu 
beaver.  At  tliis  time  beaver-skins  were  selling  in  London  at  live  or  six  shil- 
lings a  pound ;  marten,  eight  shilling.s  each ;  otter,  six  shillings ;  btiar,  sixteen 
sliiiling.s;  lox,  from  six  to  ten  shillings;  elk,  seven  shillings;  deer,  two  sliil- 
lings;  wolf,  lifteen  shillings;  and  wolverene,  eight  shillings  each.  A  huudicd 
year:i  later  at  Fort  Macpherson  we  find  a  blanket  worth  ten  beaver-skins ;  a 
gun,  twenty;  a  worsted  belt,  two;  eighteen  bullets,  one  bea\er-sl-in.  The 
gun  cost  twenty-two  shillings,  and  the  twenty  beaver-skins  were  then  vvoith 
in  London  X,',V1  10s.  A  gill  of  powder  costing  one  and  a  half  pence,  or  a.  scal))- 
iug  knife  costing  fourpenee,  or  a  dozen  brass  buttons,  were  exchanged  for  ony 


THE  ANNUAL  VESSELS. 


459 


The  trading  license  of  1838  extended  the  absolute 
power  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  over  the  whole 
of  the  reg-ion  west  of  the  liockv  ^lountains  covered 
by  these  volumes,  and  known  as  the  Northwest  Coast. 
Within  this  domain  were  twenty-one  of  the  company's 
establishments,  twelve  of  which  were  in  the  Oregon 
Territory  as  prescribed  by  treaty  of  June  15,  1H4(>, 
at  which  time  the  company  employed  one  thousand 
men  on  the  Pacific  slope  alone. 

To  su})ply  the  coast  with  goods  and  carry  away 
furs,  fish,  and  other  returns,  one  or  two  well  laden  ships 
arrived  annually  from  England  at  Fort  Vancouver 
or  later  at  Victoria.^  The  cargoes  when  placed  in 
store  were  at  once  divided  into  three  classes,  and 
prices  established.  The  first  class  com[)rised  knives, 
tobacco,  and  other  articles  intended  for  oTatuities  to 
natives,  for  it  had  been  ascertained  that  a  present 


lioavei'-skin  worth  £1  12s.  Gtl.  An  axe  now  sold  for  three  skina,  a  file  for  two, 
ami  a  pair  of  pantaloons  costhig  four  dollar.s  for  nine  skins  worth  seventy  dollai's. 
lilankuts  were  sometimes  employed  as  a  standard  of  value,  as  also  was  tohaoeo. 
Itusyell,  lUft.  yl«/.,  ii.  "JIW,  speaking' of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  trade  in 
17MS,  says  that  '  Ten  beaver  skins  are  usually  given  for  a  connnon  nuisket; 
two  for  a  pound  of  powder;  one  for  four  pounds  of  sliot;  ouo  for  a  hatchet; 
one  for  six  knives;  two  for  a  pound  of  glassd)eads;  six  for  a  eloth  eoat;  live 
for  a  jiettieoat,  and  one  for  a  pound  of  snull".  Comljs,  looking-glasses,  bnmdy, 
and  all  other  articles  are  in  proportion ;  and  as  beaver  is  the  connnon  measure  of 
exchange,  by  another  regulation,  as  unjust  as  the  former,  two  otter  skins  and 
three  marthis,  are  recpiired  instead  of  one  beaver ;  whereas  each  of  these,  when 
line,  are  nioi'e  than  cipial  to  a  beaver.'  According  to  J.  Rae,  in  his  evidence 
before  the  House  of  Conunons  connnittee,  Ih;it.  limhnn^ liaii  Co.  lS,'/7,  'A'.i-U 
'A  lilanket  was  four  beavers,  but  if  you  got  the  value  of  it  in  nnisk-rats  you 
would  not  liavo  uliove  a  shilling  or  twi)  profit,  whicli  would  not  cover  the 
expense.  Ten  rats  go  for  a  beaver.  Ten  rats,  a  few  years  ago,  would  sell  in 
tlie  London  market  for  about  .'?,s;  they  are  higlier  now.'  'The  tarilf  is  formed 
ill  a  p(.'culiar  way,'  /'/.,  'J7,  'and  necessarily  so.  The  sums  given  for  furs  do 
not  coincide  with  tlie  value  of  the  furs  tradeil  for  with  them,  because  tlu; 
musk-rat  or  the  less  valuable  furs  are  paid  for  at  a  higher  rate.  Were  the 
Ciiiiiiiany  to  pay  for  the  finer  furs  at  the  same  rate,  the  Indians  would  hunt 
np  the  liner  turs  and  destroy  them  oil',  as  has  been  done  all  along  the  frontier, 
and  we  should  then  require  to  reduce  the  price  for  the  musk-rat  and  the  infe- 
rior furs,  and  the  Indians  would  not  hunt  them  at  all.' 

'-"  Mrs  Harvey  in  her  Li/<'  of  Dnrtor  ^f<•Lol(;|^ll!ll,  MS.,  ^.  .says  that  after 
the  spring  of  IS'Jd,  the  first  year  of  her  father's  residence  in  the  country,  a 
ship  from  London  came  into  the  Columbia  every  year.  Mr  l^'inlayson,  i'c,/- 
(■(III n  r  /.s/aiid  and  Northiccsf,  CouM,  MS.,  .'17,  states  that  in  I8.'i7  three  barlvs 
lierformed  the  service  between  England  and  the  Columbia,  one  ontward-bound, 
line  honieward-bound,  and  one  in  reserve  in  the  (Columbia.  The  houieward- 
bound  vessel  usually  left  on  the  1st  of  November,  aud  the  outward-bouml  left 
Loudon  at  the  beghming  of  sununer. 


THE  FUR-TRADE  UNDER  BRITISH  AUSPICES. 


ii^ 


k 

■   h 

ill 


I 


■would  often  buy  more  than  the  same  article  v.ith  a 
fixed  price.  At  all  events,  no  nuitter  what  the  dealinjjfs 
miglit  be,  the  savage  desired  a  present,  desired  to  i'eel, 
if  but  for  a  moment,  that  he  had  obtained  something  for 
nothing;  hence  tlie  matter  of  gifts  was  an  important 
one.  The  second  class  consisted  of  blankets,  cloth, 
arms  and  ammunition,  and  other  articles  employed  ex- 
clusively in  barter.  The  third  class  was  called  Indian 
goods,  and  consisted  of  small  articles,  beads,  paints, 
shirts,  and  handkerchiefs,  used  chiefly  to  purchase 
fish  and  game,  or  to  obtain  sonic  slight  service  from 
the  natives.  The  dedication  of  the  several  articles  to 
the  prescribed  purpose  was  by  no  means  strictly  ad- 
hered to,  particularly  at  the  less  important  posts ;  but 
such  was  the  general  plan  of  the  traffic. 

The  price  placed  upon  goods  at  Fort  Vancouver  was 
never  changed,  except  on  the  arrival  of  a  ship  fi'oni 
Boston;  nor  did  the  rate  at  which  furs  were  received 
vary.  In  the  absence  of  opposition  no  necessity  ex- 
isted for  chaffering.  Through  an  aperture  like  that 
of  a  post-office  delivery,  the  Indian  having  furs  for 
sale  passed  them  to  a  clerk  within,  who  in  like  manner 
leturned  their  value  in  the  merchandise  desired.  When 
settlers  began  to  arrive,  those  of  them  who  desired  to 
purchase  goods  must  do  so  through  the  superintendent 
or  connnander,  wdio  gave  him  an  order  for  the  articles 
required. 

At  the  interior  posts  there  was  less  dignified  for- 
mality, and  more  freedom  of  manner.  First  of  all,  i\\c- 
Indian  would  have  rum  if  he  could  get  it.  If  this 
was  furnished,  a  debauch  was  always  preliininar}'  ti» 
business.  Frequently  the  shrewd  savage  before  this 
indulgence  would  set  aside  a  portion  of  his  furs  for  a 
gun,  another  for  blankets,  or  anununition,  or  tobacco, 
or  knives,  or  cloth,  or  whatever  might  be  his  absolute 
needs,  reckoned  when  sober,  and  si)end  the  remainder 
vith  a  clear  conscience  for  the  comfort  and  fascination 
t)f  intoxication.  The  natives  understood  thoroughly 
11  ]e  nature  antl  value  to  them  of  competitive  tralHc. 


METHOD  OF  TR.VFFIC. 


4GI 


Of  course  tlio  C!Mni)any  did  all  in  its  power  to  prevent 
the  coming  of  United  States  traders,  and  their  system 
of  advances  nuiterially  aided  them,  as  it  made  their 
own  the  catch  of  the  trapper  while  yet  the  wild  beasts 
ran  at  large. 

Should  an  officer  or  servant  of  the  company  desire 
a  skin  for  his  own  use,  he  was  obliged  to  pay  for  it  ton 
])er  cent  above  the  London  price;  and  in  no  case  wa.i 
lie  allowed  to  purchase  here  for  a  friend  at  honu\ 
Though  as  a  rule  the  natives  did  the  hunting-,  vet 
servants  were  sometimes  permitted  to  trap  on  Satur- 
day or  Sunda}',  in  which  case  they  'must  take  their 
catch  to  the  office  and  receive  what  an  Indian  would 

Trade,  though  in  general  uniform  in  its  method, 
v.as  not  witliout  minor  local  differences.  The  remote 
districts  north  t)f  the  GOth  parallel  were  the  best  fields. 
Comi)ctition  there  was  less,  game  could  l)e  better  pro- 
tected, and  fur-bearing  animals  be  increased  rather 
than  exterminated.""  Hunting  was  done  princi[)ally 
in  winter,  the  fur  being  then  better;  moreover,  in 
summer  the  animal  rears  its  young.  From  the  various 
forts  and  outposts  the  Hudson  Bay  people  brought 
every  spring  by  means  of  boats  the  furs  collected 
during  winter  to  the  three  principal  depots,  namely, 
]*'ort  A^ancouver  on  the  Columbia,  York  Factory  on 
Ifudson  Bay,  and  !Moosc  Factory  on  James  Bay, 
wlience  they  were  shipped  in  the  company's  vessels 
to  London;  hence  on  all  the  lakes  and  streams  that 
interlace  the  broad  domain  held  by  this  association, 
biigades  of  boats  were  passing  and  re])assing,  and  as 
compared  to  the  frozen  silence  of  winter  all  was  life 

'■•''  'White  men  only  -were  iisetl  as  tniiipors  in  connection  with  the  southern 
express.  Tiic  retired  servants  of  tlie  (Joinijauy  received  the  siinie  price  for 
tlieir  furs  as  any  otlier.s  and  a  servant  or  employee  was  allowed  to  hunt  at  aiiv 
time.'  I'iiiltn/sonit  Vaiicuiuxr  IkUihiI  ami  jN'(//V//"V',sif  ( '')«>•<,  M.S.,  !)!•.  See  alsi) 
ir/Y/.c'.s''  Xitr.  U.  S.  Kx.  Exjii'd.,  iv.  H20;  Sir  J  oh  a  Jiic/uirdsun,  iu  llontc  Com- 
■inniiii  llfjit.  HikImdii'x  lUiij  Co.,  I'AK 

--'  'I  do  not  believe,'  says  K.  ICllice  in  the  lloune  of  Commons  liept.  /Iin.'- 
.■-■'*» 'x  /)(•(//  Co.,  ',V27,  'that  any  part  of  the  fur  trade  carried  on  l>y  the  ('(jnijiany 
iu  their  southern  posta,  in  the  inuncdiate  vioiuity  of  tho  .iiinericuu  fruutier,  ia 
iu  the  least  profitable. ' 


402 


THE  FUR-TRADE  UNDER  BRITISH  AUSPICES. 


and  animation.  Later,  Fort  Garry  on  Red  River 
became  the  centre  of  operations  east  of  the  dividing 
ridge. 

From  most  of  the  principal  forts  trapping  and 
trading  expeditions  Avere  sent  out  every  autumn,  wliicli 
returned  with  tlicir  catch  the  following  sprmg  or  sum- 
mer. These  parties  consisted  of  from  five  to  thirty 
natives  with  their  families,  or  were  composed  wholly 
or  in  part  of  half-breeds  or  white  men,  sometimes 
under  the  ijiiidancc  of  a  servant  or  officer  of  the  com- 
pany,  but  as  often  alone,  and  that  after  having  })ro- 
cured  their  outfit  on  credit.  Two  of  these  parties, 
nmch  larger  than  those  from  minor  posts,  being  from 
fifty  to  seventy -five  men  each,  set  out  fi'om  Fort  Van- 
couver ever}'  year,  one  proceeding  southward  as  far  as 
San  Francisco  Bay,  the  other  eastward  to  the  i-egioii 
I'omid  the  headwaters  of  the  Columbia  i.nd  the  Col- 
orado."^ 

In  conveying  goods  up  the  Columbia,  and  in  bring- 
ing furs  down  that  stream,  barges,  each  of  five  or  six 
tons  burden,  were  sometimes  employed.  The  boats 
were  manned  by  six  Canadians  or  Iroquois,  and  steered 
by  a  paddle.  Both  lx)ats  and  goods  were  carried  over 
t!ie  portages.  For  two  leaves  of  tobacco  each,  twenty- 
fi\'e  natives  would  readily  transfer  the  boats,  large  as 
thciy  were,  from  one  landing  to  the  other. '^^ 

The  upper  and  interior  posts  were  supplied  from 
Fort  Vancouver,  whence  were  two  annual  departures, 
one  coastwise,  for  which  service  the  company  em- 
ployed first  the  steamer  i?tY«re>' and  afterward  a  larger 

-■'  'There  was  a  chief  factor  for  Xew  Caledonia,  with  head-quarters  at  Foit 
James;  there  was  one  also  for  the  coast  district.  He  was  usually  eniployoil 
in  (^raising  between  the  stations  in  the  steamer  IJearrr.  The  southern  exjie- 
ditions  were  accompanied  by  a  chief  factor,  as  a  nile;  Mr.  Ogden  used  to  go 
with  them  very  often.'  F'nilaiimin'x  Vmiroiirtr  Inltnd  ami  Korthinst  Coa^f, 
MS., 00.  Farnhani,  Trdvcl.t,  4.">.S-4,  copied  almost  literally  from  WilkW  ^111: 
I'.  S.  Ex.  Exptd.,  iv.  3o(i,  says  they  left  Fort  Vancouver  in  October  and  re- 
turned in  Mayor  June;  that  thej-  were  permitted  to  take  their  wives  ami 
c'liildren,  and  that  tliey  usually  trapped  on  shares.  Where  there  are  so  many 
w;:ys  (jf  doing  business,  naturally  there  is  some  difference  in  the  remarks  of 
observers. 

"  Finlayson,  Vancouver  IMaml  and  Xorthtrest  Coast,  MS.,  80,  says  that  the 
company  built  these  barges,  four  of  them,  iu  Loudou. 


THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS. 


463 


steamer,  the  Lnhouclwre,  toijctlier  with  five  well  aniied 
sailiiiLj  vessels  of  from  one  huiulred  to  three  huiulred 
tons  eaeh,  and  one  for  Fort  James,  on  Stuart  Lake, 
by  way  of  Okanagan,  Colville,  and  Thompson  ]\iver. 
Thu  great  event  of  the  year  was  the  arrival  of  the 
overland  ex])ress,  called  the  Montreal  or  York  Fac- 
tory IJrijj^ado.  There  were  several  rei^fidar  bri'jadcs 
departing  and  arriving  at  Fort  Vancoiiv(M',  such  as 
the  Southern  brigade,  the  New  Caledonia  brigade,  etc. 
The  annual  overland  express,  carrying  letters  and 
d('S})atclies,  left  Fort  Vancouver  for  York  Factory 
and  Xorway  House,  where  the  great  council  met  eveiy 
sunnner,  about  the  middle  of  March,  in  charge  of  a 
conlidential  officer.^''  From  the  southern  and  coast 
stations  accounts  had  been  received  and  balances  struck 
:\t  Fort  Vancouver.  The  brigade  called  at  Walla 
Walla,  Okanagan,  and  Colville  on  its  way  up  the  river, 
thus  saving  those  ports  the  trouble  of  sending  their 
accounts  to  Fort  Vancf)uver.  Colville,  being  the  last 
ini[)ortant  station  before  reaching  the  mountains,  be- 
came a  sort  of  rendezvous  for  accountants.  Thither 
tlie  minor  surrounding  forts  sent  their  annual  state- 
meats,  and  there  the  connnander  of  the  overland  ex- 
jiress  could  strike  his  final  balances."*^  Several  hundred 
miles  above  Fort  Colville,  at  the  head  of  canoe  navi- 
gation, was  a  place  called  Boat  Encampment.  There 
the  boats  were  taken  from  the  water,  and,  with  super- 
fluous i)rovisions  and  baixgage,  cached.  Crossinix  the 
mountains  on  snow-shoes,  the  party  took  boats  again 
at  Jasper  House,  on  the  Athabasca  River,  leaving 
them  at  Fort  Assiniboine  to  cross  the  dividing  ridge 
to  Fort  Edmonson,  on  the  Saskatchewan,  whence  l)oats 
finally  carried  them  to  York  Factory,  on  Hudson  Bay. 
After  a  short  stay  the  party  leturned  by  the  same 


-'.Tames  Donglaa  comluctcd  thia  sen'icc  for  several  years;  A.  C,  Aiidcrsoii 
iwrforiiioil  the  journey  in  1842. 

■■''l'i)lvillu  was  where  the  whole  accounts  were  inaile  up;  they  wore  thially 
i.li.)se(l  there  for  York.  The  southern  cxpeilition.s  and  northern  expeditioiiri 
Used  to  meet  at  Colville  witli  tliu  aecouuts.  FinluysotCs  Vuitcouver  hlund 
(iinl  Xort/itvvnt  t'oaul,  MS.,  37-8. 


464 


THE  FUR-TRADE  UNDER  BRITISH  AUSRICES. 


route,  ruacliiiij^  Fort  Vancouver  usually  toward  the 
latter  part  of  (Jctober.''^ 

The  New  Caledonia  brigade  plied  between  forts  Van- 
couver and  Alexandria.  Leavinjj  Fort  Vancouver  in 
April,  supj)lies  were  carried  up  the  river  in  boats  to 
Fort  Colville,  and  thence  transjforted  to  Fort  Alex- 
andria in  ninety-pound  bales  on  horses,  one  horse 
carrying  but  two  bal(\s,  while  a  Canadian  voyageur 
would  sometimes  carry  three.  A  large  numl>er  of 
horses  were  kept  at  Alexandria  fc^r  the  ])ur[)os(j 
of  brinu'iiijjj  in  furs  from  the  surroundinu  posts,  trans- 
porting  them  to  Colville  or  Okanagan,  wliencc  thiy 
leturned  with  supplies,  which  were  in  like  manner  dis- 
tiibuted  to  the  several  posts. "'^  Dog-sledges  were 
sometimes  employed  in  this  service  in  winter. 

The  method  of  account  keeping  at  the  Vancouver 
depot  will  further  illustrate  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany's system.  From  London  each  year  the  coni- 
])any's  ship  brought  the  outfit  i'ov  the  third  year 
tliereafter,  thus  keeping  regularly  on  hand,  as  a  guard 
against  accidents,  two  years'  supply. 

A.11  shipments  from  London  to  the  Pacific  coast 
were  charged  to  Fort  Vancouver,  where  full  accounts 
were  ke})t  both  with  the  London  house  and  with  all 
the  subordinate  posts.  At  Fort  Vancouver  the  outfit 
yeai-  began  the  Lst  of  June.     Then  was  credited  to 

"'Anderson,  7//.v<.  Northwest  Coaxt,  MS.,  8-91,  gives  the  host  acoount  of 
the  overland  (.'xprcss.  See  also  Tolinic''i  Hist.  I'lKjet  Soinn!,  ^IS.,  10-11; 
Fiiilitii-^oH^s  Vuii''onvpr  Idand  and  Northirvxt  Cocisf,  MS.,  37;  nurr<;i\-<  L'lj'' 
ot'.MrLf)ii(l/J'ni,  ]\IS.,  4.  Mr  Finlayson  states  tliat  a  brigade  for  the  cast  soiiu^- 
tinies  li'ft  I'ort  \'iincoiiver  in  the  antunm,  which  met  the  western-bound  cx- 
jjrc's.s  at  IJoat  I'^ncanipmcnt.  The  connections  of  boats  and  horse.'*,  and  iill 
routine  connected  witli  the  going  and  returning  brigade,  he  asserts  'weio 
made  Mitli  the  regularity  of  a  machine.'  Tohnie  says  tlie  yearly  accounts  of 
goods  received,  furs  imrchased,  as  well  as  all  other  receipts  and  expenditure  ^ 
at  all  posts  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  were  sjnt  to  Fort  Vancou\  ^r,  where 
the  general  acoount  was  made  up  and  despatched  by  the  spi'ing  expedition. 
Theoretically  this  was  the  ease.  If  the  accountant  in  charge,  to  save  IIh^ 
upper  j)osts  the  trouble  of  sending  their  accounts  down  the  Columbia  some 
hundreds  tif  miles,  made  up  his  final  statement  at  Colville,  it  amounted  Id 
the  same  as  if  he  had  done  so  at  Fort  Vancouver. 

-'"  'This  was  previous  to  1849,  when  the  counti'y  was  looked  upon  as  Britioli 
territory.  Tlie  furs  were  deposited  at  Okanagan;  boats  then  cauu^  from  Fut 
Vancouver  to  receive  the  furs,  and  the  Iiorse  brigades  returned  to  Alexandria.' 
I'lidaijiion' s  Wincoiiver  Ii>lund  and  yorthiccat  Co^ist,  MS.,  07-8. 


BY  THE  CAXDLE. 


465 


each  post  or  district;  goods  on  hand  tlio  31st  of  ^lay, 
together  with  returns  in  furs  or  other  articles,  which 
were  estimated  cnougli  helow  London  prices  to  cover 
expenses  of  shipment  and  sale.  Tliis  closed  the  busi- 
ness of  the  outiit  year.  At  the  same  time  were  charged 
the  goods  on  liand  from  the  previous  year,  together 
witli  fresh  stock  sent,  after  adding  to  it  thirty-three 
and  a  third  per  cent  to  cover  transportation  expenses; 
also  were  entered  against  the  posts  clerks'  and  ser- 
vants' wages.  The  profit  or  loss  would  then  apj)ear. 
The  details  of  goods  sent  from  head-quarters  were 
entered  in  transfer  books  A;  the  details  of  returns,  as 
well  as  of  accounts  between  posts,  in  transfer  books  B. 

Of  the  eost  of  fort-building  no  separate  account  was 
kept,  as  this  labor  was  performed  by  the  company's 
hired  servants.  An  account  was  kept  at  the  Van- 
couver depot  called  General  Charges,  in  which  were 
entered  })resents  made  and  provisions  consumed  by 
visitors,  and  their  value,  together  with  all  goods  dis- 
posed of  and  not  otherwise  put  down.  Every  blanket 
and  every  bead  scattered  throughout  this  wilderness 
must  be  accounted  for  to  the  hard-headed  methodical 
manauers  in  London,  and  woe  to  the  underling  dere- 
liet  in  any  of  these  duties. 

Tlie  ti'ans- Atlantic  shipments  of  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company  were  all  directed  to  London,  the  chief 
market  of  the  world,  and  the  furs  were  there  sold, 
at  semi-annual  sales  held  in  March  and  September,  at 
auction  by  the  candle,  the  bidding  for  eacli  lot  con- 
tinuinnr  till  a  liijfhted  candle  had  burned  to  a  certain 
mark,  causing  a  pin  placed  at  that  pomt  to  dro[). 
Foi'eign  i)urchases  were  chiefly  for  the  Leipsic  fair, 
M'lience  they  were  distributed  to  various  parts  of 
Europe  and  Asia.^^ 

■■>  In  the  year  173.3  12,000  lioaver,  2000  marten,  and  1000  cat  were  tlic  prin- 
oipiil  items.  In  1740  2(),000  beaver  sold  at  from  .")8.  to  (is.  per  pound,  Iti.OOO 
niurteu  at  7s.  lOd.  a  skin,  500  otter  at  Os.  .Sd.  eacli,  .300  foxes  at  8s.  4d.,  (ii)0 
Wolverenes  at  Ss.,  ,330  black  bear  at  17s.  Od.,  730  wolves  at  los.,  and  otiier 
small  lots.  Twenty-six  thousand  beaver  of  tlie  several  kinds  and  (|uali;iesj 
weie  disposed  of  at  the  sale  of  Novendier  1743;  also  14,000  marten,  .")!»(»  otter, 
1"j80  >\  ulf.  and  others.  The  Northwest  Company's  business  for  17U8  counted 
UisT.  N.  W.  Coast,  Vol.  I.    30 


m 


THE  FUR-TR.VDE  UXDER  BRITISH  AUSPICES. 


The  f^rcat  companies  dealt  in  other  articles  besides 
furs.  During  the  latter  j)art  of  the  eighteuntli  oenturv 
sloops  were  aiuiually  sent  from  Prince  of  Wales  Fort 
northward  to  trade  with  the  Eskimos  for  oil  and 
whale  fins.  Feathers,  tallow,  and  lioi-ns  were  like- 
wise articles  of  merchandise.  Quantities  of  dried  and 
salted  fish  were  put  up  and  shipped,  both  from  eastern 
and  western  posts. 

Enormous  jirofits  were  realized.  But  time  was 
required  to  turn  capital;  expenses  were  likewise 
heavy,  labor  severe,  and  risks  by  no  means  small. 
Usually  the  trapper  required  credit,  and  his  ability  to 
pay  dei)ended  on  his  success,  which  risk  the  company 
was  obliged  to  take.  Indians  were  readily  trusted 
by  the  companies,  the  original  cost  of  the  articles 
credited  being  so  small  in  proportion  to  expected  re- 
turns that  the  sellers  could  well  afford  to  make  the 
venture. 

A  dollar's  worth  of  English  or  Dutch  trinkets  used 
on   the    Northwest  Coast   in  the  purchase  of  furs, 

100,000  bcavor,  2100  bear,  5.500  fox,  4000  otter.  17,000  musquash,  32  marten, 
18(X)  iniiik,  (iOO  lynx,  UOO  wolverene,  IGoO  lislier,  100  raccoon,  .'iSOO  wolf,  TOO 
elk,  10.10  (leer,  and  .")00  liuflalo.  These  Manic  ligures  Eayniil,  ///'.s^  }'/:!'.,  xiii. 
fi.')7,  gives  as  the  total  yield  of  Canada  for  the  year  ISO!).  I'ml,  /IM.  Xi  ■!> 
Vakilouia,  MS.,  (!;},  <iuotca  tariiV  in  his  locality  in  18.30  as  follows :  A  gun  cost 
20  skins;  a  coat,  (>  skins;  ,a  foot  of  twist  tobacco,  a  gallon  kettle,  or  a  siiinll 
axe,  eacli  oiio  skin  ;  a  large  axe,  two  skins;  two  gills  powder,  one  skin  ;  one 
pound  of  shot,  tnie  skin.  The  worth  of  skins  nieasurin:;  thesi;  valuer  w.i:>  fiom 
18  to  20  sliillinga.  The  Oregon  country  prior  to  184-1  yielded  .-ibout  .SIIO.OOO 
worth  of  furs  annually,  paid  for  in  goods  which  cost  some  .'i-2(),0!K),  to  whiuh 
must  be  added  the  services  of  five  liundred  men,  and  shipping  and  other  ex- 
penses. ISetween  the  prices  paid  by  dill'ercnt  companies  there  wns  often  a 
■wide  difrerenco;  thus  in  1845  we  linil  (pioted,  House  (.'ouniioni  /'rj,/.  //;'-/- 
ftoun  I'd!/  Co.  i.s'.T",  2S3,  the  following  coniparitivc  tariff:  While  for  otter  the 
American  Fur  Company  paid  .S.'1..")0  each,  the  Hudson's  Hay  ('ompany  p:iid 
but  (is.;  iislier,  marten,  mink,  and  lynx  were  respectively  ^2,  Sl.T"),  41) 
C"nts,  and  §2  at  the  posts  (^f  the  former  company,  wliilo  the  latter  si)Id 
•them  at  2s.,  2s.,  lOd.,  an<l  2s.  Silver  fox  were  .^l.")  by  one  and  Ids.  Iiy  the 
other;  beaver,  .?.3.2."},  as  against  (!s.,  and  so  on.  Following  the  ]irinted  li-t 
of  the  Fenchureh  -  street  sale  of  March  1848,  wo  have  ]2I,0!)U  marten, 
24,000  mink,  3102  bear,  1!),000  fox,  5780  otter,  .30,100  lynx,  and  nso  iisher. 
In  Aucaist  of  that  year  were  sold  21, .340  beaver,  808  ottei-,  'i-i~>  sea-otter  and 
:8ca!s,  28S4  fleer.  2000  raccoon,  228  wolverene,  141)4  wolf,  ():)2  eat,  lOl-'.  lynx, 
loo  I  swan,  18,55.3  musquash,  14,10.3  mink,  20,785  marten,  744  iisher,  b)44 
fox,  and  21)07  bear.  Between  the  1.3th  of  June  and  tiie.2Ist  of  Xoveniljer 
1S3IJ,  furs  to  the  value  of  £1700  were  procured  at  Fort  Vancouver.  'Twenty 
thousand  beaver  were  shipped  from  Vancouver  by  September,  the  greatest 
.number  yet  made  from  the  Columbia.'  Tolniic\i  Journal,  MS.,  88. 


TRADING  GOODS. 


407 


which  were  sold  hi  China,  the  proceeds  bcinpf  invested 
ill  teas,  silks,  rice,  or  other  Asiatic  j^oods  shi|»[)e(l  to 
London  or  New  York,  would  sometimes  briiii,'  a  re- 
turn of  twenty  dollars.  Often  three  or  four  hundred 
dollars'  worth  of  goods  would  be  sent  from  the  dis- 
tributing depot  to  the  trapper's  camp,  where  tliey 
would  be  exchanged  for  three  or  four  thousand  dollars' 
worth  of  furs. 

Bright-colored  calico  and  black  broadcloth ;  blank- 
ets and  hats;  arms,  axes,  knives,  and  kettles;  paints, 
mirrors,  beads,  bells,  and  brass  ornaments  would  be 
exchanged  at  the  rate  of  one  dollar  for  two  or  twenty, 
according  to  distance  from  market  or  other  cause. 
The  tobacco  sold  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  came 
mostly  from  Brazil.  It  was  twisted  into  a  rope  one 
inch  in  diameter,  and  coiled;  it  was  sold  by  the  inch. 

The  returns  from  the  various  forts  were  obviously 
not  uniform.  In  ordinary  times  and  localities,  from 
one  thousand  to  five  thousand  pounds  were  annually 
realized   from  each  establishment.^"     A  few  Inchan 


'"MrMayne,  Brit.  Col.,  18.S-4,  estimates  the  profits  at  Fort  Rupert,  on 
Viincouvcr  Island,  in  ISo'J  as  follov/s:  For  wa^cs,  coniniandiug  ofiicer,  a  clcrlt 
bfiiig  tliei.  ill  charge,  £100,  or  had  it  been  a  chief  trader,  iTiOO  or  i!(iOO;  foro- 
iiian,  £40,  and  seven  laborers  at  £'20  each ;  provisions,  £"200;  btuiilrii-s,  I'lOO, 
or  Hay  £G00  expenses;  cost  of  fort,  the  labor  of  the  seven  men  one  niontli,  or 
£140.  Fourteen  thousand  six  hundred  and  forty-two  skins  were  purt'liased 
at  a  totiil  cost  of  £ti(iO  4s.,  worth  in  Lngland  £.'>4()"),  chief  among  which 
vere  250  bear-skins,  worth  from  £1  to  £3,  and  costing  one  blanket  caeh; 
2'JOO  marten,  six  for  a  blanket,  worth  from  10s.  to  £2;  .WOO  mink,  ISO  lor  a 
blanket,  worth  from  2a.  to  7s.  (Id.;  one  blanket  each  was  paid  tor  2."»0  hind- 
otter,  worth  from  7s.  (id.  to  £1  10s.,  and  12  blankets  each  were  given  for  .'JO 
sea-otter,  worth  from  £."»  to  £2.).  Two  beavers  were  given  for  a  blanket,  and 
a  lc;if  of  tobacco  for  a  rabbit-skin  ;  of  the  former  there  were  (JOO  bought,  and 
of  the  latter  5000.  Lynx,  fox,  raccoon,  wolf,  etc.,  comprised  the  remaiiider. 
Leaving  out  the  cost  of  the  fort,  and  adding  cost  of  goods  to  expenses,  we 
have  on  the  debit  side  £12(i0  against  £."»40.'),  showing  a  prolit  fur  this  year 
of  £414,").  But  this  post  has  often  netted  the  company  £(iOOO,  and  it  liv  no 
means  ranks  among  the  most  important.  R.  G.  Smith,  secretary  of  the  com- 
pany, reports  ten  years  protits,  from  1S47  to  18r)G,  which  is  no  extraordinary 
s'.iov.ing,  though  they  arc  put  down  at  from  ten  to  twenty  per  cent,  a  year; 
yet  whenever  the  declared  dividend  was  more  than  ten  per  cent,  the  suiplua 
was  added  to  the  stock.  Xotwithstjmding  which,  to  the  price  of  this  .st(jck 
there  was  :iO  permanent  increase,  as  at  both  the  beginning  and  end  of  the 
tri'm  ic  stood  at  £200  a  share,  having  in  the  mean  time  experienced  slight 
fluctuations.  Umfrcville,  IfndKOii\i  liai/,  79-01,  gives  the  Hudsoirs  15ay  ( 'om- 
p  iny's  reports  of  trading  goods  expenses  and  returns  for  the  ten  years  17;J0-4S 
inclusive.  From  the  sale  of  furs  was  realized  £273,.')42  18s.  8d.,  out  of  which 
were  paid  for  goods  £o2,4GJ  Os.,  and  for  salaries,  shipping,  and  other  expenses, 


I 


4ii3 


THE  FUR-TRADR  UXDKR  inUTISH  AU>(P1CKS!. 


tril)os  bocauie  woathy,  acconlino-  to  tlicir  ostinuito  of 
wealtli,  hy  tlu'ir  trade  in  furs,  Imt  their  j)rosperity  was 
always  ot'sliort  duration  and  of  no  real  bent^fit. 

At  Home  of  the  stations  were  used  sticks,  called 
casters,  with  which  to  count.  For  exani})le,  the  In- 
dian deposits  liis  bundle  of  i'urs  in  the  trading-room, 
wliere  they  are  assorted  and  valued.  Perlia))s  the 
j)ackage  amounts  to  sixty  castei's,  of  between  one  and 
two  shillings  each;  with  the  sixty  bits  of  wood  given 
him  the  hunter  ;  ys  for  such  articles  as  he  selects 
from  the  company's  store,  l^csides  his  spring  visit 
the  hunter  usually  comes  to  the  fort  in  October  to 
ol)tain  necessaries  for  the  winter  hunt,  which  are  fur- 
nished him  on  credit,  whether  Indian  or  white  man, 
if  he  has  not  wherewith  to  pay. 

The  Northwest  Company  once  established  a  cur- 
rency called  the  Northwest  currency',  which,  as  might 
have  been  expected,  soon  depreciated  and  in  time  went 
( )ut  of  use.  At  the  Red  River  settlement  the  Hudson's 
I)ay  Company  adopted  a  currency  which  was  used  in 
conjunction  with  silver.  Beaver,  so  long  the  st;q)le, 
with  the  invention  of  the  silk  hat  reeeived  its  death- 
bhnv.  In  1837  the  price  fell  so  low  that  values  had 
to  be  readjusted 


31 


i'20f),890  .*ls.  4(1.,  leaving  a  clear  profit  for  each  proprietor  of  only  £03  12s.  1 M. 
yiT  aimniii.  Morgan,  in  Iv^Atiicrican  Benvvr,  '1\7>,  stiites  that  in  174.S,  l.'iO.OOO 
bcaver-skins  were  received  at  Kochelle  .ami  London,  most  of  wliicli  came  fioin 
Lupert  Land  and  Canada.  Ho  gives  tlio  sales  of  beaver  in  London  for  the 
years  1S.'54,  18.m,  .and  18.")G  as  50!),'J40,  G2,.'J.V2,  and  oCsOlilJ  respectively.  Siiys 
1  >r  Tolinie,  in  his  Joiirmtl,  ^IS.,  Wiitteii  at  Fort  Vancouver:  'From  the  I  »'Ji 
November  1S.S4  to  the  Otli  Ja  nnry  18;{r>  180  beavers  were  traded  here,  besides 
laud-otters  and  martens,  in  ali  aui'.unting  to  i'i.VJ  l!)s.  (id.;  beaver  charged  at 
:i4s.per  pound.  Tlie  folk.v.  ing  iiei-"  igo  to  the  debit  sidoof  tlio  account:  Ooods 
t  :;peuded  in  procuring  furs,  .t'(;()  '  Hs.  7d. ;  servants'  wages  for  seven  and  a  lialf 
weeks,  £7(1  Lis.  7d. ;  expe'i;-:,i  o^'  food  for  tM-elvo  men,  £.'1  18s.  i)d. ;  expense  of 
men,  £1  198.  4d.     Balance  in  favor  of  tlio  Company,  £110  9s.  'Jd.' 

^'  Between  the  years  1839  and  1S4U  there  was  ((uitc  a  difference  in  the  price 
of  furs,  it  being  mucli  lower  at  the  later  date.  In  1839  the  price  of  a  beavei'- 
s'.dii  in  London  was  '27s.  (Jd.;  in  184U,  3s.  .")d.  In  1839  r»,"),48(i  skins  sold  for 
t'70,31'2;  in  1846  4,">, 389  skins  sold  for  £78.")G.  For  trade  matters  in  general 
K;ee  further  U.  H.  Gov.  Doc,  :icJth  Con;/.,  ,ld  Si-m.,  J/oii'ic.  llipf.  Xo.  101,  17-2; 
/:i,bhi.<0)i\-t  Great  Fur  Land,  .3'29;  IJui/m'  Col.  A(jric.,  '20-8;  /fiait'nJlcr.  Mwj., 
i:i.  185-204;  Foster's  J/'ist.  Voi/.,  380-3;  North  Atiurktin  Jicrinr,  xv.  372  3, 
:s'.)3-4;  Xeirhoiisc's  Traj)per's  Guiilv,  9  12;  Work'.t  Journal,  MS.,  'lOo-Q; 
Aitdirmn's  iV.  Coast,  MS.,  80-7;  J^'-o.-^pectus  Canada  lia'dway  Co. 


COALITION  OF  COMI'AXinS. 


-■ath- 
liad 


:s.  IM. 
'.0,000 
lie  iVoiu 
lor  tlio 
Siiy.s 

lO    lI'Jl 

liusiilcs 
•geil  at 
( Jooil.s 
I  ii  hiilf 
unsc  of 

o  price 
Leaver- 
lolil  for 
Kunural 

117  -J-'; 

•iM;/., 

1:572  a, 


Kin,!^^  Charles'  ;;raiit  to  his  cousin  Ilupcrt  In  1G70 
Tailed  to  receive  paillaiueiitary  sanction,  and  was 
tlierelty  ])i'onounced  unconstitutional.  To  pn'vent 
constantly  increasinuf  encroachments,  tlu^  comiKiny  in 
1()!)0  petitioned  parliament  to  conlirm  the  chai'ter, 
which,  U[)on  certain  concUtions  whir-h  were  never 
carried  out,  was  <^ranted  tor  a  term  of  seven  j'ears, 
and  no  lonL^(>r. 

Fearful  lest  ])ai-liainent  would  not  renew  it,  or  un- 
V.  illing  to  call  public  attention  to  their  affairs,  or,  yet 
m(»re  prol)ably,  inchilerent  as  to  the  IcL^al  status  of 
jilfaii's  so  lonijf  as  they  were  left  unnioleste<l,  at  tliM 
c\[)iration  of  the  seven  years' term  the  company  made 
no  ellbrt  for  a  second  or  renewed  coniirmation  of  thctir 
charter.  From  this  time  until  the  cession  of  Canada 
to  (ireat  Britain  in  17<!-"}  the  Hudson's  J^av  Com- 
jKiiiy  co.itinuod  in  possession  of  their  territories  un- 
disturbed; but  I>ritish  subjects  then  took  the  field 
Ibrmerly  occupied  by  fcjreigners  trading'  under  L'reiich 
charters,  and  shortly  after,  in  17 Hi),  the  leadini^  mer- 
cliants  of  Canada  associated  under  the  name  of  thn 
Northwest  Company,  and  entcriiiL^'  upon  vigorous  op- 
})()sition  spread  themselves  over  the  interior  as  fai'  as 
the  Arctic  and  Pacific  oceans,  and  even  })lanted  their 
Ibrts  upon  the  very  shores  of  Hudson  Bay. 

When  the  coalition  of  the  rival  companies  was 
ofFectcd  in  1821  by  their  united  influence,  a  license  of 
exclusive  trade  in  such  Indian  territory  as  was  iiot 
included  in  the  ori'jfinal  charter  was  n'ranted  them  bv 
<n)vernmont  for  a  tei'in  of  twenty-one  vcars.  In  1842 
the  license  was  renewed  for  a  furtlicr  term  of  twenty- 
one  years,  and  again  for  seven  years,  but  with  reserva- 
tions by  the  crown  of  the  right  to  revoke  it  at  any 
time.^"      Tacitly,    however,  the    ]^ritisli  government 

"-  'T!ic  extent  of  territory  tints  granted  u'uler  the  licence  of  1842,  is  al)out 
2..")0fl,000  s'piare  miles,  tliat  clainK'(l  unilcr  the  Cliartcr  very  little  less,  e  :ni- 
Itr'Miiig  together  the  whole  of  lii-itish  America,  with  the  exception  of  the 
C'liiiailas.'  .1  Few  Wonl-i  on  tin'  l/inlxnii'n  Um/  ('om/xDii/,  'A;  Fi/ziiirali/'i  I'mi- 
(iitiijcr  Island,  '21-104;  JJrili-ih  X.  Am.,  24.>-(i ;  JJahhs'  /imlnon't  lin'i,  >)',  0(>, 
ITjS.  The  Wi'ufininsli  r  /,'( rn'ir,  July  1S(17,  gives  a  couci.-*;  historj'  of  the  Hiul- 
sniiV  l?;iy  Company  uniler  the  title  of  Tlir  Lux/  (lirat  Moniqioly.  Will'a^''  Xiir., 
iv.  4U0etse(x.;  Martin's  Hudson's  Bay,  oS-'J. 


I 


I 


lit 


tl 


m 


I  HI 

r 


> 


470 


THE  FUR-TR.\DE  UNDER  BRITISH  AUSPICES. 


lias  always  recognized  the  corporate  rights  of  tlii.^ 
association,  for  in  the  treaty  of  1794,  which  permits 
tlie  IVeest  inteivoursc  between  the  citizens  of  the 
United  States  and  tlie  ])eople  of  Canada,  exception  is 
made  to  the  Hudson's  Bay  territories. 

And  now  having  grown  old  gracefully,  having 
reaped  the  reward  of  its  cunning  and  laid  to  i-est 
thousands  of  its  faithful  servants,  the  question  arose 
how  to  die,  not  awkwardly  and  without  loss.  With 
Sir  Edmund  Head,  formerly  governor-general  of 
Canada,  as  governor,  tho  company  felt  prepared  to 
negotiate  with  Cana(hi  for  a  transfer  to  the  iJomlnioii 
of  all  its  territorial  lights  save  a  small  tract  round 
each  fort.  This  arrangement  was  oft'ected  tlic  J'Jih 
of  November  18()1),  the  consideration  of  the  company 
lieing  three  hundred  thousand  pounds.  The  Unitid 
States  also  respected  certain  clahns  in  the  Columbia 
Hi  ver  country  for  infringements  of  its  rights  l)y  settlers, 
the  matter  being  arranged  by  a  connnission  in  187(», 
which  awarded  the  company  six  hundred  thousand 
dollars. 

Ills  Majesty's   Royal  Co^vrter  to  the  Governor  and  CosirANv   up 

Hudson's  Bay. 

Charles  tho  II.,  by  the  grace  of  God  king  of  Englanil,  .Scotland,  Fiviti'o, 
and  Ireland,  defender  of  the  faith,  etc.,  to  ull  to  whom  these  presents  :;!:.••. !1 
come,  greeting:  Wliercas  our  dear  entirely  beloved  cousin,  Prineo  Kiipeit, 
Count  I'alatine  of  the  Rhine,  Duko  of  Biivaria  and  CnniborLmd,  etc..  (li'or;;c, 
])nk(!  of  Albemarle,  William,  Karl  of  Craven,  Henry,  Lord  Ai-linjt'^:, 
Anthony,  Lord  Ashley,  Sir  John  Roliinson,  and  Sir  Robert  Vyner,  kiii:,'h!s 
and  baronets,  Sir  Peter  Colleton,  baronet.  Sir  Edward  llungerford,  KuIl!;) 
of  the  Bath,  Sir  Paul  Xeele,  Sir  John  (Iriinth,  Sir  Philii)  Carteret,  and  Sir 
.Taniea  Hayes,  knights,  John  Kirkc,  Francis  Millington,  William  PrettynKin, 
John  Fenn,  esquires,  and  John  Portman,  citizen  and  gold.snuth  of  Londn.i. 
have,  at  their  own  gi'cat  cost  and  charges,  nndertidien  an  fxpedititm  I'  r 
Hudson's  15ay,  in  the  noith-west  parts  of  America,  for  the  discovery  "f  a  ii<-w 
passage  into  the  South  Sea,  and  for  the  fmding  of  some  trade  for  fin-, 
minerals,  ami  other  considerable  commodities,  iinil  by  such,  tiieir  nndirtaki'i ;, 
have  ali'cady  niaile  such  discoveries  as  do  encourage  thcnn  to  [iroei't'd  fartli.  r 
in  ]iursuanee  of  their  said  design,  by  means  whcivof  there  may  probably  arise 
great  advantage  to  us  and  our  kingdoms. 


HUDSON'S  BAY  COMrAXY  CHARTER. 


471 


And  i'-hrivii.'<,  Tlic  said  nn<k'rt!ikor»,  for  thoir  uirthcr  encouragement  in 
the  said  design,  have  luimbly  beaouglit  lis  to  iueorporato  them,  and  grant 
unti)  them,  and  thoir  successors,  the  whole  trade  and  eommerce  of  all  thoso 
ise;is,  titraitd,  and  hays,  rivers,  lakes,  creeks,  and  sounds,  in  wliatsoever 
la*;itudo  they  shall  be,  that  lie  within  tlie  entrance  of  the  straits  eonnuonly 
called  TLid.son's  Straits,  together  M'ith  all  the  lands,  countries,  and  territories, 
upon  the  coasts  and  confines  of  the  seas,  straits,  hays,  lakes,  rivers,  creeks, 
and  .sounds  aforesaid,  which  are  not  now  actually  possessed  by  iuiy  of  our 
subjects,  or  by  the  subjects  of  any  other  Christian  prince  or  state. 

Xoiv  Liiijiv  i/c,  That  wc,  being  desirous  to  promote  all  endeavors  that  may 
tend  to  the  public  good  of  our  people,  and  to  encourage  the  said  uudert;diing, 
have,  of  our  especial  grace,  certain  knowledge,  and  mere  motion,  given, 
granted,  ratilied,  and  confirmed,  and  by  these  presents  for  us,  our  heirs,  ami 
successors,  do  give,  grant,  ratify,  and  coullrm,  unto  our  said  cousin  I'rineo 
Rupert,  George,  Duke  of  Albemarle,  William,  Karl  of  Craven,  ILeiny,  Lord 
Arlington,  Anthony,  Lord  Ashley,  Sir  John  Robinson,  Sir  Robert  Vynei-, 
Sir  IVti'r  Ci^'.Ieton,  Sir  ICdward  llungerford.  Sir  Paid  Xeele,  Sir  Jolin  (IrilUtii, 
Sir  I'hilip  Carteret,  and  Sir  James  Hayes,  John  Kirke,  Francis  Millington, 
AVilliam  Prettyman,  John  Fenn,  and  John  Portman,  that  they,  and  sueli 
otiiers  as  shall  be  admitted  into  the  said  society  as  is  hereafter  expressed, 
sliall  bo  one  body  corporate  and  politic,  in  deed  and  in  luime,  by  the  lunuc  of 
tlie  governor  and  company  of  adventureis  of  England,  trading  inU>  Hudson 'a 
l!ay,  and  them  by  llie  nanie  of  the  governor  and  company  of  adventurers  of 
Enghind,  trading  into  Hudson's  Hay,  one  body  eorj)orate  and  politic,  in  deed 
and  in  name,  really  and  fully  forever,  for  us,  our  heirs,  and  successors,  wo  do 
make,  onlain,  constitute,  establish,  confirm,  and  declare,  by  these  presents, 
and  that  bj'  the  same  name  o{  governor  and  company  of  adventurers  of 
England,  tra<ling  into  Hudson's  liiiy,  they  bhall  have  perpetual  succession, 
and  that  tliey  and  their  successors,  by  the  name  of  governor  and  company 
of  adventurers  of  Ihigland,  trading  into  Hudson's  liiiy,  be,  and  at  uU  tiniea 
hereafter  shall  be,  personable  and  capable  in  law  to  have,  purchase,  receive, 
possess,  enjoy,  and  retain,  lands,  rents,  privileges,  liberties,  jurisdiction,  fran- 
chises, and  hciitlitaments,  of  what  kind,  nature,  or  (puility  soever  they  be, 
to  theiii  and  tlicir  successors ;  and  also  to  give,  grant,  alien,  assign,  and  disposo 
hiud.-i,  tenemenLs,  and  heiediUvmeuts,  and  to  do,  execute  all  and  singular  otiier 
tilings  by  tiio  name  name  mat  to  thcui  shall  or  may  appertain  to  do.  And 
that  they,  and  their  siu'ces.  >rs,  by  the  mime  of  the  governor  and  eom[)any  of 
advenlurcMS  of  Englair',  tnuling  into  Hudson's  Ray,  may  plvad,  and  be  im- 
pleadfd,  answei',  and  be  answered,  defend,  and  be  detemled,  in  what.-o(^ver 
courts  and  phues,  before  %\  hatsoever  judges  and  justices,  and  otiier  persons 
and  olilcers,  in  all  nr  singular  actions,  pleas,  .suits,  (piarri'ls,  and  ilcmands, 
vhat'ioever,  of  whatsoever  kind,  nature,  or  .sort,  in  siu  li  manner  and  form  as 
any  oilier  iiiir  liege  people  of  this  our  realm  of  lOngland,  being  persons  aiiio 
and  I'apabte  in  law,  may,  or  can  have,  purchase,  receive,  possess,  enjoy,  retain, 
'^  ',  grant,  demi.se,  alien,  assign,  dispose,  plead,  defend,  and  to  be  diiV'udid, 
«...,  permit,  and  execute.  And  that  the  said  governor  and  loinpany  of  ad- 
venturers of  England,  trading  iiio  Hudson's  liay,  and  their  succes.^ois,  may 
have  a  conmiju  .seal  to  serve  for  all  the  cauocs  ana  busine.s.ic,;-  of  them  and 


■  1 

i 

I 

! 


472 


THE  FUJI-TRADE  UNDER  BRITISH  AUSPICES. 


their  successors,  and  that  it  shall  and  may  lie  lawful  to  the  said  governor  jnid 
company,  and  their  successors,  the  same  seal,  from  time  to  time,  at  tlieir  will 
and  pleasure,  to  break,  change,  and  to  make  anew,  or  alter,  as  to  tliem  shall 
seem  expedient. 

A  ml  farlhermore,  Wo  will,  and  by  these  presents  for  us,  our  heirs,  and 
L  icccssors,  we  do  ordain  that  there  shall  bo  from  liKnecforth  one  of  the 
same  company  to  be  elected  and  appointed  in  sucli  fonn  as  hereafter  in  thi'so 
presents  is  expressed,  which  shall  be  called  the  governor  of  the  said  eouipauy. 

And  that  the  said  governor  and  company  shall  and  may  elect  seven  of 
tlieir  number  in  such  fonn  as  hereafter  in  these  jjresenta  is  expressed,  which 
shall  bo  called  the  committee  of  the  said  company;  which  coinmittct!  of 
seven,  or  any  three  of  them,  together  with  the  governor  or  deputy  gov-.'rnfir 
of  the  said  company  for  the  time  being,  shall  have  the  direction  of  the  voyagca 
of  and  for  the  said  company,  and  the  provision  of  the  sliipping  and  im  r- 
chandises  thereunto  belonging,  and  also  tlie  sale  of  .all  mcrcluindises,  goods, 
and  otlier  things  returned  in  all  or  any  tlie  voyages  or  .shi[is  of  or  for  tho 
said  company,  and  the  managing  and  handling  of  .all  other  business  aflluM 
and  things  belonging  to  tho  said  company.  And  wo  will  ordiiiu  and  gran. 
by  these  presents  for  ns,  oin*  heirs,  and  successors,  unto  the  said  governt  r 
and  company,  and  theii"  successors,  that  they  the  said  governor  and  compai  y 
and  tlieir  successors  sliall  from  liencefortli  forever  be  rukd,  ordered,  and 
governed  according  to  such  manner  and  form  as  is  hereafter  iu  these 
jirescnts  expressed,  .and  not  otherwise;  and  that  they  sh.all  Inve,  liold,  i\- 
tain,  .niid  enjoy  the  grants,  liberties,  privileges,  jurisdictions,  mid  immunities, 
only  hereafter  in  these  presents  granted  and  expressed,  and  no  other.  And 
for  the  better  execution  of  our  will  and  grunt  in  this  behalf,  we  lia  ve  assi-ni  d, 
nominated,  constituted,  and  appointed  by  these  presents  for  us,  cur  Iieirs 
and  successors,  and  we  do  assign,  nominate,  cf)nstitute,  and  laako  oiu"  said 
cousin.  Prince  Rupert,  to  be  tho  first  and  present  governor  of  the  said  c  iiii- 
pany,  and  to  continue  in  the  said  office  from  the  date  of  tliesc  presents  until 
tho  10th  cif  November  then  next  following,  if  he,  tlie  said  Prince  llupert, 
shall  so  long  live,  and  so  until  a  new  governor  be  chosen  by  the  said  company 
in  form  liereafter  expressed.  And  .also  we  have  assigned,  nominated,  and  ap- 
pointed, and  by  tliose  presents  for  us,  our  heirs  and  successinrs,  wo  do  assign, 
nominate,  and  ctnistitute,  the  said  Sir  John  Robinson,  Sir  Roliei't  Vyner,  Sir 
Petei  (Jolleton,  Sir  James  Hayes,  John  Kirke,  Francis  !MiIliugton,  and  .lohn 
I'ortman  to  be  tlie  seven  first  and  present  committees  of  tlie  said  coiiip..uy, 
from  tlio  date  of  these  presents  until  the  said  lOtl;  of  November  tlien  also 
next  following,  and  so  until  new  co'uniittecs  sluiU  be  chosen  in  form  herc- 
ufter  expressed. 

And  /(irt/icr,  Wo  will  and  grant  by  these  pr^'scuts  for  us,  our  heirs  and 
successors,  unto  the  .said  governor  and  their  successors,  that  it  shall  and  may 
be  lawful  to  and  for  the  saiil governor  and  company  for  the  time  being,  or  the 
greatci'  part  of  them  present  at  any  public  assembly  connuonly  called  the 
court  general,  to  be  holden  for  the  said  company,  the  governor  of  the  said 
company  being  always  one,  from  time  to  time  to  »-'.ect,  nominate,  and  a[)- 
point  one  of  the  said  company  to  be  deputy  to  the  said  gi>\-eni<u';  mIiIiIi 
deputy  shall  take  a  eorponil  oath  Ijefore  the  governor  and  three  r.iore  of  the 


DIVERS  PROVISIOXS. 


473 


committee  of  the  said  company  for  the  time  being,  well,  tnily,  and  faithfully 
to  execute  his  said  office  of  deputy  to  the  governor  of  the  said  company,  aiul 
after  his  oath  so  taken  shiill  and  may  from  time  to  time  in  the  absence  of  the 
said  governor  exercise  and  execute  tlie  oiUce  of  governor  of  the  saiil  company 
in  such  sort  as  the  said  governor  ought  to  do. 

A  lid  Jniihci;  'We  will  and  grant  by  these  presents,  for  us,  our  heirs,  and 
successors,  unto  the  said  governor  and  company  of  adventurers  of  Kugkiiid 
ti-ailing  into  Hudson's  Bay,  and  their  successors,  that  they,  or  the  greater 
part  of  them,  whereof  the  governor  for  the  time  being,  or  his  deptity,  to  be  one, 
fro:ii  time  to  time  and  at  all  times  hereafter,  shall  and  may  have  authority 
and  i)o\vcr,  yearly  and  every  year  between  the  fii'st  and  last  day  of  Xoveiiil)ey, 
to  assemble  aad  meet  together  in  some  convenient  place,  to  be  appointed 
irom  time  to  time  by  the  governor,  or  in  his  absence  by  the  deputy  of  the  sahl 
governor,  and  the  said  company  for  the  time  being  and  tlie  greater  part  of 
them  which  then  shall  happen  to  be  present,  whereof  the  governor  of  the  iiaid 
Company,  or  his  deputy,  for  the  time  being,  to  be  one,  to  elect  and  nominato 
one  of  the  said  company  which  shall  be  governor  of  the  said  cumpany  for  oiio 
whole  year,  then  next  following,  which  person  being  so  elected  and  nominated 
to  be  governor  of  the  said  company,  as  is  aforesaid,  before  he  bo  admitted  to 
the  execution  of  said  olhce  shall  take  a  corporal  oath  before  the  last  governor, 
being  hi.j  predecessor  or  his  deputy,  a«d  any  three  or  more  of  the  eommitleo 
of  the  said  company  for  the  time  being,  that  he  shall  from  thiio  to  time  well 
and  truly  execute  the  office  of  governor  of  the  said  company  in  all  tliin^i.s 
concerning  the  same;  and  that  immediately  after  the  same  oath  so  taken  ho 
shall  and  may  execute  and  use  the  said  oilice  of  governor  of  the  said  company 
for  one  Avholc  year  from  thence  next  following. 

Aiid  ill  Ulx  xort,  We  will  and  grant  that  as  well  every  one  of  tlie  abovo 
named  to  be  of  the  said  company  or  fellowship  as  all  others  hereafter  to  bo 
adnutted  ( r  free  of  the  said  company,  shall  take  a  corporal  oath  l)efore  tlio 
governor  of  the  said  company  or  his  deputy  for  the  time  being,  to  such  eli't.ct 
as  by  the  said  governor  and  company,  or  the  greater  part  of  tlicni,  in  any 
iiublio  court  to  be  held  for  the  said  company,  shall  be  in  reat;onalile  and  legal 
)i:  'uner  sot  down  and  devised,  before  Lhcy  shall  be  allowed  or  admitted  to 
irailo  or  trailic  na  a  freeman  of  the  saiil  company.  And  farther,  We  will  anil 
•ant  by  these  presents  for  us,  our  heirs  ami  successors,  unto  the  said 
;  overnor  and  company,  and  tiieir  suceessorn,  that  the  said  governor  or  deputy 
;.;o\\inor  and  the  rest  of  the  said  company  and  their  successors  for  the  time 
lieii'  ,  'ir  the  greater  p;irt  of  them,  wliereof  the  governor  or  deputy  governoi-, 
iVom  time  to  time,  to  be  one,  shall  and  may  from  time  to  time  and  at  all  times 
luMH'after  have  power  and  authority  yearly  and  every  year  between  tlie  lirst 
and  last  day  of  Xovemlter,  to  assemble  and  meet  together  in  some  convenient 
place  from  time  to  time  to  be  appointed  by  the  said  governor,  or  in  his  absence 
by  his  deputy.  And  that  they,  being  so  assembled,  it  shall  and  may  lie  lawful 
to  and  for  the  said  governor  and  his  deputy,  and  the  company  for  tlie  time 
bc'ing,  or  the  greater  part  of  them,  which  then  shall  happen  to  be  present, 
whereof  the  governor  of  the  said  comj)any,  or  his  dejiuty  for  the  time  being,  to 
be  one,  to  elect  and  nominate  seven  of  the  said  eoiiipany,  wliieli  uliall  be  u 
eoniuiittee  of  the  suid  company  as  uforeauid,  before  they  be  admitted  to  the 


474 


THE  rUR-TRADE  UNDER  BRITISH  AUSPICES. 


execution  of  their  office,  shall  take  a  corporal  c.  th  before  the  governor  or  hia 
deputy  ami  any  three  or  more  of  the  said  joiniiiittce  of  the  said  company, 
being  the  last  predecessoi's,  that  they  and  every  of  them  shall  well  and  faitli- 
fully  purforin  their  said  ofliee  of  conimitteea  in  all  things  concerning  the  same, 
and  tliat  inniieiliately  after  the  said  oath  so  taken,  they  shall  and  may  execiito 
and  use  their  said  office  of  committees  of  the  said  company  for  one  whole 
year  from  thence  next  following. 

And  moreoirr.  Our  will  and  pleasure  is,  and  by  these  presents  for  us,  our 
heirs  and  successors,  we  do  grant  unto  the  said  governor  and  company,  and 
their  successors,  that  when  and  as  often  as  it  shall  happen,  the  governor  or 
deputy  goNcrnor  of  the  said  company  for  the  time  being,  at  any  time  withiu 
one  year  after  that  he  shall  be  nominated,  elected,  and  sworn  to  the  olllcc  of 
the  governor  of  the  said  company  as  is  aforesaid,  to  die  or  to  be  removed  from 
said  oilici',  which  governor  or  deputy  governor  not  demeaning  himself  well  in 
his  said  '  i(  ',  ^^  c  will  to  be  removable  at  the  pleasure  of  the  rest  of  the  said 
company,  c  .  •  eater  part  of  them,  which  shall  bo  present  at  their  public 
assemblies,  v.  ly  called  their  general  courts  holden  for  the  said  conipuiiy ; 

that  thin  it  ,-j  .ind  so  often  may  be  lawful  to  and  for  the  residue  of  the 
Baid  company,  for  tbc  time  being,  or  the  greater  part  of  them  within  a  con- 
vcniint  time  after  the  deatli  or  removing  of  any  such  governor  or  deputy 
governor,  to  asiiuiblc  themselves  in  such  convenient  place  as  they  shall  think 
lit,  for  the  ckclion  of  the  governor  or  deputy  governor  of  said  company;  and 
that  the  s-aid  company,  or  the  greater  part  of  them,  being  then  and  there 
present,  shall  and  may  then  and  there,  before  their  departure  from  tlie  said 
j)lacc,  elect  and  nominate  one  other  of  the  said  company  to  bo  governor  or 
deputy  governor  fur  the  said  company  in  the  place  or  stead  of  him  that  so 
died  or  was  removed ;  w  hich  person  being  so  elected  and  nominated  to  tlio 
oiiice  of  governor  or  deputy  governor  of  the  said  company  shall  lia\e  and 
exercise  tlio  taid  office  for  and  during  the  residue  of  the  said  year,  taking  lirst 
a  corporal  oath,  as  is  aforesaid,  for  the  due  execution  thereof;  and  this  to  bo 
done  from  time  to  time  so  often  as  the  case  shall  so  require. 

Awl  a'do.  Our  will  and  pleasure  is,  and  by  these  iiresents  for  us,  our  heirs, 
and  successors,  we  do  grant  unto  the  said  governor  and  company,  that  when 
and  a.i  often  as  it  shall  happen,  any  person  or  persons  of  the  committee  of  the 
Baid  company  for  tlie  time  behig,  at  any  time  within  one  yeai'  next  after  that 
they  or  any  of  them  shall  be  nominated,  elected,  and  sworn  to  the  ofilec  of 
committi-e  of  the  said  company  as  is  aforesaid,  to  die  or  to  be  removed  froju 
the  said  oiiiic,  wliich  committee  not  demeaning  themselves  well  in  their  said 
office,  we  will  to  bo  removable  at  the  pleasui'C  of  the  said  governor  and  com- 
pany, or  (lie  greater  part  of  them,  whereof  the  governor  of  the  said  company 
for  tlie  tin;c  lieing,  or  his  deputy,  to  be  one ;  that  then  and  so  often  it  shall  and 
may  be  lawful  to  and  for  the  said  governor  and  the  rest  of  tho  company  for 
t'.ie  time  being,  or  the  greater  part  of  them,  whereof  tho  governor  for  the  lime 
being,  or  lii.s  deputy,  to  be  one,  within  convenient  time  after  the  death  or 
removing  of  any  of  the  said  committees,  to  assemble  themselves  in  such  cou- 
veniint  iilaee  as  is  or  shall  be  usual  and  accustomed  for  the  election  of  tlie 
govenioi'  of  the  t-ti'id  company,  or  wiiere  else  the  governor  of  the  said  cumijauy 
,£or  the  time  being  or  hia  deputy  shall  appoint.     And  that  the  said  governor 


ABSOLUTE  LORDS  AXD  PROrEIETORS. 


475 


011(1  company,  or  tlie  greater  part  of  tlicni,  ■whereof  the  governor  for  the  time 
beiii;',  or  his  deputy,  to  be  one,  heing  then  and  there  present,  shall  and  may 
tJien  and  there,  before  their  departure  from  the  saiil  place,  elect  and  nominate 
one  or  more  of  the  said  company  in  the  place  or  stead  of  him  or  them  that 
BO  died,  or  was  or  M-ere  so  removed.  Which  person  or  persons  so  nominated 
and  elected  to  the  office  of  committee  of  the  said  company,  shall  have  and 
exercise  the  said  ofHce  for  and  during  the  residue  of  the  said  year,  taking  first 
a  corporal  oath,  as  is  aforesaid,  for  the  due  execution  thereof,  and  this  to  bo 
done  from  time  to  time  so  often  as  the  case  shall  require. 

And  to  the  end  the  said  governor  and  company  of  adventurers  of  Kiigland 
traduig  into  Hudson's  15ay  may  be  encouraged  to  undertake  and  cfloctually  to 
proseente  the  said  design  of  our  more  especial  grace,  certain  knowledge,  and 
niere  motion,  wo  have  given,  granted,  and  confirmed,  and  by  those  presents 
for  us,  onr  heirs  and  successors,  do  give,  gi'ant,  and  confirm  unto  tlio  said 
governor  and  company  and  their  successors,  the  sole  trade  and  commiico  of 
all  tliose  sea  .  straits,  bays,  rivers,  lakes,  creeks,  and  sounds,  in  whatsoever 
latitude  they  sn. ''  bo,  that  lie  within  the  entrance  of  the  straitis  conuiion'y 
called  Hudson's  Straits,  together  with  all  tne  kinds  and  territories  uiion  tho 
cciuntries,  coasts,  and  confines  of  the  seas,  bays,  lakes,  rivers,  creeks,  and 
sound.-  aforesaid,  that  arc  not  already  actually  possessed  by  the  siibjict.s  of 
anj'  other  Christian  prince  or  state,  with  the  fishing  of  all  sorts  of  fish,  -w  hales, 
sturgeons,  and  all  otlivr  royal  fishes,  in  the  seas,  bays,  inlets,  and  rivers  \\  ithin 
the  premises,  and  the  fish  therein  taken,  together  with  the  roy.ilty  of  the  i^ea 
npou  tho  coasts  within  the  limits  aforesaid,  and  all  mines  royal  as  well  dis- 
covered as  not  discovered,  of  gold,  silver,  gems,  and  precious  stones,  to  bo 
found  or  discovered  within  the  tenitorics,  limits,  and  places  aforesaid,  and 
that  tiie  land  be  from  henceforth  reckoned  and  reputed  as  one  of  our  planta- 
tions or  colonies  in  America  called  Rupert's  Laud. 

And  fitrthvr.  We  do  by  these  presents  for  us,  our  heirs  and  successors, 
make,  create,  and  constitute  the  said  governor  and  company  for  the  time 
l)eing,  and  their  successors,  the  true  and  absolute  lords  and  proprietors  of  tho 
same  territories,  limits,  and  places  aforesaid ;  and  of  all  other  the  premises, 
saving  always  the  faith,  allegiance,  and  sovereign  dominion  to  us,  our  heii'h) 
and  snceessors,  for  the  same  to  have,  hold,  possess,  and  enjoy  the  tciid  teni- 
t(jries,  limjts,  and  places,  and  all  and  singular  other  tho  prenuses  hereby 
gi'anted  as  aforesaid,  with  their  and  c-.xry  of  their  rights,  menibcrs,  juris- 
dictions, prerogatives,  royalties,  and  appurtenances  whatsoever,  to  them  tjic 
said  govenior  and  company  and  their  successors  forever,  to  be  holden  uf  us, 
our  heirs,  and  successors,  as  of  our  manor  of  East  (ireenwieh,  in  the  e(nuity 
of  Kent,  in  free  and  common  socage,  and  not  in  vapile  or  by  knight'.<  .serviLC  j 
yielding  and  paying  yearly  to  us,  our  heirs  and  successors,  for  the  same, 
two  elks  and  two  black  beavers,  whensoever  and  as  often  as  we,  our  laiis 
and  successors,  shall  happen  to  enter  into  the  said  countries,  terriloiies,  and 
regions  hercl)y  granted. 

Anil  farther,  Our  will  and  pleasure  is,  and  by  these  presents,  for  ua,  our 
heirs  anil  successors,  we  do  grant  unto  the  said  governor  and  company,  and 
to  their  successors,  that  it  shall  and  may  lie  lawful  to  and  fur  tho  said  gov- 
ernor and  company  and  their  successors  from  time  to  time,  to  assemble  them- 


470 


TllE  FUR-TRADE  UNDER  BRITISH  AURRICES. 


: 


? 


selves  for  or  about  any  the  matters,  causes,  affairs,  or  Inisincsscs  of  tlio  said 
trarlo,  in  any  place  or  places  for  the  same  convenient,  within  our  (loniini(jiis 
or  elsewhere,  and  to  hold  court  for  tiie  said  company  and  the  affairs  tlieiuuf; 
and  that  also  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  to  and  for  them,  or  the  greater  part 
of  them,  being  so  assembled,  and  that  shall  then  and  there  be  pre.sent  in  any 
suc'li  place  or  places,  M'hereof  the  governor  or  his  deputy  for  the  time  being 
to  l)e  one,  to  make,  ordain,  and  constitute  such  and  so  many  reasonal)lc!  laws, 
constitutions,  orders,  and  ordinances  as  to  them,  or  the  greater  part  of  them, 
being  then  and  there  present,  shall  seem  necessary  and  convenient  for  the 
good  government  of  the  said  company  and  of  all  governors  of  colonies,  forts, 
find  plantations,  factors,  masters,  mariners,  and  other  officers  employed  (ir  to 
bo  employed  in  any  the  territories  and  lan<ls  aforesaid,  and  in  any  of  their 
voyages;  and  for  the  better  advancement  and  contimiance  of  said  trade  (ir 
trallic  and  plantations,  and  the  same  laws,  constitutions,  orders,  and  ordi- 
nances so  made,  to  be  put  in  use  and  execute  accordingly,  and  at  their  pleasure 
to  revoke  and  alter  the  same  or  any  of  them  as  the  occasion  fihall  re(purc. 
And  chat  the  said  governor  and  company,  so  often  as  they  shall  make,  ordain, 
or  establish  any  such  laws,  constitutions,  orders,  and  ordinances,  in  such  foi'iu 
as  aforesaid,  shall  and  may  lawfully  impose,  ordain,  limit,  and  provide  such 
penalties  and  punishments  ujion  all  offenders  contrary  to  sucli  laws,  constitu- 
tions, orders,  and  ordinances,  or  any  of  them,  as  to  the  said  governor  and  cuni- 
panj'  f  r  the  tii.ic  being,  or  the  greater  part  of  them,  then  and  there  being 
present,  tlie  said  governor  or  his  deputy  lieing  always  one,  shall  seem  neces- 
sary or  convenient  for  the  observation  of  the  same  laws,  constitutions,  orders, 
and  ordinances;  and  the  same  lines  and  amerciaments  shall  and  may  by  their 
oliicers  and  servants,  from  time  to  time  to  be  aiipointed  for  that  purpose,  levy, 
tidvo,  and  have,  to  the  uscof  the  said  governor  and  company  and  their  successors, 
without  the  officers  and  ministers  of  us,  our  heirs  and  successors,  and  without 
any  account  thereof  to  us,  our  heirs  and  successors,  to  be  made.  All  and 
tingular  which  laws,  constitutions,  orders,  and  ordinances  so  as  aforesaid  to 
be  made,  we  will  to  be  duly  observed  and  kept  under  the  pains  and  penalties 
theriin  to  be  contained;  so  always  as  the  said  laws,  constitutions,  orders  and 
ordinances,  fines  and  amerciaments,  be  reasonable,  and  not  contraiy  or  re- 
pugnant, but  as  near  as  may  be  agreeable  to  the  laws,  statutes,  or  customs  (jf 
this  our  realm. 

And  furthermore,  ol  our  ample  and  abundant  grace,  certain  knowledge 
and  mere  motion,  we  have  granted,  and  by  these  presents  for  us,  our  heirs 
and  successors,  do  grant  unto  the  said  governor  and  company  and  their  suc- 
cessors, that  they  and  tlieir  successors,  and  their  factors,  servants,  and  agents, 
for  them  and  on  their  behalf,  and  not  otherwise,  sliall  forever  hereafter  liave, 
use,  and  enjoy  not  only  the  whole,  entire,  and  only  lilierty  of  trade  and  trallie, 
and  the  whole,  entire,  and  only  liberty,  use,  and  imvilcge  of  trading  and 
traffic  to  and  from  the  teriitories,  limits,  and  places  aforesaid ;  but  also  the 
whole  and  entire  trade  and  traffic  to  and  from  all  havens,  bays,  creeks,  ri\ers, 
l.i!;es,  and  seas,  into  whicli  they  shall  find  entrance  or  passage  by  water  i)r 
land  out  of  the  territories,  limits,  and  places  aforesaid;  and  to  and  with  all 
the  natives  and  people,  inhabitants  or  whieli  shall  inhal)it  within  tlie  terri- 
tories, limits,  and  places  aforesaid ;  and  to  anil  with  all  other  nations  inhab- 


EXCLUSIVE  PRIVILEGES. 


m 


tlnmt 
(Ml  and 
aid  to 

laltit-'ri 

i.s  anil 

or  ro- 

tonis  of 

iwloilgo 
,r  lu'ira 
ir  suc- 
agcnls, 
r  liav'.', 

trallic, 
ug  and 
Iko  the 

rivirs, 

liltff  of 

,itli  all 

tcni- 

I  iulmb- 


iting  any  the  coasts  adjacent  to  the  said -territories,  limits,  and  places  aforesaid, 
which  are  not  already  possessed  as  aforesaid,  or  whereof  the  sole  liberty  or 
privilege  of  trade  and  traffic  is  not  granted  to  any  other  of  oiir  sul)iects. 

Ami  of  our  farther  royal  favor,  and  of  our  more  especial  grace,  certain 
knowledge,  and  mere  motion  have  gi'antcd,  and  hy  these  presents  for  lis,  our 
heirs  and  successors,  do  grant  to  the  said  gC)Vernor  and  company  and  to 
their  successors,  that  neither  the  said  territories,  limits,  and  places  hereby 
granted  as  aforesaid,  nor  any  part  thereof,  nor  the  islands,  havens,  port-, 
cities,   towns,  and  places   thereof,   or   therein  contained,  shall   be  visited, 
freciuented,  or  haunted  l)y  any  of  the  subjects  of  us,  our  heirs  or  successors, 
contrary  to  the  true  meaning  of  these  presents,  and  by  virtue  of  our  prero^^a- 
tives  royal,  which  we  will  not  have  in  that  behalf  argued  or  brought  into 
question;  we  straightly  charge,  command,  and   prohibit  for  us,  our  heirs 
and  successors,  all  the  subjects  of  us,  our  heirs  and  successors,  of  wliat  degree 
or  (pudity  soever  they  be,  that  none  of  them  directly  do  visit,  haunt,  freipient, 
or  trade,  ti'affic,  or  adventure,  by  way  of  merchandise,  into  or  from  any  tlio 
said  territories,  limits,  or  places  hereby  granted,  or  any  or  cither  of  thciu 
otlier  tlian  tlie  saiil  governor  and  company,  and  such  particular  persons  as 
now  be  or  hereafter  shall  be  of  that  company,  their  agents,  factors,  and 
assigns,  unless  it  be  by  tlic  license  and  agreenitnt  of  the  said  governor  and 
company  in  writing  first  luid  and  oi)tained  under  their  common  seal,  to  lie 
granted  upon  pain  that  every  sueli  person  or  persons  that  shall  tiado  and 
traffic,  into  or  from  any  of  the  countries,  teri'itories,  or  limits  aforesaid,  otlicr 
than  the  said  governor  and  company  and  their  successors,  sliall  incur  f»ur  in- 
dignation, and  the  forfeitui'e  and  the  h)ss  of  the  said  go<jds,  merchandise;,, 
and  otiier  things  whatsoever,  which  so  shall  be  brought  into  this  realm  uf 
England  or  any  the  dominions  of  the  same,  contrary  to  our  said  prohibition 
or  the  purport  or  true  meaning  of  these  presents,  or  whreh  the  said  governor 
and  company  sliall  find,  take,  and  seize,  in  other  places  out  of  our  dominions, 
where  the  said  company,  their  agents,  factors,  or  assigns  shall  trade,  traitic, 
or  inhabit  by  virtue  of  these  our  letters  patent,  as  also  the  ship  and  ships, 
with  the   furniture   thureof,  wherein  such  goods,  merchandises,  and  other 
things  shall  ))e  brought  or  foiuid,  the  one  half  of  all  the  said  forfeiture  to  be 
to  us,  our  heirs  and  successors,  an<l  the  other  half  thereof  by  these  pi-esents 
dcaily  and  wholly  for  us,  our  heirs  and  successors,  give  and  grant  unto  the 
said  governor  and  company  and  their  successors.     And  farther,  all  and  every 
the  said  ofTenders,  for  their  sai.l  contempt,  to  sufl'er  such  punishment  as  to 
us,  our  heirs  and  successors,  shall  seem  meet  or  cunvenient,  and  not  to  bi;  iu 
any  wise  delivered  luuil  thej'  and  eveiy  of  them  shall  become  bound  unto 
the  said  governor  for  the  time  l)eing  in  the  sum  of  one  thousand  pounds  at  the 
least,  at  no  time  thcii  after  to  trade  ami  tratlic  into  any  of  the  said  places, 
seas,  bays,  straits,  ports,  havens,  or  teiritories  aforesaid,  conti'ary  to  our  ex- 
press eonnnandment  in  that  behalf  set  down  and  published. 

And  further,  of  our  more  especial  grace  we  liave  condcscemled  ami  granted, 
and  by  these  presents  for  us,  our  heirs  and  successors,  do  grant  unto  the  said 
governor  and  company,  and  their  suc'cessors,  that  we,  our  heirs  and  successors, 
will  not  grant  liberty,  license,  or  power  to  any  person  or  persons  whatsoevei-, 
contrary  to  the  tenor  of  these  our  letters  patent,  to  trade,  traffic,  or  iidiabit 


478 


THE  FUR-TRAPE  UNDER  BRITISH  AUSPICES. 


wnto  or  upon  any  of  the  territories,  limits,  or  places  afore  specified,  contrary 
to  tliu  meaning  of  those  presents,  without  the  consent  of  the  said  governor 
and  company  or  the  most  part  of  them. 

A  ml,  of  our  more  abundant  grace  and  favor  to  the  said  governor  and  com- 
l");iny,  wo  do  hereby  declare  our  will  and  pleasure  to  be,  tliat  if  it  shall  so 
liappcii  l]iat  any  of  the  persons  free  or  to  be  free  of  the  said  company  of  ad- 
vouturcrs  of  England  trading  into  Hu<lson'8  Bay,  who  shall,  before  the  going 
forth  of  any  ship  or  ships  appointed  for  a  voyage  or  otherwise,  jironiise  or 
iu^rcc,  by  writing  under  his  or  their  hands,  to  adventure  any  sum  or  sums  of 
money  towards  the  furnishing  any  provision  or  maintenance  of  any  voyage  or 
voy:i^;es,  set  forth  o'"  to  be  set  forth,  or  intended  or  meant  to  be  set  fortli,  by 
the  said  governor  and  company,  or  the  more  part  of  them,  present  fit  any 
public  asscmldy  commonly  called  the  general  co\irt,  shall  not  within  the  space 
of  twenty  days  next  after  warning  given  to  him  or  them  by  the  said  governor 
and  coiiip;my,  or  their  known  oUiecr  or  minister,  bring  in  and  deliver  to  the 
treasurer  or  treasurers  appointed  for  the  company,  such  sums  of  money  as 
sliall  liavo  been  expressed  and  set  down  in  writing,  by  the  said  person  or 
IKTsons  subscribed  with  the  name  of  said  adventurer  or  adventurers,  that 
tlien  and  at  all  times  after  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  to  and  for  the  said 
governor  and  comjiany,  or  tl^  more  part  of  them  present,  whereof  the  said 
governor  or  his  deputy  to  be  one,  at  any  of  their  general  courts  or  gi'neral 
nsscndjlics,  to  remove  and  disfranchise  him  or  them,  and  every  such  pei-son 
or  persons,  at  their  wills  and  pleasures  ;  and  he  or  they  so  removed  and  dis- 
franchised, not  to  be  permitted  to  trade  into  the  countries,  territories,  or 
limits  aforesaid,  or  any  part  thereof;  nor  to  have  any  adventure  or  stock 
going  or  remaining  with  or  among  the  said  company,  without  special  license 
of  the  saiil  g(jvernor  and  company,  or  the  more  part  of  them  present  at  any 
general  court,  first  had  and  obtained  in  that  behalf,  anything  before  in  tlieso 
presents  to  the  contrary  tliercof  in  any  wise  notwithstanding. 

And  our  will  and  pleasure  is,  and  hereby  we  do  also  ordain,  that  it  shall 
and  may  be  lawful  to  and  for  the  said  governor  and  company,  or  the  greater 
part  of  thcni,  whereof  the  governor  for  the  time  being,  or  his  deputy,  to  be  one, 
to  ailmit  into  and  be  of  the  said  company,  all  such  servants  or  factors  of  or 
for  the  said  company,  and  all  such  others  as  to  them  or  the  most  part  of  tiiem 
present  at  any  court  held  for  the  said  company,  the  governor  or  his  deputy 
being  one,  shall  bo  thought  fit  and  agreeable  with  the  orders  and  ordinances 
made  and  to  be  made  for  tlie  government  of  the  said  company. 

And  further.  Our  will  and  pleasure  is,  and  by  these  presents  for  us,  our 
heirs  and  successors,  we  do  grant  unto  the  said  governor  and  company,  and 
to  tlieir  successors,  tliat  it  sliall  and  may  be  lawful  in  all  elections  and  by  daws 
to  be  made  by  the  general  court  of  the  adventurers  of  the  said  company,  that 
every  person  shall  have  a  number  of  votes  according  to  his  stock,  that  is  to 
Bay.  for  every  hundred  pounds  by  him  subscribed  or  brought  into  the  present 
stock,  one  vote,  and  that  any  of  those  that  have  subscribed  less  than  oiio 
lunidred  pounds  may  join  tlieir  respective  sums  to  make  one  hundred  pounds, 
and  to  have  one  vote  jointly  for  the  .same,  and  not  otherwise. 

A  lid  j'lirllier,  of  our  especial  gi'aee,  certain  knowledge,  and  mere  motion, 
wo  do  for  us,  our  heirs  and  successors,  grant  to  and  with  the  said  govcmor 


JURISDICTION  AXB  POWERS. 


479 


anrl  company  of  ndventurcrs  of  England  trading  into  ITudgon's  Bay,  that  all 
lands,  territories,  plantations,  forts,  fortilications,  factories,  or  colonies,  wliero 
tiie  Baid  companies,  factories,  or  trade  are  or  shall  be,  within  any  the  ports  or 
jjlacos  afore  limited,  shall  be  immediately  and  from  hencefortli  under  the 
])o\ver  and  connnand  of  the  said  governor  and  company,  their  successors  and 
assigns ;  saving  the  faith  and  allegiance  due  and  to  bo  performed  to  «s,  onr 
heirs  and  successors,  as  aforesaid;  and  that  the  said  governor  and  ooiiipany 
shall  have  liberty,  full  power,  and  authority  to  appoint  and  intidjlish  g')\- 
ernora  and  all  other  ofllcers  to  govern  them;  and  that  the  governor  and  his 
council  of  the  several  and  respective  places  where  the  said  (Company  .'liall 
have  plantations,  forts,  factories,  colonies,  or  places  of  trade  within  iiiiy  tho 
countries,  lands,  or  territories  hereby  granted,  may  have  power  to  jud^i!  all 
persons  belonging  to  the  said  governor  and  company,  or  that  shall  li\c  under 
them  in  all  causes,  whether  civil  or  criminal,  according  to  the  laws  of  this 
kingdom,  and  to  execute  justice  accordingly. 

Ami,  in  case  any  crime  or  misdemeanor  slmll  be  committed  in  any  of  tho 
said  company's  plantations,  forts,  f.actories,  or  places  of  tr:i(U'  within  tho 
limits  aforesaid,  where  judicature  cannot  bo  executed  for  want  of  a  governor 
and  council  there,  then  in  such  case  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  for  the  chief 
factor  of  that  place  and  his  council  to  transmit  the  party,  together  v.illi  tho 
olTenco,  to  such  other  plantations,  factory,  or  fort,  where  there  sh;dl  be  a 
governor  and  council,  where  justice  may  be  executed,  or  into  the  kingdoni  of 
]*hi;.;land,  as  shall  bo  thought  most  convenient,  there  to  inllicfc  such  punish- 
ment as  the  nature  of  the  oft'enco  will  deserve. 

And  moreovvr,  Our  will  and  pleasure  is,  and  by  these  presents  f(vr  us,  our 
heirs  and  successors,  we  do  give  and  grant  unto  the  said  governor  and  com- 
pany and  their  successors  free  liberty  and  license  in  case  they  conceive  it 
necessary  to  send  either  sliips  of  war,  men,  or  ammunition,  into  any  their 
Jilantutions,  forts,  factories,  or  places  of  trade  aforesaid,  for  the  si^curity  and 
defence  of  the  sa.me,  and  to  choose  commanders  and  ofticers  over  tlicm,  and  to 
give  them  power  and  authority  by  commissions  under  tlieir  conunon  Koal,  or 
otherwise,  to  continue  or  make  peace  or  war  with  any  prince  or  jieople  Miiat- 
soever,  tliat  are  not  Christians,  in  any  places  where  the  said  cimipaiiy  sliall 
have  any  plantations,  forts,  or  factories,  or  adjacent  thereunto,  iis  sliail  bo 
most  for  tlie  advantage  and  benefit  of  said  governor  and  company,  and  of  their 
trade;  and  also  to  riglit  and  recompense  themselves  upon  tlie  goods,  estate,  or 
people  of  those  parts,  bj'  whom  the  said  governor  and  company  shall  sustain 
any  injury,  loss,  or  damage,  or  upon  any  other  people  whatsoever,  that  :-hall 
any  way,  contrary  to  the  intent  of  these  presents,  interrupt,  wron;,',  or  injure 
them  in  their  said  trade,  within  the  said  places,  tenitori-s,  or  limits  granted 
by  this  charter.  And  that  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  to  and  fur  the  said 
governor  and  company  and  their  successors,  from  time  to  time  and  at  all  times 
hencel'orti\,  to  erect  and  build  such  castles,  fortifications,  forts,  g.iirisDns, 
colonies  or  plantations,  towns  or  villages,  in  any  parts  or  place;;  witliin  the 
limits  and  bounds  granted  before  in  these  presents,  unto  the  Kiid  governor 
and  company,  and  their  successors,  from  time  to  time;  and  at  all  times  from 
henceforth  to  erect  and  build  such  castles,  fortifications,  forts,  gunisons, 
colonius  or  plantations,  towns  or  villages,  iu  any  parts  or  places  within  tho 


480 


THE  FUR-TRADE  UNDER  BRITISH  AUSPICES. 


limits  and  hounds  granted  })eforc  in  these  presents  nnto  the  said  govcninr  and 
conipanyi  ns  tliey  in  their  discretion  shall  tliink  fit  and  re([uisite;  and  for  '  o 
supply  of  suelj  as  sliall  be  needful  and  convenient,  to  keep  and  be  in  tlie  same, 
to  send  out  of  this  kingdom,  to  the  said  castles,  forts,  fortifications,  garrisons, 
colonies,  plantiitions,  towns,  or  villages,  all  kiuds  of  clotliiug,  provision  of 
victuals,  annnunition,  and  implements  nocessarj*  for  sucli  i)urposo,  jiaying 
the  duties  and  custom  for  the  same,  as  also  to  transport  and  carry  over  such 
iinmher  of  men  being  willing  tliereunto  or  not  prohibited,  as  they  shall  think 
lit,  and  also  to  govern  thein  iu  such  legal  and  reasonable  manner  as  tiie  said 
governor  and  company  shall  think  best,  and  to  inflict  punishment  for  mis- 
demeanors, or  impose  such  fines  upon  them  for  breach  of  their  orders,  as  in 
these  presents  are  fonncrly  expressed. 

Ami  farther.  Our  will  and  pleasure  is,  and  by  these  presents,  for  us,  f)ur 
heirs  and  successors,  we  <lo  grant  unto  the  said  governor  and  company  and 
their  successors,  full  power  and  lawful  authority  to  seize  upon  the  persons  of 
all  such  English  or  any  other  subjects  which  shall  sail  into  Hudson's  V>ay,  or 
inhabit  in  any  of  the  countries,  islands,  or  territories  hereby  granted  to  the 
said  governor  and  company,  without  their  leave  and  license  in  that  behalf 
first  had  and  obtained,  or  that  shall  contemn  or  disobey  their  orders,  and 
send  them  to  England ;  and  that  all  and  every  person  or  persons,  being  our 
subjects,  any  ways  employed  by  the  said  governor  and  company,  within  any 
the  parts,  places,  or  limits  aforesaid,  shall  be  liable  unto  and  sufTer  sncli  pun- 
ishments for  any  ofTences  by  them  committed  in  the  parts  aforesaid  a>i  the 
president  and  council  for  the  said  governor  and  company  there  shall  think  fit 
and  the  merit  of  the  oflfence  shall  require  as  aforesaid;  and  in  case  any  person 
or  persons  being  convicted  and  sentenced  by  the  president  and  council  of  tlio 
said  governor  and  company,  in  the  countries,  lands,  or  limits  aforesaid,  their 
factors  or  agents  there,  for  any  ofTcnoe  by  them  done,  shall  appeal  fivnn  the 
same;  and  then  and  in  such  case,  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  to  and  for  tlic 
said  president  and  council,  factors  or  agents,  to  seize  upon  him  or  them, 
and  to  carry  him  or  them  home  prisoners  into  England,  to  the  said  governor 
and  lompany,  there  to  receive  such  condign  punishment  as  his  cause  shall 
re(juire,  and  the  law  of  this  nation  allow  of;  and  for  the  better  discovery  of 
al'uses  and  injuries  to  be  done  unto  the  said  governor  and  company,  or  their 
successors,  by  any  servant,  by  them  to  be  emv)loyed  in  the  said  voyages  and 
plantations,  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  to  an('  for  the  said  governor  and  com- 
pany, and  their  respective  presidents,  chief  agent,  or  governor  in  the  parts 
aforesaid,  to  examine  upon  oath  fdl  factors,  masters,  pursers,  supercargoes, 
conmianders  of  castles,  forts,  fortifications,  j)lantations,  or  colonics,  or  other 
persons,  touching  or  concerning  any  matter  or  thing,  in  which  by  law  or 
usage  an  oath  may  be  administered,  so  as  the  said  oath  and  the  niiitter  therein 
contained  be  not  repugnant  but  agreeable  to  the  laws  of  this  realm. 

Ami,  "We  do  hereby  straightly  charge  and  command  all  and  singular,  oui- 
admirals,  vice-admirals,  justices,  mayors,  sheriffs,  constables,  bailiirs,  and  all 
and  singular  other  our  officers,  ministers,  liege  men,  and  subjects  whatsoever 
to  be  aiding,  favoring,  helping,  and  assisting  to  the  said  go\ernor  and  company, 
and  to  their  successors,  and  to  their  deputies,  officers,  factors,  servants,  as- 
signees, and  ministers,  and  every  of  them,  in  executing  and  enjoying  the 


GOVERNMKNT  TROTECTIOX.  ^ 

r::.::::;  ;:r,;:,,::,'r;;;,;;ir  tr  ,';.t  "•  ""■*■•  -  '-■  ™' »'  ^" '■ 

By  \Viit  of  I'livy  Seal, 


Signed, 


PlUOTT. 


Hist.  N.  W,  Coast,  Vol.  i. 


31 


CHAPTER  XV. 

FORTS    AND     FORT    LIFE. 

ArrucATioN  of  the  Tkum— Tiir  Euectcon  of  a  Fort  a  Special  FAVon, 
AM)   Occasion  of  11kjoicin(1 — A  Dk.I'ut  oh  Factory — ARCiiiTECTriu: 

AM)  Co-NSTliCCTION — KXAM1'I.KS    OF   SlCVKRAL    FoKTS— YoRK  FaCI'ORV — 

Fort  (l.vtRY— Fort  William — Fort  Edmonton— Fort  Fiuxklik — 
Fort  Vancocvkr — Fort  Walla  Walla — Fort  Rvi-lrt — Wvi/nrs 
]].srAi)LisHMi:NT  ox  Wai'ato  Island — Fort  Hall— FoiiT  Yikon— Fort 
Victoria — Ground  Flan  of  Foet  Simi-sox— Rendezvous— Lifk  al' 
THE  Forts. 


The  term  Fort  was  applied  iiuliscriininately  to  all 
fur-trading  establishments  liavin«^  any  jircti  ^ions 
to  })ernuinency,  whether  a  bastioned  fortress  ono 

or  wood,  or  a  square  stockade,  palisade,  or  ^,,  .^led 
enclosure,  consisting  of  sharpened  poles  or  slabs,  a 
1)lock  house  of  squared  logs  with  apertures,  or  a  house; 
of  I'ound  unhewn  logs  without  loop-holes,  a  factory 
where  stores  were  kept  for  general  distribution  and 
furs  were  prepared  for  shipping,  and  which  were  pre- 
sided over  with  no  small  show  of  dignity  and  state 
by  titled  officers,  or  the  little  cabin  thrown  up  in  tlie 
heart  of  a  far  distant  wilderness  by  the  aid  of  sharp- 
ened steel,  as  if  by  magic  before  the  eyes  of  wondering 
savages,  and  stocked  only  with  the  articles  necessary 
for  temporary  traffic — these  were  the  fort,  fortress, 
factory,  post,  house,  establishment,  or  head-quarters 
of  those  who  domineered  these  savage  realms. 

To  the  natives  the  building  of  a  fort  among  them  was 
made  to  appear  a  special  favor.  In  thus  bringing  to 
their  door  the  white  man's  goods  and  friendship  tire- 
some journeys  were  saved,  and  more  time  left  them 

(482) 


THE  SELECTION  OF  A  SITE. 


483 


to  hunt  for  tlio  furs  which  wcvo  to  proruro  tlu'iii 
greiiter  comforts.  Tho  stiiiidini^  threat,  and  the  ono 
most  «ifunerally  feared,  was  that  if  they  did  not  hehavo 
well  the  trad'r  wt)uld  leave  them.  So  little  <;-round 
was  required  for  fort  purpose's,  and  so  quiet  the  de- 
meanor of  the  fur-dealer,  that  no  jealousy  was  excited, 
or  fear  of  usur[)ati()n.  In  the  eyes  of  the  no-theni 
sava;:^es  tho  En^'lishnion  were  jjfods  briny;in!^  them 
j^ood  f^itts  as  from  the  skies.  Once  having  ahandon<'(l 
their  aborijj^inal  weapons,  and  learned  the  u.io  of  ir(»i;, 
foreij^n  implements  became  necessities. 

Hence  it  was  made  an  occasion  of  reioicini;  amou"" 
the  natives  when  tire-arms,  w'hiskev,  and  reliLiion  were 
thus  broujjfht  to  their  very  door,  and  tho  fort-l)uil<lers 
took  especial  jiains  to  interest  tho  natives  in  tlicir 
doings,  and  make  them  feel  a  pride  in  the  fort,  wliidi 
they  wvro  assured  was  erected  solely  for  their  benelit. 

To  York  Factory  prior  to  I  740  tho  natives  came  out? 
thousand  miles  to  trade.  The  Knisteneaux  traiUnn' 
at  Fort  Churchill  found  the  distance  so  great  that 
they  gladly  welcomed  the  Northwest  Com{)any,  who 
established  nearer  and  more  intimate  conunercial  an  I 
social  relations  with  them.  J>y  despatching  on  tiieir 
journey  early  in  tho  spring  active  }'oung  men  and 
w'omon,  and  allowing  them  only  a  day  or  two  at  tho 
fort  for  drunkenness,  tlusy  were  enabled  to  return 
before  tho  streams  were  frozen.  Comforting  di-ink, 
however,  was  brought  away  for  home  convivialities, 
which  was  saci-ed  to  tho  ])urpose,  and  on  no  account 
to  bo  touched  while  en  route} 

In  selecting  i  site  for  a  fort,  water  and  wood  wero 
first  considered,  then  hunting  or  iisiiiiig.^  Often  some 
of  tho  chiefs  wei'o  ajipointed  to  maintain  order,  to 
curb  the  unruly  of  their  tribe,  and  to  protect  the  in- 

'Tlicso  people  conipliiinc<l  no  less  of  tlie  quality  of  tho  gooiU  furnished 
them  tlian  of  their  long  journey,  whieh  sulijeeted  tlieni  to  three  nionUis  of 
sunnner  sun.  Ami  even  then  they  jould  not  carry  one  third  of  their  btuver 
to  market.  Carver's  Tninls,  112. 

■^  Very  little  foreign  or  manufactured  food  wn.s  supplied  the  fort-dwollerd. 
They  must  for  the  mo.st  part  ohbiin  their  own  provisions  or  starve;  lieuco 
to  be  ucur  a  supply  was  very  esscutial. 


i     I 


:  s 


484 


FORTS  AXD  FORT  LIFE. 


tcrcsts  of  tl'G  fort-buiklcrs  by  every  rican.s  in  tlieir 
power.  This  was  a  high  distinction  and  sckluni 
abused. 

The  depot  was  the  head-quarters  or  point  of  distri- 
bution of  a  dej^turtment.  Tlius  York  Factoiy  was  the 
de|»6t  of  the  Northern  De})artnient,  INIoose  Factory 
of  the  Soutlicrn,  Lachine  of  the  ]\Iontreal  Depart- 
ment, and  Fort  Vancouver,  kiter  Fort  Victoria,  of 
the  Cohinibia  Department.  When  the  Oregon  country 
as  far  north  as  tlio  strait  of  Fuca  was  declared  a  [)art 
of  the  United  States,  and  the  company's  liead-quarters 
on  the  Paciiic  I'omoved  to  A^ictoria,  that  became  tlie 
depot.  Ill  its  government,  in  its  attitude  toward  the 
aborigines,  each  fort  was  an  iuiperium  in  unperio. 

Among  the  more  imposing  estabhshments  was 
Prince  of  Widcs  Fort,  wliich  stood  upon  a  connnanding 
elevation  on  the  left  bank  of  Churchill  lliver,  near  the 
mouth.  In  1744  it  was  the  company's  chief  factory. 
Its  his>h  irregular  wails,  tweiity-sevcn  feet  in  thick- 
ness, were  of  hewn  stone  and  lime,  and  it  mounted 
forty  guns.  All  this  was  precautionary  against  a 
Avhite  enemy  ratlier  than  a  red  one.  liichsird  Norton 
was  governor  there  in  1  To",  and  after  him  Ferdinand 
Jacobs;  then  in  17G9  ruled  ]\[oses  Norton,  a  half- 
breed  son  of  liichard,  educated  in  England;  in  1773 
Sanmel  Hearne  wa.^  placed  in  command.  The  gov- 
ernor appeared  in  cijcked  hat,  tights,  and  regimentals ; 
the  dress  of  their  Indian  wives  was  half  Queen  Anno 
and  half  Spanish,  a  head-kerchief,  mantilla,  long  o[icn 
skii't,  and  short  embroidered  petticoat.  TJiis  fort  was 
deniolisluMl  by  the  French  in  I7l)l),  but  was  rebuilt 
soon  aiterward.'' 

' 'Al»out  tlio  fort,' iiccordiii'^  to  a  lottrr  givoii  in  f  ox'n  Adf.,  ii.  ;>')7  S,  in 
I'S'!),  'arc  iKiw  in  \k-  seen  (Kc'iyt'il  <:iiri.i;:i's  v itliout  frniis,  in.  t-tatiii  i/iniM 
MJiliotit  ciii'riaLjfs,  >;r()n|(s  (if  ,inii|)|iiipprialiil  liall.s  nt'  vaiions  calihii',  lnoki'ii 
<Vi\vii  vails,  '111(1  (lilaiiiilatod  utorcs.  .Sco  JJoUi.-i'  J/u<//ioii's  lini,  8,  IS,  niul 
lli'iriii'n  JiuiriK'ii,  1,  mIil'IV!  ii  liii(3  ciijriaviii!,'  in  j;i\Tii.  liali:iiityn(!,  wriiinL;  in 
ISH,  navM,  II hilxim'n  /111 If,  .'>(),  'I'liudnly  two  in  tlu!  coiinli y  that  aie  real,  liii,i,i 
Jill'  fortu,  nil!  Iiirt  (lanyand  this  Sti)n(!  I'ort  in  the  luhiny  of  lUil  Itivoi-,  whii  h 
urn  siinonndoil  hy  hIoik*  wall.s  with  l)asti()ns  at  tho  odriiors.  'J'Ik!  oihir^  iito 
iiic'ivly  dc'lcnilcd  Iiy  wodilcn  pickets  orstnLkadi's ;  and  u  Icsv,  wliii'o  tlio  indiaua 
are  (iuiut  and  huiinlL'ss,  uro  cuiircly  dcstitiUcuf  dofencc  of  any  kiud.' 


TLAX  AXD  CONSTRUCTION". 


m 


gov- 
itals; 
Anno 
open 
was 
•built 


)7  S,  in 

.11   J'lUlS 
l.loIvCIl 

IS,  mill 
•iiiiV^  ill 

.whiili 

Liuliiiua 


York  Faftory,  once  Fort  Bourbon,  on  the  marsliy 
loft  bank  of  Hayes  Eiver,  live  miles  above  its  mouth, 
Aviiich  subsecjuently  became  the  general  cntrejiot  Ibr 
a!l  llupert  Land,  was  on  Hudson  Bay,  and  consisted 
of  two-story  wooden  buildings,  roofed  witli  lead,  placed 
in  the  form  of  a  square,  and  surrounded  by  a  stockade 
twenty  feet  high.  In  the  buildings  composing  tlie 
square  the  stores  were  kept  and  tlie  )fficers  lived; 
between  the  square  and  the  palisade  were  servants' 
quarters  and  workshops.  This  was  the  chief  post  for 
the  vessels  of  the  conqiany,  and  there  the  chief 
factors  formerly  met  in  annual  council.'* 

The  principal  building  of  a  distributing  depot  was 
the  general  store  where  the  outfit  for  the  department 
was  kept.  At  York  Factory  a  two  years'  supply  was 
stored,  while  at  Fort  A'ancouver,  being  so  I'ar  from 
home,  lest  there  sliould  bo  accident  or  delay,  a  two 
years'  supply  was  always  intended  to  Ijo  on  hand.  At 
York  Factory,  and  in  most  of  tlie  principal  forts,  was 
a  ro(nii  called  tlie  ]>achelors'  hall,  devot<jd  specially  to 
the  company's  clerks,  but  where  strangers  were  always 
welcome  to  smoke  or  spread  their  blankets.  Tho 
larger  stations  had  hospitals  for  the  use  of  natives 
as  W(>11  as  ser\aiiis  of  the  conq)any.  Settlers  on  tho 
frontier  often  called  the  solid  log-house  that  protected 
them  from  the  savages  their  fort. 

With  a  few  cxce{)tions  the  fur-posts  of  the  Pacific 
were  much  ali!:e.  Jf  permanent,  they  wen;  palisaded 
in  size  and  form  tdjout  one  luuuh-ed  yards  s(juare. 
^J'he  pickets  consistecl  of  poles  or  logs  ten  or  iirteeii 
inches  in  diameter  simlv  into  th(;  ground  tuid  rising 
iifteen  or  twenty  feet  al)ove  it.  S[)lit  slabs  W(n'e  some- 
times used  instead  of  round  pole^.  At  two  corners 
diagonally  op[)osite,  and  raised  above  the  tops  of  tho 
pickets,  two  wofjden  ba^^tions  were  so  placed  as  to  com- 
mand a  view  of  tho  country.  In  each  of  these  bastions 
were  mounted  from  two  to  six  guns,  four,  six,  or  twelve 
pounders,  each  with  its  aperture  like  the  })ort-liolo 

* Fraitk-U.'t'ti  Xar.,  i.  .37-8;  liaUanhjuv'a  HiulxoiCs  liiiy,  2.3,  137-9. 


FORTS  ^ND  FORT  LIFE. 


of  a  ship.  T]ic  ground  floor  beneath  served  as  a 
magazine.  Within  the  pickets  were  erected  houses 
according  to  necessity,  store  and  dwelHng  being  mo.st 
conspicuous. 

I  will  elucidate  furthor  by  describing  briefly  a  few 
individual  establishments  in  various  localities. 

Later,  Fort  Garry,  on  the  Assiniboine,  was  built, 
and  became  the  Hudson's  Bay  Comj)any's  head-quar- 
teis  in  British  America.  There  high  stone  walls, 
with  round  towers  pierced  for  cannf>n  at  the  corners, 
(niclosed  a  square  wherein  were  substantial  wooden 
buildings,  among  which  were  storehouses,  dwellings, 
the  governor's  residence,  and  the  jail.  Stone  Fort, 
some  distance  below  on  lied  River,  enclosed  about 
four  acres,  with  numerous  buildings.^ 

When  Pontiac  attempted  to  surprise  Detroit,  the 
place  consisted  of  a  stockade  of  round  piles,  with  a 
lining  of  palisades,  and  bastions  mounting  a  few  small 
caniion.  Here  in  17G7  were  .about  one  hundred  houses, 
and  the  garrison  in  time  of  peace  consisted  of  some 
two  hundred  men.  jSIichilimackinac,  when  Poutiac's 
warriors  drove  their  ball  over  the  stockade  as  an 
excuse  to  rush  in  after  it  and  so  seize  the  fort,  Avas 
similarly  constructed  and  defended,* 

Fort  William,  on  Lake  Superior,  the  famous  em- 
])orium  and  interior  head-quarters  of  the  Northwest 
Company,  might  almost  be  called  a  palisaded  village. 
A  stockade  fifteen  feet  high,  with  a  tower  overlook- 
ing, surrounded  a  spacious  square  in  which  was  a 
great  variety  of  buildings.  First,  standing  five  feet 
from  the  ground,  in  the  middle  of  the  square,  was  the 
council-house  and  caravansary,  a  large  wooden  build- 
ing, called  elegant  in  those  days,  containing  a  diuing- 
hall  sixty  by  thirty  feet,  on  the  wall  of  which  were 
hung  the  portraits  of  partners  and  other  paintings, 
with  the  apartments  of  the  principal  agents  and  stew- 

*CornwalHs,  New  El  Dorado,  02,  quotes  literally  from  Tkillantync,  IIu(l<oii\'* 
li'ii/y  101;  sec  also  Jliiid-i'  Xai-.,  i.  1"24-.'1J;  MiHmi  ami  ChvaiUr'/t  Xurth  Went 
l\mxri(l<',  ;MJ  et  8cq.;  PuKiiir'a  Papi'r-^,  ami  Fiirthar  Pitjicrs,  pussim. 

''CarvKr'd  'i'ranh,  19;  i'arkman'ii  J'otUiac,  i.  322. 


FORT  WILLIA.M. 


487 


ard  at  one  end,  and  basement  for  kitchen  and  servants, 
rooms.  Across  the  entire  front  was  a  piazza,  sur- 
mounted by  a  balcony.  Two  buildings,  of  e<(ual  base 
l>ut  less  in  lieight,  stood  one  on  either  side  of  the  com- 
pany's great  house,  containing  l)edrooms  divided  by 
a  corridor  running  their  entire  length,  one  building 
l)eing  for  the  use  of  the  wintering  i)artners  and  the 
other  for  apprenticed  clerks.  In  other  parts  of  the 
square,  all  conveniently  arranged,  and  with  due  defer- 
once  to  i)lace  and  dignity,  were  lodging-houses  for  the 
men,  warehouses,  a  counting-liouse,  doctor's  office, 
])owder  magazine,  and  jail.  Besides  tliesc,  on  one 
side  of  the  euclosure.was  a  range  of  buildings,  si>rving 
as  stores  and  workshops,  where  dry  goods,  groceries, 
and  li([Uors  were  sold  at  retail,  where  men  Mere 
erjui[)ped  and  boats  mended.  Outside  the  fort  was  a 
shi[)-yard,  kitclien  garden,  corn  and  })otato  fields,  and 
pastures  and  [)cns  for  cattle,  sheep,  hogs,  and  poultry.'' 

Fort  Edmonton,  the  chief  establishment  of  the 
Saskatchewan  district,  and  the  residence  of  the  chief 
factor,  was  in  form  hexagonal,  with  pickets,  battle- 
mented  gateways,  and  bastions.  There  "..ere  the  usual 
buildings,  including  carpenter  shop,  blaclvsmith's  forge, 
and  windmill.  Here  were  made  ;md  ii'paired  boats, 
carts,  sleighs,  harness,  and  otlici'  articKs  and  appli- 
ances for  the  annual  voyage  to  York  Factory,  and 
ibr  traffic  between  jiosts.  There  was  likewise  here 
a  large  and  successful  farm,  where  wheat,  barley,  and 
vegetables  were  raised  in  abundance.^ 

Fort  Franklin,  on  the  shore  of  Great  Bear  Lake, 
was  u  rough  })ine  log-hut,  containing  a  single  a|)art- 
ment  eighteen  by  twenty  feet.  It  was  roofed  with 
sticks  and  moss,  and  the  interstices  between  the  logs 
were  filled  with  nuul." 

No  fortress  of  stone  or  brick  was  ever  erected  by  a 
fur  company  on  the  Pacitic  coast,  but  some  of  those 

''  FraiK-Jipre'a  Xnr.,  .139-40;  Cox's  Col.  Hirer,  ii.  200-1. 
^O' rani's  Ori'dii  to  Orenn,  170-2;  Martin's  JhuUun's  Day,  18;  MlUon  and 
Clwfti/h''x  .\'ort/i  H'est  /'ii,i.-<aijc,  184, 
"Jloo^nr's  Ttuiki,  305-0. 


433 


FORTS  AND  FORT  LIFE. 


of  wood  licro  l)iiilt  wore  cxcccdiniL^ly  sii1)Rtantinl.  The 
first,  that  of  A.storin,  was  not  oiio  of  the  best.  Clear- 
ing the  dense  forest  from  the  spot  selected,  the  lo'j^s 
were  licwn  and  erected  into  two  pai-allel  rows  of 
liouses,  covered  and  roofed  with  cedar  bark,  and  con- 
sistinj^  of  stores,  shops,  and  dwellings,  one  hundred 
and  twenty  feet  long,  and  ninety  feet  apart.  Across 
the  fi-ont  and  rear  were  placed  picketed  slabs,  and  the 
doors  of  the  houses  all  opened  into  the  enclosure  thus 
made. 

F(n^t  Vancouver,  the  metropolitan  establishment 
of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  on  the  Pacific  be- 
tween the  years  1825  when  it  was  begun,  and  1847 
when  the  head-quarters  of  tlic  company  were  removed 
to  Victoria,  stood  on  the  north  side  of  the  Columbia 
River,  six  miles  above  the  eastern  mouth  of  the  Wil- 
lamette. It  was  at  first  located  on  the  fir-skirted 
brow  of  a  gently  sloping  prairie,  about  one  mile  from 
the  river,  but  tliis  distance  proving  an  obstacle  to 
transport  and  '  -)nmiunication,  it  was  moved  a  few 
years  afterward  to  within  one  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the 
stream. 

The  plan  presented  the  usual  parallelogram,  though 
much  larger  tlian  common,  of  about  seven  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  in  length  and  five  hundred  in  breadth, 
enclosed  by  an  upright  picket  wall  of  large  and  closely 
fitted  Ijeams,  over  twenty  feet  in  height,  secured  by 
buttresses  on  the  inside.^" 

The  interior  was  divided  into  two  courts  with 
about  forty  buildings,  all  of  wood  except  the  powcK  r 
magazine,  which  was  constructed  of  brick  and  stone. 
In  the  centre,  facing  the  main  entrance,  stood  the 
governor's  residence,  with  the  dining-room,  smoking- 
room,  and  public  sitting-room,  or  bachelors'  hall,  tlic 
latter  serving  also  for  a  museum  of  Indian  relics  and 
other  curiosities.    Single  men,  clerks,  and  others  madtj 

•"III  Wilk-rx'  Xnr.  of  the  U.  S.  Er.  Erj^il.  it  is  stutcl  tlmt  i.o  bastions, 
gnllcri"»,  or  l(M)p-lioli'H  fxi.stcMl,  Imt  J>iinu  gives  the  fori  four  bastions.  imoIi 
\vitli  two  t\V('lvL'-|ioiuitl  r.s,  wliilc  Evans  anil  Victor  moiitiou  two  ami  one  Iki.-s- 
tious  ii'spc'ttivc'ly. 


FORT  VANCOUVER. 


m 


the  bachelors'  hall  their  place  of  resort,  Stran_r;'ers 
were  sent  there;  it  was  the  rendezvous  for  pastiino 
and  gossip.  To  these  rooms  artisans  and  servants 
were  not  admitted.  The  residence  was  the  only  two- 
story  house  in  the  fort,  and  before  its  door  frowned 
two  old  mounted  eighteen-pounders.  Tlie  quarters  of 
tlio  chief  factor  were  provided  in  like  manner  with 
two  swivel -guns.  A  prominent  position  was  also 
occupied  by  the  Roman  Catholic  chapel,  to  which 
the  majority  of  the  occupants  resorted,  while  the 
smaller  congregation  of  Episcopalians  made  use  of 
the  dining-room  for  religious  gatherings.  The  other 
buildings  consisted  of  dwellings  for  ofHcers  and  men, 
school,  warehouses,  retail  stores,  and  artisans'  shops 
of  all  descriptions.  The  interior  of  the  dwellings  ex- 
hibited as  a  rule  an  unpainted  pine-board  panel,  with 
bunks  for  bedsteads,  and  a  few  other  simple  pieces  of 
furniture. 

A  short  distance  from  the  fort,  on  tlie  bank  of  the 
river,  lay  a  village  of  about  sixty  neat  and  well  built 
jiouses,  for  the  married  mechanics  and  servants, 
built  in  rows  so  as  to  form  streets.  There  were  also 
the  hospital,  boat  house  and  salmon  house,  and  near 
by  were  barns,  threshing  mills,  granaries,  and  dairy 
buildings. 

The  ])lain  round  the  fort,  and  along  the  river  to 
Calapooya  Creek  for  about  nine  square  miles,  was 
occupied  by  a  well  managed  farm,  fenced  into  grain- 
fields,  pastui'cs,  and  gai'dcns,  the  latter  quite  renowned 
lor  their  large  variety  and  line  specimens  of  plants, 
Fnlly  lifteen  hundred  acres  were  under  cultivation, 
while  tlie  live-stoelc  numbered,  at  the  time  of  Wilkes' 
visit,  about  thrc^e  thousand  head  of  cattle,  twenty- 
five  hundred  sheep,  and  three  hundred  brood  mares. 
On  the  dairy  farm  were  upward  of  one  hundred  cows, 
and  a  still  greater  number  su|)plied  the  dairy  on 
Wapato  Island,  the  produce  being  chielly  absorbed 
by  the  Russian  colonies  in  the  nortli.  Al»ont  six 
miles  up  the  Columbia  lay  a  giist-mill  and  a  saw-mill 


100 


FORTS  AND  FORT  LIFE. 


driven  by  water  power,  from  wliicli  tlio   Sanclwicli 
Islands  received  considerable  supplies." 

A  post  of  somewhat  different  construction  from  tlio 
rest  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and  built  with  a  particular 
view  to  strength,  was  Fort  Walla  Walla,  originally 
called  Fort  Xez  Perce,  which  owed  its  establishment 
to  the  attack  of  Indians  at  this  place  on  Ogden's  l^arty 
of  fur-traders  in  about  1818.  The  attack  was  re- 
pelled, but  the  necessity  of  a  post  for  retreat  became 
apparent  in  case  of  future  hostilities.  Timber  was 
accordingly  brought  to  the  spot  over  a  great  dis- 
tance, and  a  picket  enclosure  two  hundred  feet  square 
erected  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Columl)ia  River,  on 
a  promontory  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile  north  of 
the  Walla  \Valla.  The  wall  was  formed  of  sawed 
tind)cr  twenty  feet  long,  two  feet  and  a  half  wide, 
and  six  inches  thick,  presenting  a  smooth  face  sur- 
mounted by  a  balustrade  four  feet  in  height,  with 
ramparts  and  loop-holes,  and  provided  all  round  the 
inside  with  a  gallery  fiv^o  feet  in  width.  At  each 
angle  was  a  reservoir  with  a  capacity  of  two  hundred 
gallons  of  water,  for  protection  against  incendiarism. 
W^ithin  the  wall  were  stores,  and  dwellings  for  ser- 
vants, and  in  the  centre  another  enclosure  twelve 
feet  in  height,  with  port-holes  and  sli[>-doors,  a  fort 
within  a  fort.  Besides  the  outer  gate,  moved  l)y  a 
j)ulley,  the  entrance  was  guarded  by  double  doors, 
and  for  further  security  the  natives  were  not  ad- 
mitted within  the  picket,  but  carried  on  their  trade 
through  a  small  opening  in  the  wall,  which  was  pro- 
tected by  an  iron  door.  The  war  material  consisted 
of  four  piec^es  of  ordnance  of  from  one  to  three  pounds, 
ten  swivel-guns,  and  a  supply  of  muskets,  pikes,  and 
hand-gi'enades. 

"irWw'  Xar.  of  the  U.  S.  Ex.  ErpriJ.,  iv.  .140-00;  v.  12S-0:  Diintr.^ 
Or.  To:,  141-8;  Emm'  J  list.  Or.,  MH.,  18.V(5;  Virtor'ti  L'lirr  n/thi'  Il'(7, -J.''; 
Parker's  Erplor.  Tour,  148,  1(>8-7U,  184-();  Toioi.ii'iid'.'i  A'ur.,  170;  T'llniir'A 
Jiiurntd,  MS.,  l''hiliif/son'n  Vancourcr  Idnml  aivl  Northwest  Coaxt,  MS.,  lU. 
Parrish,  liid.  Aiiccdotf^,  MS.,  saya  there  wore  eight  or  ten  extra  rooms;  tliiit 
at  one  time  there  were  Iialf  u  dozen  missionary  families  at  tlic  fort,  and  each 
hud  a  ruoui  to  itaclf.     There  was  ulso  a  ladies  parlor. 


FORT  VICTORIA. 


401 


Despite  the  precautions  taken  fire  o])tained  the 
mastery,  and  at  the  rebuilding  adobe  took  the  place 
(it*  tiui])or. 

The  later  Fort  Walla  Walla  was  a  military  cstab- 
lislinient,  erected  in  ISoZ,  one  ]uile  and  a  halt'  west  of 
the  town  of  Walla  Walla.''^ 

Fort  Rupert,  on  the  north-cast  coast  of  Vancouver 
Island,  was  quite  an  affair.  For  a  stockade  pine  trees 
\V(;re  sunk  into  the  grovuid  and  tied  together  on  the 
inside  with  beams,  liound  the  interior  ran  a  u:allerv, 
and  at  two  opposite  corners  were  flaidcing  l)astions 
mounting  four  nine-pounders.  Within  were  the  usual 
shops  and  buildings,  while  smaller  stockades  protected 
the  garden  and  out-houses." 

Nathaniel  Wyeth's  log-house,  jilaced  upon  Wapato, 
now  Sauve  Island,  in  IH.'M-f),  was  dignified  by  the 
name  of  Fort  William.  Fort  Hall,  which  he  had  built 
on  his  way  out,  though  hastily  erected  and  with  few 
tools,  was  a  singularly  good  stockade.  The  build- 
ings and  stockade  of  some  establishments  were  con- 
structed of  drift-wood,  with  Uouall}'  two  bastions,  and 
lound  the  inside  a  gallery.  Fort  Yukon,  the  most 
ivniote  post  of  the  Hudson's  I]ay  Com[)any,  and  be- 
yond tlie  Alaskan  line,  seemed  to  the  travolKa*  to 
contrast  favorably  with  the  less  ])retentious  and  moi-e 
iihliy  Russian  esta1)lishments.  Smooth  floors,  open 
iii'cplaces,  glazed  windows,  and  plastered  walls,  be- 
longing to  commodious  dwellings  of  officers  and  men, 
with  ice  and  meat  wells,  fur  I'oom,  and  fur  press,  were 
not  often  encountered  in  those  ])arts." 

Fort  A'^ictoria  enclosed  one  hundred  yards  scpiaiv  in 
eedar  i)ickets  twentv  feet  hiufh.  At  the  north-east  and 
siiith-west  corners  were  octagonal  bastions  mounted 
with  six  six-pounders.  It  was  foun<led  in  June  I  S4:J 
as  a  trading-post  and  depot  for  whalers,  but  alter  tlie 
treaty  of  1840,  by  which  the  United  States  obtained 

'- /.'0A<«'  Fur  rriinfym,  i.  172-84,  214-17;  ir;//r.s'  X<ir.  of  th-  U.  S.  Ex.  Exped., 
iv.  417-lf^;  Kdiii'n  \V<tii'l< rimj!',  '271  -;  Ouriin''  JJiirduri/,  l"Jj-U. 
'''/!(irnii-/,ciiiiiirJ'-'  7V. /»•.',  07-8. 
^^Whyiiqii  r'lt  Alaska,  'Ib'i. 


492 


FORT.S  AND  FORT  LIFE. 


]){)ssossion  of  the  ()re<jfon  Territory,  tlic  lica(l-(]iiarters 
of  tlio  Jliuhioii's  Bay  Coiupaiiy  on  tlic  Paciiic  coast 
woi'o  transferred  from  Foit  Vancouver  to  this  post. 
])y  this  time  it  liad  more  than  thi'ec  hundred  acics 
under  cultivation  and  possessed  a  hirc^o  dairy  faiiti, 
i'rom  which  the  llussian  cokmies  in  Ahiska  recvivid 
su[)phcs.     The  site  was  chosen  by  Governor  Doughis 


A 


I 


u 

a 


i't 


"-JT       L3r 


H  :; 


17 


U       r 


1"      'n_ 


M 


F 


0 


i 


T. 


GuorxD  Pi.AN'  OF  ForiT  Simpson,  Rriti.sii  CoLrMBiA,  18,19-06; 

AlTlOIl  A   SKEltll   I)V   1'.  N.  COMPTON-,  VlCTOKIA,  1S7S. 
A,       rtiiiit  rnliuicp.  0,    Trillin  Simp. 

r.,n,  i!ii-iii)iw,  I  (TiiiH.  II,  AViu'i'iii.usc. 

(',  liark  l.iiliMiii'i'.  I,     Jlcn'.s  llmiscs. 

1),  ('..nim/iiitns  Utncor's  Qunrtrrs.    K,  Ilhicksiniih  shop. 

1),  Jliv-H  llcjoiii.  J,,   (uriiiiter  Miop. 

l',l',  Ullici'iij'  QiKirti-rs.  51,  Kitchen. 

a,n,a,a,  Gallery  along  the  insiil(!  of  t\\i^  juckrt  wall,  reached  hy  staircases,  oflbrding 
Beimratu  entrance  to  upper  story  of  babtiuns. 

on  the  cast  shore  of  Victoria  Harbor,  one  mile  fiv.m 
its  entranc((,  and  tlio  men  and  material  were  ohtaiiii  ;l 
fi'oni  the  lately  abanchjued  forts  McTjOUglilin  and 
Simpson.  The  orii^inal  name  was  Fort  Camosun,  .  ii 
j.ndian  term  for  ihe  inlet,  which  was  changed  in  1.'  :  i 
to  Fort  Albert,  b}-  order  from  Fngland,  and  in  t!u' 


RENDEZ^•OUS. 


403 


ri)llowin<:(  year  to  Fort  Victoria.  It  consisted  of  cedar 
])ii'kcts  eii^liteen  feet  above  ground,  cnclosin;^  a  .space 
olio  hundred  and  Hfty  feet  square.  At  tlie  angles  were 
two  block-liouses  on  bastions,  and  within  the  enclosure 
tlio  usual  wooden  buildings. 

As  the  several  posts  upon  the  Pacific  slope  will  bo 
i'ully  mentioned  in  the  order  of  their  establishment  I 
})ass  on  without  further  comment  here.'^ 

There  was  a  custom  jn'evalunt  among  the  fur  com- 
panies of  the  United  States  of  appointing  a  rendez- 
vous at  places  central  and  convenient  where  traders 
(^vcry  year  might  meet  the  trappers  of  the  respective 
districts  without  the  trouble  of  building  forts  and 
keeping  up  expensive  establishments  through  the  year. 
]lendezvous  were  appointed  for  diiferent  i)laccs  and 
seasons,  according  to  the  variations  of  traiKc.  The 
most  noted  sunnner  rendezvous  was  in  what  is  now 
the  north-east  corner  of  Utah,  on  Green  liiver,  some- 
times on  Ham  Branch,  where  B(mneville,  Kit  Carson, 
iiiid  others  famous  in  fur-hunting  annals  met  Nez 
Perec's,  Bannocks,  Shoshoncs,  Prench  Canadians,  and 
half-breeds,  and  traded  and  caroused.  What  a  com- 
mingling of  heaven,  earth,  and  bedlam  was  there!  On 
the  soft,  sun-tinctured,  mountain  air  raiig  in  hellish 
liarmony  the  united  sound  of  whooping  savages,  baying 
v.olf-dogs,  howling  half-breeds,  cracking  rill  js  and  car- 
bines, with  the  sacre  and  Jichtre  of  Frenchmen,  and 
tlio  deeper  and  yet  more  awful  blasphemy  of  I'Jnglish- 
s])caking  border  men.  These  dying  <lov,'ii  av  intervals, 
tliere  was  the  milder  but  not  more  exalted  refiain  of 
liiccoughing  traders  and  licentious  love-malcers.  The 
rendezvous  to  the  United  States  trappers  and  traders 
was  what  Fort  William  was  to  the  Northwest  Com- 
])any,  only  in  the  former  instance  obstreperous  miiih 
was  not  placed  in  circumscription  and  confine  as  under 
rigid  corporation  rule.    All  were  free  to  eat,  drink,  and 


^'"Finlnyvm^a  Vancouver  hlnnd,  MS.,  21-0,  32;  Sfenv-n'-i  To//.  Ilcrahl,  i. 
101-0;  Kane's  Watidcrlmjs,  20S-9;  Vavasour'i  J'f/wrt,  iu  JIartiu'a  IJudnoii'a 
Ikiij,  34. 


FORTS  AND  FORT  LIFE. 


kill  ad  Uhitum,  each  guardiiij?  his  own  head.  Froo 
trappers  and  Indians  there  brought  their  furs  and 
exchanged  them  for  sucli  articles  as  they  required; 
hired  trappers  brouglit  iii  their  catch  and  received 
their  year's  pay.  Employers  and  employed,  agents 
and  rovers  there  met,  and  as  it  was  usually  during 
the  months  of  July  and  August,  when  the  fur  of  the 
heaver  was  of  least  value;  and  as  many  of  them  since 
the  last  meeting  had  not  l)eheld  the  face  or  heard  the 
voice  of  a  wliite  man,  and  as  they  had  endured  many 
hardships  and  had  gone  long  without  the  assistance 
of  exhilarating  drink,  they  met  determined  by  way  of 
compensation  to  unite  with  business  as  much  pleasure 
as  possible.  Nor  were  they  wanting  in  any  of  the  three 
great  gratifiers  of  sensual  man's  three  great  passions, 
intoxicating  drink,  woman,  and  tobacco.  The  first  and 
the  last  the  traders  took  care  to  provide,  selling  the 
vilest  quality  at  exorbitant  prices,  four  dollars  a  jiiiit 
for  well  watered  strychnine  whiskey  being  a  common 
l)rice,  and  tobacco  five  dollars  a  pound;  for  the  other, 
there  was  no  lack  of  forest  beauties,  who  came  without 
bidding,  and  who  were  not  backward  in  becoming  the 
M'ives  of  the  lordly,  long-haired  trappers,  forever  or  for 
a  day.  Thus  there  was  no  end  of  trafficking,  gambling, 
horse-racing,  dancing,  courting,  and  fighting. 

And  this  to  nine  tenths  of  them  was  their  whole 
earthly  compensation,  for  but  few  of  them  ever  le- 
turned  to  home  or  friends.  If  not  bound  by  deht 
to  some  trader  or  company,  the  free  trapper  Ma; 
bound  by  iron  chains  to  his  own  infinitely  worse  than 
brutal  passions.  What  a  beautiful  example  our  civili- 
zation, with  its  proud  progression,  its  high  and  holy 
religion,  its  arts  and  soaiing  intellect,  here  set  before 
these  men  of  nature ! 

There  were  favorite  wintering-grounds  in  the  benl 
of  the  Yellowstone,  and  on  other  affluents  of  the  jMis- 
souri,  the  spot  usually  selected  being  one  where  tli;' 
climate  was  comparatively  mild,  and  where  grass  anil 
game  abounded. 


RULES  AND  ROUTIXE. 


4M 


Fort  life,  altliougli  in  tlio  licart  of  a  wilderness  and 
surrounded  by  savaufes  and  wild  beasts,  was  usually  a 
tame  afFair.  There  was  a  vast  ditlerenee,  however,  in 
(litt'ercnt  posts  in  this  regard.  The  diseipline  and 
])onip  at  Fort  Vancouver,  with  its  frequent  visitors, 
its  conitbrtablc  beds,  and  well  loaded  tables,  was  in 
marked  contrast  to  the  primitive  simplicity  displayed 
at  the  little  log  cabin  at  Shushwaps  with  its  solitary 
occupant.  Unhappy  the  clerk  condemned  for  the 
winter  to  distant  exile!  But  change  was  frequent, 
so  that  one  was  not  kept  wholly  away  from  compan- 
ionable friends  long  at  a  time. 

The  larijer  establishments  were  models  of  con- 
venicnce  and  cfood  order.  JivWs  were  rung  at  da\  'ii 
for  the  workmen  to  begin  their  labors,  at  eight  or 
nine  for  breakfast,  at  one  for  dinner,  and  at  six  for 
supper,  when  work  closed.  The  ofHcei's  and  laborers 
liad  separate  tables,  the  latter  at  some  establishments 
drawing  rations  from  the  steward,  as  in  the  army. 
]iusiness  was  the  sole  object  of  all,  and  all  were  bnsy. 
Sometimes  a  distant  post-keeper  would  be  cauglit  with 
iiotiriiig  to  do  for  the  winter,  which  made  time  hang 
heavily  enough. 

An  important  arrival,  such  as  a  squadron  of  richly 
laden  canoes  from  a  distance  with  chiefs,  warriors, 
wives,  and  slaves,  called  for  corresponding  state  on  the 
j)art  of  the  governor  of  the  fort;  otherwise  the  august 
savaufo  would  deem  himself  sliu'hted.  On  such  occa- 
slons  audience  would  sometimes  be  held  under  an 
awning  spread  outside  the  fort  or  oa  mats  laid  under 
the  trees,  M'hen,  after  silent  conference  and  grave 
smoking,  speeches  were  made  and  presents  exchanged, 
after  which  trade  was  opened,  and  an  encounter  of 
savage  and  civilized  wit  i'ollowed. 

For  ordinary  business  each  fort  had  its  trading- 
room  or  store  Mherc  goods  were  kept  and  dis[)en^^ed. 
Usually  but  few  Indians  w^ere  admitted  witliin  the 
walls  of  the  fort  at  a  time.  The  factory  gates  were 
always  to  bo  kept  shut,  and  it  was  the  business  of  one 


FORTS  AND  FOIIT  LIFE. 


t  'i 


person  to  scriitiiiizo  every  one  who  entered  or  wciit 
out,  as  well  as  to  guard  ai^ainst  surjjriso  or  illieit 
tralHe.  When  duties  were  not  ])ressin^,  holidays  were 
iVrfjuent.  Besides  Sundays,  Wednesdays  and  Satur- 
days were  sometimes  set  apart  as  (hiys  oi'  leisure,  hut 
this  was  not  often  the  case.  Sunday  was  connnonly 
respected  at  all  the  I'oits,  no  work  hut  that  of  neces- 
sity heing  done  on  that  day.  lielijjfious  services  were 
held  at  the  chief  stations,  the  (Jhurch  of  En:Lfland 
ritual  predominating;  or  if  (\tHiolios  were  ]iresent,  as 
there  were  many  among  the  Fi-ench  Canadians,  their 
faith  was  respected;  and  if  a  priest  was  present,  mass 
would  be  celebrated.  It  was  customary  among  th.' 
western  forts  to  give  as  a  ludf-holiday  Saturday  after- 
noons, when  shooting  and  games  were  indulged  in. 

In  camp,fort,or  rendezvous, story-telling  was  greatly 
in  vogue.  Sailors  never  yet  spun  such  yarns.  ICvery- 
tliing  tended  to  ])romote  these  wonderful  revelations. 
The  long  intervals  which  elapsed  between  meetings, 
the  dangers  by  which  they  were  surrourded,  and 
which  they  were  contii  aally  escaping,  the  impossi- 
bility of  practically  testing  the  veracity  of  the  na. 
rator,  the  craving  of  the  company  for  accounts  of  the 
marvellous,  all  stimulated  to  exaggeration;  and  by  a 
natural  reliex  law  nothing  so  stimulated  the  trapper 
to  reckless  deeds  as  his  recital  of  real  or  imaginary 
exploits,  and  the  accompanying  eulogy  of  his  com- 
panions. For  praise  or  fame  the  trapper  would  dare 
anything. 

In  his  graphic  pictures  of  border  life  and  adven- 
ture, Irving  seems  to  accept  the  wildest  freaks  of  fancy 
and  to  retail  them  as  sober  reality.  And  not  only 
this,  but  their  unwritten  tales  he  garnishes  to  the  lull 
power  of  his  imagination.  In  his  hands  their  soa]) 
and  water  become  brilliant  bubbles,  which  the  authors 
themselves  would  scarcely  recognize  as  their  own. 
Many  of  the  stories  told  in  Astoria  and  Bonneville. f 
Adventures  I  have  seen  in  narrations  printed  before 
Irving's  works  were  written.     Often  the  same  exciting 


AMUSEMKNTS. 


407 


soa]) 

ithors 

own. 


tiilo  is  rLlate'd  ns  ()rl;L;iiial,  witli  liinistlf  as  tlio  lici'o,  l)y 
two  or  llirci'  (liirui'eiit  persons  at  as  many  «lincrunt 
times.     This  was  a  common  trieiv  of  the  day. 

One  would  lelate  of  liimself  a  daiinL*'  adventure, 
V\  iiieli  two  listeners  j^oin<^  each  liis  way  would  make 
his  own  at  the  next  camj)-tire.  And  thus  a  small 
.stock  was  made  to  accom})lish  j^rand  results. 

A  standard  tale  is  that  of  a  lone  hunter  who,  re- 
turninL;-  with  his  jj^ame,  is  chased  hy  three  mounted 
l>ursuers.  lla[)idly  they  j,^ain  on  him,  althoui'h  ho 
casts  aside  every  burden  but  his  weapons.  Escajjc  i.s 
impossible.  ]  )es[)<.'ratiou  seizes  him.  Finally  draw- 
iuLi'  from  his  belt  a  lonyf  <j:litterin<;  knife,  he  plun<_jes  it 
int  >  his  horse's  neck.  The  noble  steed  drops  dead, 
whde  the  hunter,  making  a  breastwork  of  the  carcass, 
droi)s  with  his  rifle  one  of  his  pursuers,  and  with  his 
j)istol  another.  The  third  takes  warning  and  vanishes. 
Catchiii'jf  the  two  riderless  horses  and  securing  them, 
the  triumithant  hunter  reaches  camp  in  safety  with 
his  tro})hies.  Amusements  were  not  frequent;  and  yet 
it  would  be  extremely  difficult  to  deprive  a  French- 
man or  an  Englishman  of  them  wholly.  There  were 
state  and  church  days  to  be  kept,  besides  incidental 
])eriods  of  merrymaking,  such  as  marriage  in  high 
life,  a  distinguished  arrival  or  departure,  and  the  like. 
Stranije  to  sa\'  feastinLj  where  there  w^as  often  little 
to  eat,  and  dancmg  where  there  were  no  ladies,  were 
the  cJiief  pastimes.  The  most  substantial  joy  obtain- 
able was  a  night  of  drunkenness,  so  deep  as  to  leave 
next  day  the  nerves  shaking  and  the  head  throbbing 
by  way  of  rememl)ranco.  All  this  was  ex[)ected 
on  Christmas  and  New  Year.  Then  the  best  was 
broiiii'Iit  out,  aiul  eaten  and  drank,  and  dancinyj  was 
kept  u\)  by  the  men  until  a  late  hour.  On  every 
important  occasion,  such  as  the  arrival  or  departure 
of  a  governor,  or  an  expedition,  or  even  for  lesser 
causes,  a  feast  was  expected. 

Tnteicourse  between  master  and  servant,  or  officer 
and  subordinate,  was  characterized  by  the  strictest 

Hist.  N.  W.  Coast,  Vol.  I.    "~ 


32 


496 


FORTS  AND  FORT  LIFE. 


f()rmality  and  often  sternness.  Partners  soraotinios 
struck  a  clerk,  but  not  <jften;  occasionally  a  clcik 
would  chastise  a  boatman;  a  partner  or  projjrictor 
mit(ht  beat  a  common  servant  to  his  heart's  content 
without  thereby  demeaning  himself  in  the  eyes  of  liis 
associates.  Like  the  English  or  Scotch  laborer,  the 
C^anadiau  habitant  must  always  remain  an  inferior. 
Fort  rule  was  despotic.  Every  man  there  was  cither 
master  or  servant  absolute.  Something  below  a  clerk, 
but  yet  not  wholly  servant,  was  called,  if  he  found 
favor,  a  'decent  young  man.*  A  J)oarr/eois  was  some- 
times postmaster  and  sometimes  of  lesser  conse(|i  lence.  '^ 


"■'^ly  authorities  for  this  chapter,  in  r/Ulition  to  those  already  cited, 
an^:  /hhW  llnihoiC^  Daij,  8,  25,  3!),  43,  47,  .")3,  .■>«,  G(»-8,  l»3--_'()2;  Uwfrc- 
rille'.*  lliiifnoiiH  litvj,  0,  Oil,  81-4,  203;  Martin's  IIuiIkdii'.i  JS'I'I,  oI-.'};  J/i'f- 
b iizif's  Vol/.,  XXV.  cxxi. ;  llmmf''s  Joiirne;/,  cliap.  x. ;  I/oo/irr'n  'J'nsl:;,  272, 
3iH»-7;  Wilbn'  Xar.,  iv.  333;  Sil/iinnii'a  Journal,  April  l.s.'M;  drmihoii's 
Or.  nnil  ('nl.,  100-2,  411-13;  A  Fein  Words  on  (h<'  Hiul^nii'it  Hfnf  ('omjuiiii/, 
20;  r/ctor's  Himr  of  the  We^t,  2,V8;  lliiiea'  Lij\;  lSi)-!»0,  ti.VMJ;  trriif'i'i 
Atfori'i,  "ill-I4,  and  JJoniieriUe's  A'/r.,  84-G;  Ahli(itt\t  Kit  Carfoii,  1>S,  40; 
7',„c».-v;nr.<  A'rrr.,  71-0,  112;  Parhr's  Tour,  79-80,  187;  l''irf.;,i<iir.f  Old 
Ji'iyiiiir,  .f),  note,  i21-2,  303-10,  SZW);  Cox's  Adr.,  ii.  5."),  271-Sl;  Carn'r'a 
Trufr/s,  112;  Min,i,e's  Brit.  Vol.,  110,  124,  1 84-5,  2ll7-3(K) ;  lidlUv.liri's  llnd- 
sou's  Jlai/,  240,  201,  280;  JJiillcr'a  Wild  Xorlh  Lmid,  01,  KM,  lOiJ.  I0!»,  2i>t;, 
2S2,  3.'il  ;  British  North  Amerkii,  240,  2.")(>-7;  Iliws'  Ex.  Or.,  cliap>i.  vii.  xx.; 
Piiiiii's  Or.,  chaps,  vii.  xv.;  Francherr's  Xnr.,  320-.");  Kiiiij'<ti>ii's  Simir  S/iocs, 
77,  22.");  Jfoirfz/i's  Canada  on  the  Parijir,  8;  Jhnirnvcn's  (Irctf  /'iridc,  2.">; 
iSlnijisoii's  Lij'f,  ii'J;  Dodijp'sPlainsoJ'theilrrat  Wet;  l'<irr.t'  Kit  ('(irsfiii.  70; 
Jlohli.-i'  Wild  Life;  J/di/den'a  Fur  Brwimj  Animals;  IFnids'  Ex.,  ii.  80;  L(wi.i 
and  Clarke's  Travels,  'l88;  Maefu's  Brit.  Col.,  40;  Mae  Donald's  Brit.  Col., 
chap,  vii;  Kane's  Wanderini/s,  "J^;  Milton  and  Chi'wlli's  North  Wmf.  Pa.<sai,ie, 
.')4-.");  linla'json's  Vaneouver  Island  and  North  West  Cou.if,  MS.,  03-4,  OS; 
Tiirhe's  Skitrhes,  143;  Swan's  Cot.  Scraps,  235;  Oraii's  Or.,  chap.  xv. ;  Itobin' 
son'a  (J real  Fur  Land,  88-105. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

THE    UNITED    STATES    FUR-TRADE. 
1605-18JJ 


Shore  of  New  Ej  ^land— Hollanders  on  .he  nrnsoN— The  New  Nkth- 

EKLVNRS  CoMrANY — TllE  SWEDISH  WeST  InDIA  CoMPANV  ON  Tin:  1>KI.- 

aware — Hexuy  Fleet  on  the  Pot  »mac— Comparisons  between  thk 
FVr  BrsiNEss  OF  Canada  and  '  hi;  Umtkd  States — Peucolatimnh 
through  the  Alle(;hanies — Tin  Fir-tuahe  of  Natchez— The  Oitit 
Company — I^vclede,  Maxan.  ..  .d  Company — AuursTE  and  I'lKKUii 
Chocteac  —  Inroads  kuom  .In  iiilimackinac — St  Loiis  in  1.S().'{  — 
Trappers  on  the  Missoru!— The  Missucui  FrR  Company— Astuu's 
Projects— The  AvERic'AN  FcR  Company— Th.j  rAciFic  Frit  CoMPAN  V— 
The  Soctiiwest  Company— The  Coi.rMiuA  Fni (Company — The  Nukth 
Ameuh'an  Fi:r  Company— The  ItocKY  Mucntain  Fpr  Compan\  — 

ScLLETTE,  BuiDliER,  FlTZPATIiU'K,  AND  PlERRE  (.'lIorTEAIT  THE  VoINi;- 

FU— James  Pprsley  and  the  Dpenixo  of  the  Santa  Fe  Tkaih  — 
B.  PRATTE  and  Company — Hunt  and  St  Vrain  —  (jaint,  ])uipp-<, 
Blackwell,  ani>  I'liNTENELLE- Kit  Carson,  Pilchkr,  BoNNEVii.i.r, 
AValker,  and  Wyeth— The  Kendezvois — 'I'he  Colorado  Basin  an:> 
California— The  China  Tr.u»e— The  Californh.  Fuu-Tu.utE— Jkdl- 
uiAU  Smith— Paitie. 

To  !Maino  and  up  the  Konncbor,  whore  in  inOf) 
(jroorsfo  Wovnioutli  was  (h'ivinu:  fine  barijains,  and 
whero  John  Smith  durinj^  thre*)  months  of  the  yen* 
KIl-lMnado  fit'teon  liun(h'od  pounds  profit,  \vc  must 
look  for  tho  lii'ufinninLC  of  the  fur-trado  in  what  is  now 
callud  tho  United  States.  Vov  the  next  humhvtl 
years  tho  history  of  tlie  fur-trade  is  the  liistory  of  (Us- 
eovery  witliin  tliis  territor}'.  While  there  were  here 
no  all-al)soil)ing  and  permaiu'ut  com[)anies  such  as 
were  found  in  the  north,  there  were  n<»t  laekinj^-  the 
usual  early  monopolies.     For  a  long  time  therealter 

(*90J 


n 


000 


THE  U^^TED  STATES  FUR-TR.\DE. 


every  one  dabbled  in  furs,  and  by  lG"2n  from  the  shores 
of  New  England  to  the  metropolis  of  old  England  fifty 
ships  a  year  carried  timber,  fish,  and  furs. 

5lean while  i\\Q  Half  Moon  in  IGOO  had  not  Ixcn 
many  days  at  Amsterdam,  returned  fi-om  her  strange 
stumbling  into  the  Hudson,  Ijefore  certain  sliruwd 
old  Hollailders  prevailed  upon  a  portion  of  the  crow 
to  conduct  another  vessel  to  this  beautiful  River  of 
the  Mountains,  where  furs  so  costly  might  be  hn;l 
for  trinkets  so  triflin*;.  The  venture  was  eminent! v 
successful.  Other  etiually  wise  and  good  Amsterdam 
Dutcl  men  sent  vessels  thither,  so  that  in  1(>14  the 
placid  water  svas  well  sprinkled  with  litth;  high-pooped 
round-[)rov,'ed  vessels,  surrounded  by  canoes  llllefl  witli 
ongt^r  far-sellers.  From  this  time  ^tanhattan  Island 
became  the  chief  de[)6t  on  the  Atlantic  where  fur>; 
"Were  collected  for  shipment  to  Europe.  AltlK)Ug]i 
adventure  was  slower  in  ascending  the  streams  of  Xcw 
England  for  })eltries  than  in  accepting  the  broader 
and  more  fascinating  invitation  of  the  St  Jjawrerico, 
yet  following  attempted  colonization  at  Newfound- 
land, wliich  turned  upon  its  cod-hshcry,  competition 
finally  drove  traffic  farther  and  f:irther  into  the  in- 
terior. 

The  Dutch  embraced  within  the  limits  of  their  fur- 
trading  territory  not  only  the  Hudson  River  region, 
but  the  coast  of  New  Jersey  and  southward  to  J)i'l;i- 
ware  Bay.  Adriaeu  Block,  Hendrick  Christaenseii, 
and  Cornelis  Jacobsen  May  were  the  great  ca[)taiiis 
of  that  traffic.  Block,  having  in  1(U:]-14  lost  l)y  lire 
his  shin  Tt'i/rr,  built  on  Manhattan  Island  the  yaclit 
Oiirust,  and  sailing  eastward  througli  Long  Island 
Sound,  discovered  the  Connecticut  Biver,  and  tliencc 
proceeded  to  Capi;  Cod.  Christaensen  built  a  fort 
near  Albany,  ^fay  gave  his  name  to  a  cape  in 
southern  New  Jersey.  Finally,  for  three  years  iVoni 
the  Ist  of  January  1(515,  a  monopoly  of  trade  was 
given  to  the  New  Netheilands  Comjiany. 

i-*robably  more  than  at  any  t)thei-  time  or  place 


DUTCH  COMPANIES. 


501 


Ir   was 


pluco 


within  the  territory  of  the  United  States,  trade,  under 
tlie  mcMiopoly  of  tlie  New  Netherlands  Company, 
whose  scouts  penetrated  far  to  the  westward  of  Al- 
l)any,  assumed  the  charar  «  "  of  commercial  occupation 
rather  than  colonization.  The  Holland  Company  no 
more  coveted  settlement  than  the  Hudson's  Bay  or 
the  Northwest  Com))any.  Their  object  was  to  obtain 
as  many  furs  within  the  allotted  three  years  as  )»os- 
sible.  Christaensen,  one  of  the  monopolists,  was  killed, 
but  not  until  after  he  had  found  the  Delaware  Hivor, 
which  offered  the  most  flattering  prosjiects  for  traffic 
in  seal-skins,  and  secured  the  success  <jf  the  company. 

At  the  expiration  of  the  term,  the  New  Nether- 
lands Com])an3'  begged  in  vain  for  a  renewal  of  its 
charter.  Althoutjh  not  above  connnercial  colonization, 
Holland  had  greater  ideas  respecting  her  ricli  new 
dt)main.  Connnerce  must  assume  state  robes  and 
take  on  nationality.  For  a  few  years  trade  in  Nt'W 
Netherlands  was  free  to  all.  Then  in  1()2 1  canio 
the  West  India  Company  with  a  patent  for  exclusive 
trade  for  twentv-two  years,  durin<jf  which  tin»e  its 
power  was  as  absolute  throughout  all  Dutch  vVmerici 
as  ever  was  that  of  the  Hundred  Associates  in  New 
France.  It  could  garrison  forts,  make  treaties,  ap- 
point governors,  and  dispense  justice.  Fifty  armed 
vessels  awaited  its  re(|uirements.  Five  clianil)ers  of 
directors  sent  nineteen  delegates  to  a  central  boai'tl 
wliicli  i-egulated  allaiis.  Unfortunately  for  permanejit 
trathc,  it  had  been  stipulated  tliat  this  [jowerful  coi-po- 
rution  shoulti  ('tlonj/e  as  well  as  trade,  so  that  game 
and  Indians  graihudly  disappeai'ed.' 

The  I^uritans  at  PIvmoutli  were  too  busily  enga<_jed 
m  other  nuitters  to  j>ive  much  attention  to  I'nr-tradihg. 
They  had  souls  to  saw  stomachs  to  till,  and  a  nation 
to  make;  neveitlu-less  they  did  not  altogether  disdain 
the  comfortable  covering  of  beasts.  In  the  Boston 
state-house  the  vod  has  Ix'en  elevated  as  a  symbol  of 

'  I'Voin  4(>,000  guililcia  in  Kiil}  tlio  tratlif  of  tlie  Putcli  West  InJitt  Com- 
pany iuci'cuavi.l  iu  u  iuN\  yuuin  tu  thruu  or  tuur  tiiiivtt  thut  sum. 


THE  UNITED  STATES  FUR-TRADE. 


'i 


^Massachusetts'  prosperity.  Yet  the  beaver  in  truth 
tlitl  for  the  early  settlers  better  service,  though  little 
honor  has  been  officially  done  this  industrious  animal. 
After  no  small  display"  of  ill-tempered  i)iety  the  Puri- 
tans fjave  some  attention  to  fishinj;  and  fur-huutin;--. 

And  now  with  his  Swedish  West  India  Company 
comes  Gustavus  Adoljihus,  having  cast  a  covetous 
eve  on  the  American  traffic  of  his  Holland  nei^li- 
bors,  and  sends  to  the  Delaware  under  the  guidance 
«f  Minuit,  a  renegade  director  of  the  New  Amstei- 
<laiu  Company,  his  fur- gatherers,  who  in  1G38  built 
Fort  Christina  near  the  present  site  of  Wilmington. 
Though  warned  in  loud  terms  against  intrusion,  the 
Swedes,  after  strongly  fortifying  themselves,  load  shifts 
with  furs  and  send  them  home.  So  New  Sweden 
jirospcrs  and  the  Dutch  fur-trade  is  gradually  less- 
en ed. 

The  Virginian  colonists  meanwhile  devoted  tliem- 
,"■  elves  chielly  to  the  cultivation  of  tobacco;  this,  and  a 
burning  desire  to  exterminate  the  natives  who  ?:i  1&2'2 
1  ad  broken  out  in  retaliating  massacres,  dissipated  all 
tlioU'jfhts  of  tradinj;  for  furs.  Likewise  Lord  Balti- 
more  and  Cecil  Calvert,  in  their  colonization  of  Mary- 
land, were  far  more  intent  on  permanent  settlement 
than  temporary  traffic.  Yet  tliroughout  all  this  re- 
gion individual  fur-traders  and  small  com[)anies  were 
abroad.  In  UJ34  Calvert  ascended  the  Potomac  anil 
found  there  Henry  Fleet,  who  had  for  some  time  [last 
Iteen  engagetl  in  profitable  peltry-trading,  and  who 
dealt  in  corn  as  well  as  in  beaver.  William  Clay- 
borne  built  a  trading-post  on  Kent  Island,  and  even 
."•et  up  a  claim  to  independent  proprietorshij).  liell- 
gion  and  politics  occupied  the  peo\)le  of  Massachu- 
^ietts  Bay.  Penn  played,  smoked,  and  chatted  with 
the  Indians,  buying  their  lands,  and  sometimes  trai- 
iicking  with  them;  yet  connnerce  was  not  uj)permost 
in  bis  mind.  Only  in  New  Netherlands  was  the  spirit 
<  f  colonization  subordinated  to  that  of  traffic  with  the 
natives. 


QUICK  COLONIZATION. 


603 


Between  the  coast  settlers  and  the  ncijjliborinjj 
Indians  inland  arose  a  series  of  wars  known  as  the 
Pequot,  King  Philip's,  the  French  and  Indian  war,  and 
others,  which  kept  the  country  in  a  ferment  unfavor- 
able to  traffic;  and  as  emigration  pushed  westward, 
European  and  Indian  intercourse  was  but  a  repetition 
of  outrages  and  retaliations.  Interwoven  in  the  liis- 
tory  of  all  the  middle  and  so-called  western  states  of 
the  Union,  their  sulyugation  and  settlement,  is  more 
or  less  traffic  with  the  natives  for  furs;  but  nowhere 
did  this  trade  assume  proportions  which  render  its 
special  narration  liere  a  matter  of  interest  or  profit. 

Left  to  the  savages  for  some  twenty  years  lunger 
by  the  assassination  of  La  Salle  in  1687,  the  Mis- 
sissippi Valley  was  finally  placed  in  connnunication 
with  New  France,  and  a  considerable  peltry-trade 
i'ollowed.  With  the  rise  of  George  Law,  the  advent 
of  the  Western  Company,  the  })ouring-in  of  popula- 
tion, white  and  black,  numbering  several  thousands, 
and  tlie  expenditure  in  three  years  by  the  India  Com- 
pany in  Louisiana  of  twenty-five  millions  of  francs, 
only  tended  to  hasten  the  removal  of  the  fur-hunting 
frontier  westward,  so  that  in  1719  wo  find  fur-hunting 
establishments  opening  trade  on  the  lied,  Arkansas, 
Platte,  and  Missouri  rivers. 

Unlike  hyperborean  North  America,  no  King 
Charles  ever  sold  the  United  States  to  a  commercial 
coni[)any.  From  the  first  this  territory  was  conse- 
crated to  a  liigiier  destiny  than  the  breeding  of  wild 
beasts  for  their  skins.  The  land  was  for  quick  col- 
onization; animals,  aborigines,  forests,  everything 
})rinK'val,  must  stand  asitle  for  that  artful  beldame 
civilization.  Hence  it  was  that  the  fur-trade  never 
maile  so  nuich  of  a  showing  south  as  north  of  the 
forty-ninth  parallel.' 

-In  1S.3.'»,  wliilo  nritiali  America  sent  4829  bear-skins  to  England,  tl.e 
TnittMl  Stnti'H  sent  10,184.  IJu,  j  '2."ll(j  beaver  sent  by  the  latter,  tlie  former 
HliilijK'd  S."i,y;i;{.  I'olonistM  were  obliged  to  kill  liears  out  of  self-protection; 
ua  u  cummer<.'iul  .siK'<.'ulutiou  trajj^iug  beavci'  waa  mdvr  uud  uiuru  prutitublo 


504 


THE  UNITED  STATES  FUR-TRADE. 


Dating  from  the  bcf^iiininj^,  whetlior  wo  consider 
the  colonists  of  Vii-<jinia  and  New  Eni^land  oi-  the 
adventurers  to  Hudson  Bay,  wc  are  forced  to  acknowl- 
edge that  the  earlier  efforts  of  tlie  English  and 
Scotch  fur-hunters  in  America  compare  unfavoruhly 
with  those  of  their  French  rivals.  A  century  or  so 
nuist  elapse  before  the  slow  and  calculating  Anglo- 
Saxon  could  securely  clutch  so  large  a  i)ortion  of  the 
planet  or  achieve  what  the  more  mercurial  (Jaul  by 
iiis  siKtvifcr  in  modo  might  accomplish  in  a  few  years. 

Though  the  powerful  Iroquois  regarded  tlie  English 
with  favor,  and  introduced  them  io  the  trafHc  of  the 
Algonquin  tribes  inhabiting  the  shores  of  the  great 
lakes,  yet  when  McGregory  in  1(587  a}>peared  on 
Lake  Huron  with  a  cargo  of  articles  for  trailic,  his 
goods  were  seized  and  he  was  imprisoned;  and  few 
cared  to  venture  a  like  experiment.  Not  until  a  f  )rt 
on  Lake  Ontario  was  built  by  order  of  the  Xcw 
York  governor,  Burnet,  in  1725,  and  the  IVnnsyl- 
vanians  crossed  the  Alleghanies  and  o])cucd  trade 
with  the  natives  of  Ohio,  and  others  found  their  way 
to  the  wigwams  of  the  Cherokees,  did  the  iur-tra(Hc 
of  the  English  colonists  assume  nuich  importance; 
and  even  then  their  results  were  small  as  coinjvued 
with  those  of  the  great  Scotch  and  English  combina- 
tions. Nevertheless  there  was  some  fur-traffic  within 
the  borders  of  United  States  territory  during  the 
eighteenth  and  nineteenth  centuries. 

The  most  flourishiuGf  tradini;  establishment  on  the 
Mississippi  Bivcr  in  1721  was  that  of  Natchez.  The 
fur-trade  was  then  the  most  important  business  enter- 
]»rise  in  that  region,  but  as  elsewhere  Indian  troubles 
and  ra})id  settlenient  soon  ruined  it,  or  rather  drove 
it  westward.     Following  the  revolt  of  the  Natchez  in 

than  fightinjj  hears;  licnco  the  ilifference.  This  Mime  year  IJritish  Amcrioa 
Bent  Knghinit  7I,(K»8  marten, 'J.j.'JlC  niiiik,  1,147,7-5  niU8(|iiash,  I7,!IS!I  "Uei-, 
an<l  :{•_'•_',  18(i  seal,  while  tiie  United  States  sent  47,'2.">:{,  SJ,!t.-.0,  •.';(, •J.}.',  I4;{, 
ami  -081  resiieetively.  At  this  time,  however,  the  Uniteil  States  (Maisiiiiied 
www  furs  and  seat  more  to  C'hiim  than  Uritish  America  used  or  sent  directly 
tu  Asiu. 


BFA'OXD  THE  MISSISSIPPI. 


C03 


1729,  in  which  two  hundred  Fronchnion  were  killed, 
the  Western  or  India  Company  surrendort'd  its  jtrivi- 
leufcs  and  hecanic  extinct.  Bienville's  two  iuilui'es  in 
17;]()  and  1740  to  punish  the  Xatchez,  and  the  French 
and  Choctaw  victories  over  the  Englijsh  in  17jO, 
tended  in  no  wise  to  mend  matters. 

Then  at  the  same  time,  that  is  in  1740,  came  the 
conflict  between  French  and  Enijlish  I'rontiersmen  in 
the  ( Jhio  A^allev,  where  the  Virginians  appeared  under 
the  name  of  the  Ohio  Company  and  disputed  lii(>  v\i- 
croachments  of  the  French  fiir-gathei-ers.  Cliristo|>her 
Gist,  sent  from  Virginia  on  an  ex[)loring  tour  down 
the  Ohio  by  the  Ohio  Company,  returned  through 
Kentucky  in  1751.  The  campaigns  of  Wasliiiigton 
and  Bra<ldock  followed,  all  which  tended  to  blot  out 
the  possibility  of  a  systematic  or  peru'anent  fur-trado 
before  its  beginning. 

Laclede,  ^laxan,  and  Company  were  among  the 
first  at  New  Oi'leans  to  associate  for  the  prosecution 
of  a  purely  fur-hunting  business.  Their  counnission, 
issuing  from  the  director-Ljeneral  of  Louisiana,  was 
dated  17(12. 

The  names  of  Auguste  and  Pierre  Chouteau  will 
evei"  stand  conspicuous  in  the  history  of  this  ejxx-li. 
In  a  tour  of  the  Mississi[)pi,  made;  during  the  winter 
of  17f):)-4,  with  a  considerable  party  they  established 
a  trading-post  upon  the  spot  where  now  stands  the 
city  <»f  St  Louis.  The  fur  Inisiness  at  this  point  duiiiig 
the  foUowiu''-  half-centurv  averuufed  about  three  huu- 
dred  thousand  dollars  per  annum. 

It  was  not  until  several  vears  after  the  English  liad 
obtained  possession  of  C\inada  that  the  ^lontreal  fui- 
trade  found  regular  channels.  But  about  1707  indi- 
vidual merchants  and  small  companies  were  again  in 
the  field,  with  ]Miehilimackinac  as  their  western  len- 
dezvous.  Of  late,  under  the  French  monopoly  and 
license  systems,  the  sale  of  intoxicating  li(piors  had 
been  discontinued;  but  now,  under  new  and  yet  more 


C06 


THE  UNITED  STATES  FUR-TRADE. 


jealous  rivalry,  this  baneful  practice  was  revived,  and 
tirunkenness  and  debauchery  grew  rank  in  native 
villages,  while  bloody  encounters  in  distant  depths 
of  silent  wilderness  too  often  stained  the  commerce  of 
rival  traders. 

The  great  interior  mart  of  the  Northwest  Com- 
pany was  Fort  William,  as  before  their  day  Micliili- 
mackinac  had  been  that  of  the  merchants,  who  there 
met  the  wood-rangers  with  their  cargoes  from  the 
westward.  Later  the  Mackinaw  Company  established 
themselves  at  the  old  emporium  of  Michilimackinac, 
and  there  held  lordly  rule,  the  country  to  the  soutli 
and  west  claiming  their  special  attention,  while  the 
Ni^rthwest  Company,  with  still  more  sovereign  sway, 
from  Fort  William  pushed  enterprise  to  the  remotest 
regions  north  and  west. 

The  young  republic  of  the  United  States,  in  the 
Hush  of  her  late  achievement,  did  not  look  with  favor 
on  an  association  of  British,  such  as  the  Mackinaw 
Company,  tampering  with  her  savages  and  trading 
within  her  borders.  In  1795,  by  treaty  with  Great 
Britain,  colonial  restrictions  were  removed,  and  direct 
trade  opened  between  the  United  States  and  Canada, 
but  in  179G  the  government  established  posts  along 
the  frontier  for  the  protection  of  her  fur-hunters. 

There  were  yet  others  of  race  kindred  to  those  who 
managed  the  great  fur  associations  of  the  north  ready 
to  stake  capital,  energy,  and  life  on  flattering  venture. 
U}>  to  tb's  time,  if  we  except  the  early  efforts  on  the 
Atlantic  seaboard,  there  had  been  no  regularly  organ- 
ized fur-trade  in  the  United  States,  like  that  in  CanadiU 
Beyond  the  frontier  were  scattered  white  trappers, 
who  with  the  natives  sold  such  furs  as  thej'^  could 
gather  to  the  nearest  country  store-keeper;  but  the; 
genius  of  Yankee  enterprise  had  not  yet  penetrated 
the  forest.  There  had  been  much  to  do  at  home  since 
the  London  and  Plymouth  colonists  had  assumed 
nationality — fighting,  and  after  that  praying,  constitu- 
tion-making, and  farming.    It  was  permanent  settle- 


EARLY  ST  LOUIS. 


m 


mcnt  and  progress  the  new  confederation  wanted 
instead  of  sudden  wealth;  lience  they  remained  at 
home,  wlicrc  kind  was  yet  plentiful  and  cheap,  built 
school-houses  and  meeting-houses,  and  worked  eaily 
and  late.  Further  than  tliis,  they  had  been  j)oor,  and 
unable  to  embark  in  speculative  enterprise  requiiing 
great  capital;  and  their  credit  was  none  of  the  best 
abroad.  But  with  a  portion  of  his  earnings  tlio 
coming  American  appeared,  ready  to  gamble  a  little 

Ui)on  the  acquisition  of  Louisiana  in  1803  St 
Tjouis  became  to  the  fur-trade  of  tlie  United  States 
what  Michilimackinac,  the  Grand  Portage,  and  Fort 
William  during  their  several  respective  epochs  were 
to  that  of  Canada,  the  frontier  emporium,  entrepot, 
or  post  of  supply,  whither  goods  were  shipped  from 
seaports,  and  whence  expeditions  were  fitted  for  the 
interior.^ 

Like  any  gold  or  fur  hunting  metropolis,  St  Louis 
at  this  time  was  the  centre  of  rude  bustle  and  busi- 
ness activity.  With  the  original  Creole  population, 
the  descendants  of  the  French  colonists,  and  stray  iv- 
minders  of  Spanish  domination,  were  mixed  keen, 
trafficking  New  Englanders;  brawny  backwoodsnieu 
of  the  western  frontier;  tall,  big-boned  specimens  of 
the  unwashed  and  untau«]fht  corn-bread-and-bacon-fed 
of  Tennessee,  Kentucky,  Illinois,  and  Missouri;  witli 
voyageurs  from  Canada;  half-breeds  from  the  prairies; 
following  their  several  bents,  trading,  gambling,  fight- 
iiiuf,  loafinix,  struttinii",  swai^^jjcerini',  drinking;,  sweari.nj-, 
working  and  playing,  laughing  and  sighing,  like  otl  ir 
iilthy,  foul-moutlied,  ignorant,  and  blasphemous  assem- 
blages of  God's  motley  mortals. 

'i'hese  men  difiered  from  those  of  the  fur-hunting 
ceuires  where  the  French  and  Scotch  element  i)re- 
^■ailed,  though  like  them  they  possessed  a  pojjulation 
with  habits,  dress,  and  jargon  peculiarly  its  own.    The 


'  During  the  last  decade  of  the  eighteenth  century  the  annual  fur  rrccipts 
at  St  Louis  exceeded  §JOO,000  in  value,  and  consisted  of  about  40,000  ixminU 
of  beaver,  8000  otter,  5000  bear,  loO,ODUdvvr,  and  u  few  hundred  builklo-rubuii. 


608 


THE  UNITED  STATES  FUR-TRADE. 


I 


fiir-tradc  hero  he'nj;  less  lucrative  .ind  more  divided 
tliaii  ill  Canada  after  the  Montreal  amaljjfah'ation, 
tliere  was  little  of  that  audacious  dash  about  it  found 
at  the  nortli.  It  was  not  only  motley  but  mongrel  in 
its  character,  lacking  almost  entirely  those  feudal  ele- 
ments which,  however  ojiposed  to  settlement,  gave  to 
fui-liunting  fraternities  at  once  better  servants  and 
better  masters. 

Tlie  fact  is,  fur-trading  was  not  long  the  chief  occu- 


Eation  in  St  Louis,  and  since  1820  it  was  every  year 
ecoming  less  nr<  niinent.  The  Mississippi  boatmen, 
those  lavish,  loud-joking,  royal  American  i)edleis, 
were  then  beginning  to  practise  their  pistolings,  knile 
exercises,  and  card -waxing  for  the  forty  years  of 
commercial  throat-cutting,  highway  blackguardism, 
and  uni(jue  boat-racing  and  boiler-bursting  which 
Mere  to  follow,  and  were  fast  throwing  into  shade 
the  soiled  finery  of  the  still  gay  and  happy  voyageur. 
Ijustling  shopkeepers,  speculators,  and  sol)er  mechan- 
ics so  jostled  the  awkward  blanketed  native  and  the 
leathern-frocked  frontiersman  that  they  longed  for  air 
an<l  elbow-room,  and  hastened  back  to  their  Ibrests  and 
]>rairies,  making  visits  less  frequent,  until  they  ceased 
altogether.  Even  the  architecture  of  the  place  showed 
tlie  transition  it  was  undergoing,  the  open  shops  and 
pretentious  buildings  of  ])rick  and  stone  overshadow- 
ing the  low  dingy  dwellings  of  the  Latin  race. 

After  St  Louis,  tlie  chief  point  of  departure  for 
fur-hunting  expeditions  was  Independence,  Missouri, 
whil(>  St  Joseph  became  yet  more  famous  in  the  over- 
land emigration  days  of  Oregon  occupation  and  Cali- 
fornia gold. 

In  fur-trading  times,  say  1  S.'ii,  Independence  con- 
sisted of  about  tifty  low-roofed  log  and  adobe  houses 
thrown  up  helter-skelter  without  much  regard  to 
streets.  The  town  stood  on  a  height,  in  a  rocky,  well 
timl)ered  country,  and  about  three  miles  from  the 
landiiiij:.  Dotting  the  river  bank,  or  scattered  over 
the  plain  beyond  where  emigrant  trains  often  made 


IXDEPEXDEXCE  IX  1834. 


009 


their  rendezvous,  were  tlie  j^mmped  tents  of  those 
ahoiit  to  take  the  western  phuij^e.  Thouj^Ii  sonn^what 
sombre  by  day,  the  scene  was  <»ay  enough  ut  ni^lit, 
when  the  canvas  ylowlnt;  from  the  \\'j-\\t  withhi  ilhi- 
minated  the  l)laelv  air  hki'  the  I'adiance  of  hojK;  behind 
l)ronzed  and  eajeworn  featuivs,  makin'''  brilliant  t!ie 
foreshadowing^  of  luckless  adventure;  or  if  luoonliL'ht, 
then  it  was  the  silvered  hope  of  inexperience.  If  \\\: 
now  approach  the  place,  we  shall  li'  I  that  what  when 
softened  by  distance  was  but  a  buzziui;  strain  mnv 
assumes  more  distmct  parts,  with  here  a  (puet  yaju, 
and  there  a  psalm,  and  yonder  bacchanalian  notes 
interlarded  with  coarse  jests.  Look  within,  and  wo 
shall  see  stores  of  pork,  ham,  eij^gs,  corn-bread,  butter, 
tL'a,  coffee,  milk,  potatoes— soon  after  starting  to  ])e 
sup[)lanted  by  deer,  j)rairie-hens,  plover,  turktys, 
l)ulfalo,  geese,  ducks,  and  scpiirrels.  The  occui)auts 
are  busy  linishing  supper,  <n-  preparing  beds,  or  mend- 
ing, or  packing,  meainvhile  keeping  up  loud  laugliing 
conversation.  Yet  often  is  seen  here  beside  the  tra[>- 
l)er  or  ox-driver  the  scientist,  the  j)reacher,  the 
gand)ler,  at  night  sleeping  [)erliaps  under  the  same 
blanket  and  dreaming  of  the  law  of  chance.  Young 
men  and  boys  arc  plentiful  and  of  all  grades  of  iut«  lli- 
gence,  from  him  just  above  the  pig  he  feeds  on  to  lliat 
j>ale,  intellectual  3'outh  yonder,  I'resh  from  mother's 
blessing  and  sister's  embrace,  and  whose  ears  are  now 
drinking  in  swift  <lanmation  as  it  falls  in  tender  tones 
iVoni  the  smooth  hps  of  cunning  cutthroat  and  thief, 
whose  bhick  glistening  eyes  charm  him  like  those  (;f 
a  serpent.* 

All  along  the  Missouri  in  1804  Lewis  and  Clarke 
found  Frenchmen  and  S[)aniards  living  with  the 
natives,  having  in  many  respects  desceiuled  to  their 
level,  either  for  i)leasure  or  itrotit.  Thi're  were  also 
then  iu  that  vicinity  scattered  servants  of  the  Xorth- 


*SUImaH's  Jovrml,  April  1S;U;  Purluwii'x  Or.  ami  f'nl.  TmiJ,  0-11; 
ri'iindierc'H  Xur.,  'M'A;  Tinriixeii(r.-<  Xiir.,  '2'2;  AtUmlir  Moidlilij,  June  ISUT; 
Ifcittijs  A6toriu,  Vi'i;  Moiattvn  Valky  Mia.,  ii,  1  ct  ho(j[. 


510 


THE  UNITED  STATES  FURTRADE. 


I  31 


^vost  Company:  "Mv  ^IcCrackcii  was  ono,  carryinn^  tlio 
furs  of  the  Mandaiis  to  tlio  company's  factory  on  tlio 
Assiniboinc  lliver,  one  luuulrod  and  fifty  miles  distant. 
IJkuwisc  the  Hudson  J^ay  pe()i)lo  were  there,  llencu 
wc  see  bcsicjxinjjf  in  cunnin<x  concert  these  ixior  un- 
lettered  wild  men  for  the  skins  of  their  wild  beasts, 
Fenchiuon,  British,  and  Spaniards,  the  loyal  Canadian, 
and  the  independence  men  of  the  Atlantic  seaboard — 
a  noble  occupation,  truly,  for  the  professedly  wise, 
honorable,  and  hi<j^li- minded  of  a  superior  race  and 
intelligence,  S(iuabbling  for  spoils  before  these  simple- 
minded  savages,  emulous  only  in  cheating  them  of  tlicir 
\aluable  commodities  with  tinsel  trilles  and  poison<nis 
drink. 

Up  to  1814  the  British  fur-traders  of  Canada  wore 
jiermitted  by  the  United  States  to  trade  with  the 
nations  of  the  Missouri.  Particularly  the  Northwest 
Company,  who  ha<l  within  two  years  formed  an  asso- 
ciation with  the  fur-traders  of  New  York,  and  had 
opened  a  British  agency  at  that  place,  as  well  as  ono 
at  New  Orleans,  and  another  under  the  direction  of 
Jacob  !Mires  at  St  Louis,  were  rapidly  securing  the 
good- will  of  the  natives  of  the  west  to  the  disad- 
\antage  of  others." 

Among  the  earlier  individuals  and  firms  engaged  in 
the  fur-trade  at  St  Louis  were  Spaniards  and  french- 
men, each  of  whom  supported  his  retinue  of  followers 
and  assistants.  Indeed  these  were  first,  and  at  times 
alone  in  the  business,  that  is  to  say,  while  the  country 
was  under  the  doininotion  of  their  x'espcctive  govern- 
ments. But  after  our  most  worshipful  uncle  luul 
stepped  across  the  Mississippi  with  measuring  line, 
some  of  the  late  resident  subjects  of  European 
sovereigns,  charmed  alike  by  the  profits  of  their  busi- 

' '  As  the  Missouri  fonns  only  ono  of  four  large  branches  of  tho  commerce  of 
this  united,  or  as  it  is  still  called,  tho  Korthwost  Company,  they  will  liavo 
it  ill  tlieir  power,  not  only  to  break  down  all  single  adventurers  on  tlie  Mis- 
h')iui,  but  in  tho  course  of  a  few  years  to  eO'yct  the  same  thing  with  a  edUiiiaiiy 
<;f  iiu'rchants  of  the  United  States,  who  might  enter  into  a  competition  with 
tliom  in  tliis  single  branch  of  their  tmde.'  Ltirh'  Obmrvationn,  in  Lewin  and 
L'airkii's  Travels,  ii.  app.  44(3. 


THE  MISSOURI  FUR  COMPAXY. 


511 


•11- 

u^ 

ail 
ill- 


ness aii<l  tlio  new  boncficont  rulo,  roinainod  and  con- 
tinuud  their  trafHe,  souietiuios  f'orniinj^  associations 
with  su(di  Anglo-Anjoricans  as  now  came  in  lor  the 
lion's  share  of  the  trade;  for  gradually  the  moneyed 
men  of  Boston  and  New  York  began  to  turn  their 
attention  to  peltries  as  a  business,  and  drawing  I'nun 
the  northern  companies  some  of  their  exjjerienced 
servants,  had  entered  into  competition  with  the  old 
traders.  Some  fortunes  were  thus  made  which  led 
to  bolder  endeavor. 

Thus  »)riginated  the  Missouri  Fur  Company  of  St 
Louis.  jNIanuel  Lisa,a  wealthy  and  enterprising  Sjjan- 
iard,  no  less  energetic  and  bold  than  gontlemaiilv  and 
h(>n()ra})le,  experienced  in  the  trade  while  yet  the 
country  was  Spanish,  with  eleven  others,  men  of  his 
stamj),  among  whom  were  some  from  the  eastern  states 
without  experience,  and  witli  little  but  their  money 
to  recommend  them,  formed  a  copartnershi[)  under 
the  name  last  mentioned,  with  a  capital  of  forty  thou- 
sand dollars.  It  was  the  expectation  of  tlie  partners 
thus  associating  to  monopolize  the  St  Louis  fur-trade. 
Their  special  domain  was  old}'  along  the  Missouri  and 
Nebraska  to  their  several  sources,  or  any  westward 
United  States  territory  within  their  reach.  Their 
forts  were  chiefly  among  the  Sioux,  the  llicaras,  the 
^landans,  and  the  Blackfoot,  though  they  often  en- 
countered the  Shoshones  of  the  liocky  Mountains. 
They  employed  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  men,  of 
French,  English,  Spanish,  United  States,  Canadian, 
and  aboriginal  half-breeds. 

After  establishing  trading-posts  at  all  important 
points  on  the  streams  flowing  from  the  north-west- 
ward into  the  ]Miss(mri,  the  jMissouri  C<impany  pene- 
trated the  liocky  ^lountains;  and  one  of  the  partners, 
Mr  Henry,  in  1808  crossed  the  dividing  ridge  and  next 
year  built  a  fort  on  a  branch  of  the  Lewis  River. 
Owing  to  the  hostility  of  the  natives  and  the  ditli- 
culty  of  obtaining  provisions,  Mr  Henry  was  obliged 
to  abandon  this  post  in  1810.     The  Missouri  Com- 


51-2 


THK  UXITKD  STATES  FUll-TRADE. 


])an3'  was  dissolvi'd  in  ISI'2,  was  foiitlnuod  l»y  a  jvir- 
tioii  (4'  t!u'  foniuT  jKirtiuTs,  and  ivorn-auized  in  LSiil, 
ui'tci'  wliicli  it  lived  l)ut  a  (c\v  years." 

^feanwliile  John  Jacob  Astor  ot*  Xcw  York  liad 
bot-n  dcaliiij^'  in  I'uis,  and  luid  acc-uniulatcd  wliat  was 
tbcn  de'i-niud  a  little  fortune  by  buyinu;-  peltries  in 
Canada  an<l  the  I'nited  States,  and  shi|)[)in<;'  tht'ia 
to  London  and  Canton.  Feelin;^'  himself  sullieienlly 
owerl'ul,    with    the    money    and    inlluence    ho    coni- 


1  .  ^  ... 

nianded   in  N»;w'  York  and  St  J^ouis,  to  enter  the 

lield  against  the  ^Tat-kinaw  Comitany,  whieh  foraged 
witiiin  the  teri'itory  of  the  Ignited  States,  he  in  ISO'.) 
<»btaiiied  a  charter  I'rom  tlie  Xew'  York  le^-ishiLUie  I'oi- 
the  American   Fuv  Com[)any,  which  he  incor[)oratetl 


wit  11  a  caiti 


tal  of 


ill 


a  million  o 


f  doll 


us. 


I  hit  .Mr  .\stor  was  not  so  strong  as  he  lu.d  sup- 
]>o.-,e(l.  T!ie  St  liOiiis  merchants  prel'erri'd  mananiii^- 
their  ow'!i  alKairs,  wlu.'re  so  much  mort;  tlepeniled  on 
•  'Xperieiice  and  skill  than  on  theory  and  capital,  ami 
on  the  same  principle  the  Mackinaw  Company,  v  ilh 
their  posts  alri'ady  established  and  their  business 
niidei'  perfect  ct»n(rol,  found  no  dillieulty  in  defeating 
Astor's  ell'ort  at  every  turn. 

Prcgimnt  with  pnri)oses  of  wealth  and  power, 
Astoi'.s  mind  now  labored  with  a  great  conception. 
Vi'\\y  not  have  in  *I»e  United  States  a,  JIudsonV 
]»a\  (\>in|t;M!y,  a  Northwest  C«)miiany,  or  a  Mackinaw 
(^)lnl•an\■^  Why  not,  ]ia\e  the  whole  <'onibiiied,  wiili  a 
cordon  or  two,  linking  the  Atlantic  and  the  I'adlic; 
luid  whom  would  it  so  [>lea.so  to  constitute  such  a  i'<»ni- 
pany  as  Mr  Astor?  On  the  almost  uin»ccupied  western 
.slope  he  need  net.  confine  hiiiisilf  within  j)arallels  of 
latitude,  but  swell  ill  what.soever  direction  tlu'  abs'snv' 
of  ]»iessuie  permitted. 


"J//"/*,  ill  1h  n<)ir\!,„hi,i.  /,V.<.,iii..".l(;iT:  Gm  ,i/i„ir'.i(h:iiml ''iif..'2<.n  ■..'•. 

'/'((•('x'  ",-.  /^/('(v(/i',i((,  l(i;    I  |•l•illlf^  A<l'ifiil,  \'X,\  ■\  ;   I '(11/ III  !•'■•<   I, I'M   7'l'"/>l>'  >'",  '2'M. 

•  SiIiodU  Tiift,  J'ir.  J/i/H.,  4.S.">.  iilhniw  tliat.  tlii'  Aiii'   ''jau  ("iiiii|i,iiiy  was 
fniiiiiiril  ill  Isl,"),  iiitit  wliirii  I'l'rur  lie  I'allH.  |iicilialily,  f  >  i.i  llio  liot  lliiit  tli.i 
(ir:,'aiii/iitii)ii  was  iiiiurinirati'il  liy  tlic  Icgi.ilatui'i- of  \  jw  Yoi-k  tlic  juar  lnl 
liiw  ill'', 


THE  PACIFIC  FUR  COMPANY. 


513 


To  ihis  on;'j  in  IS  10  lie  instituted  the  I\ieifie  Fur 
C()ni})ai!y,  witli  its  eiuporiiun,  Astoria,  at  the  mouth 
of  tlu!  Cohunhia  River.  Witli  hheral  use  of  money, 
and  tile  assistance  of  tlie  disaffeeted  of  the  Canadian 
companies,  ^.fr  Astor  hoped  to  estahhsh  a  line  of  juists 
across  the  l{;)cky  ^[ountains,  Avithin  I'^nited  State.^ 
ti'i'iitorv,  aiKi  so  become  the  ureat  fur  nionooollst  of 
tliat  section,  and  as  great  a  man  as  any  Froblsher, 
!^[c(^il1ivray.  or  Fraser, 

This  scliemo  lie  attempted.  Xor  was  this  enouijjh. 
T^nal>le  to  drive  out  the  ^rachinaw  Company,  in  IMI  I 
he  boU'.;'ht  them  olf  and  mer^•ed  that  interest  with  his 
Am(>rican  Company  into  a  new  association,  whii-h  ho 
<r.ll('d,  in  imitation  of  tlie  Montreal  mercliants,  tlie 
Southwest  Company,  l^y  tlie  war  of  1812  l)et\veen 
(Jreat  Uritain  and  the  United  States  this  ort^anl/iatlon 
was  brolu'U  up.  After  the  war  Ih'itish  fur-traders 
were  prolii!)ited  by  contj^ress  fr<»m  carry injjf  on  their 
business  within  the  territoiy  of  tho  Uniteil  States, 
so  that  ^Ii'  Astor  found  himself  with  no  nioi-e  ad- 
vantai^es  tlian  others;  yet  he  continued  the  American 
Com[)any. 

At  last  in  1810  conjjrross  boldly  declared  that 
neither  l*ritish  traders  nor  l^ritisli  capital  would  bo 
tolerated  in  United  Stati's  territory.  To  no  Ih'itish 
subject  woi'ld  bi>  oivcu  license  to  tradi',  and  for  tho 
]iroper  cou'b.  t  of  their  subordinates  tho  American 
traders  Mould  he  held  responsible.** 

No  sooner  was  tliis  piece;  of  lej;'islative  stratei^y 
fiocompHsIied  than  Astoi',  ever  on  i\\c  alei't,  \^  ent 
inunediately  to  ^Fontreal,  and  bouL^ht  almost  at  his 
own  ]'/rice  for  liis  American  Comi)any  all  ]hltish 
]>(*sts  within  the  limits  of  the  United  States.  To 
<up|ily  the  place's  of  such  oHicers  and  ser\ants  of  tho 


]hit 


ish  I'ompanu'S  as  relused  to  enlist  un* 


l.r  1 


iim. 


lO 


L.iU 


'This  liiw  Hoi'iiR'il  til  Ix'iir  iwrtioulnrly  on  this  Ht-i-tiitii  <it'  coaiitry  soiitl-  <>( 


i|M'riiii'.  iind  is  u'l'iuT.illy  iiinl' rstiMi.l  t'>  li;ivr  lict  ii  |i;»s»<mI  i'<  ll 


iniw 


tl 


10 


(il'l  NortliwcHt  ( 'iiiii|i.iM\ , 


III 


>lut 


u  r 


Itrit 


isli  tr.'iiUr.s  tijnliiij'  on  thfir  own  ao- 


ruiiiit,  mil  c.f'  lliis  liitlirit'i  M'ly  liicnitivo  branch  uf  tiailc'  S'  h<.ivkriijVn  I' 


I  Hi 


Ujsr.  N.  W.  C0.V11T,  Vol.  I.    ii 


514 


THE  t'XTTED  STATES  FUR-TRADE. 


i  •  i  f  > 


sent  to  Vermont  and  elscwlicro  and  enjjacjod  yoiinu^ 
men,  in  wlioso  names  he  took  out  licenses  to  trade. 

By  the  union  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  and  Noil  Invest 
companies  in  1821  many  of  the  servants  of  botli  ass(»- 
ciations  were  thrown  out  of  emi)loymeiit,  some  of 
whom  directed  their  attention  toward  the  United 
States.  Of  these  was  formed  the  Columbia  Vxiv  Com- 
naiiy,  whieli  extended  its  operations  castwnrd  to  the 
jNlissouri,  Yellowstone,  and  ^Mississippi,  and  wliii-h  in 
182()  transferred  its  interests  to  the  North  Ani(ri(\'m 
Fur  Company,  a  now  organization  of  the  American 
Com|»any  made  in  1823  by  Astor  in  connection  with 
W.  n.  Ashley. 

This  same  year  of  1820  ]\Iessrs  Smith,  Jac\';:i)ii,  and 
Sublett(>  fornu-d  at  St  Louis  the  Boekv  ?.y(>uiitaiu 
Fur  Company,  having  bought  Ashley's  establi,  Jimcnts 
ttiid  interests.  They  carried  on  a  successful  tr;;do  w  ith 
the  Colnmbia  countries,  explored  the  wholi;  region 
from  St  liouis  to  Santa  Fe,  and  on  to  San  l^^ancisco, 
thence  alonu'  the  ocean  to  the  Columbia,  ami  back 
into  the  I'lackfoot  arid  Sioux  territories,  making  the 
iirst  expedition  with  wagons  to  the  Bocky  ]\lv!uutains 
in  1821).  It  was  a  grand  sweep  of  contiuiiit  that 
they  encircled,  more  than  they  could  by  any  means 
occupy. 

In  1  830  the  company  was  traiisferred  to  a  now  ])art- 
nership,  composed  of  ]Milton  Sublette,  James  Bridger, 
Fitz^inlrick,  and  (jthers,  with  whom  W.  SubL'tto  main- 
tained Inisiness  relations  and  exerted  a  certain  control. 
Jedediali  Smitli,  on  the  otlier  hand,  turned  hio  atten- 
tion to  tlie  SiUita  Fe  trade,  and  v/as  killed  mi  the 
Cimari'on  Biver  in  the  following  year.  Immediately 
alter  the  transfer  the  thin  increased  their  force  to 
nearly  four  hundi-ed  men,  with  a  view  to  carry  out 
the  vast  plans  of  tlieir  predecessors,  and  in  this  they 
iij>pear  to  have  I'aiily  succeeded.  In  order  to  avoid 
injuiious  rivalry  with  the  North  American  Comjiany, 
thev  a-'Tced  to  conthie  themsi'lves  to  certain  disti'icts 
in  the  ^lissouri  ivjion.     This  airruement  existed  for 


THE  SANTA  Tt  ROUTE. 


515 


two  yoarrt,  after  wliicli  they  ivuiiited  imder  tlio  maiiaj^n'- 
lueiit  of  Pierre  Cliouteau  junior,  who  Iiad  sueceeded 
to  the  bu.siiie.ss  of  AuL^ustt;  and  I'ierre  Chouteau,  and 
had  in  1804  nurdiased  the  we.s tern  interest s  of  Astor. 


pu 
In  1831)  this  vast  c 


oneern  nier 


H'ed 


into 


tlie  i 


inn   o 


f 


y.  Chouteau  junior,  whieh  eontrolKd  nearly  all  the 
United  States  fur  business  east  of  the  Itoekv  ^loun- 


iains,  as  well  as  the  Santa  Fe  trade. 


)■ 


The  openin;L(  of  tlu;  Santa   Fe  route  is  connected 


v,i 


th   tl 


ic   name  o 


f  .1, 


une 


ursiey,    w 


ho    1 


eavinuf   St 


Louis  in  1802  on  a  huntin.i;  expeilitiou  found  his  way 
to  New  ]\Iexico.  A  regular  trade  s[)rang  U})  soon 
after,  and  within  three  decades  it  afforded  an  outlet 


lor   h 


:df 


illi 


a  niJiiion  ( 


loll; 


irs 


worth  of    United   States 


elleets.  The  retuin  was  chlelly  in  coin,  hut  a  [)art 
(•onsi.tcd  of  furs,  whieh  wi  le  In'ought  to  tlie  frontier  or 
into  Santa  Fu  from  surrounding.^  districts,  including 
Ari;cona  and  the  Arkansas  waters.  Trapjiini.^  within 
tlie  iJexicau  tei'rit()iy  was  })ermitted  only  to  settlers 
under  license,  hut  these  weie  ol'ten  bought  by  Ann  ri- 
caiis,  who  carried  on  the  business  with  more  enter[)ris(; 
and  slvill,  and  resorted  besides  to  snmggling.  Taos  as 
\vell  as  Santa  Fe  became  the  i-endezvoiis  of  trajjpers 
from  Arkansas  an<l  tlu'  Colorado  region.'" 

Among  the  minor  fur-tradei's  who  had  appeared  in 


le 


Id 


were 


J  J.  r 


riifie  antl  L.om[iany,  under  whic 


ri 


linn  the  individual  tiaders  of  vSt  Louis  united  i 
Jsi'j,  but  only  for  a  few  years;  Lent  and  Conqiany, 
who  afterward  under  the  lirm  of  Lent  and  St  X'raiu 
became  the  chief  competitors  of  i*.  Cliouteau  junior; 
(  aptalii  Gaunt,  who  tra[)[)*'d  between  Xevv  I'uilv  and 
Laramie  Plains  about  ISiJl;  Lridger,  called  the 
Llanket  Cliit'f,  who  raised  a  monimient  to  his  name 
III   Fort  JJridgir;   J)iipps,  JUaekwill,  and  FonteiulKj 


»//; 


'  i:.i:  Or. 


M: 


!•!'  ihr  II'. -7,  :u  .•;•.);  Mnuli: 


-lOj  (.'rti>i\HOr.,'M;  l>r  /low\s  /,»tial.  nc.i.,  ill.  rAi\  !' 


\\'uI'I,.'m  Cril.'tj'w.t,  MS. 


I'tit', 


A 


It'j'ujtc,  MS.,  ;j-,j;    L'mna'  Jlh4.   Or.,  .MS. 


.\I)uut  IS-J7  11  liii^i'  (iiptiii'tiif  i(ttur-!)kin«  w;im  Jiiaile  umlci'  tiiTuin.'ttuiiriM 


j'li  rcwiiltcil  in  till'  l>iN.<  (if  nx'unil  lives,  h'.irinlc 


/• 


X.  .)/' 


jfu'iclro,  OJKulu,  JS-ID;  iJi'"j'J'^  Com.  I'ruiricn,  i.  17-lt*,  'Ml, 


510 


THE  UNITED  STATES  FL'RTRADE. 


Avlio  coniiuitti'd  suicide  in  18.'17,  were  all  well  known 
iianics  anion;^'  the  Rocky  Mountain  tra[ti)crs. 

( )thcr  Icudci's  of  note  were  Robert  Caniitl)ell,  Trajip, 
Jervais,  and  Van  Dusen.  ]]ut  the  ideal  traisjier  and 
mountaineer  is  perhaps  best  represented  h}'  Kit 
Carson,  renowned  not  only  as  a  trap})er  and  Indian- 
fighter,  hut  lor  his  servlc.-es  to  the  j^oserninent  in  Xew 
^Irxico  and  (^dil'ornia,  particularly  as  guide  to  Frc- 
uiont,  the  Pathfinder,  and  tt)  other  transcontinental 
leaders.  Anotlur  like  him  was  Jo  Meek,  who  after- 
ward li,L,'ured  in  the  k\nislatiire  of  Orei^-on,  and  was 
lioiioicd  hy  that  country  in  ISt?  witii  a  conunissiftu 
to  the  y-overnmeiit  at  Wa'-hlnuton.  James  1*.  l^eck- 
wourlh  again  attained,  in  the  midst  of  his  trappii:.;- 
careei',  to  distinctions  of  a  dillercnt  order,  to  the 
chiel'tainshi[)  of  the  Crow  nation,  whose  admiration 
had  keen  won  hy  his  mulatto  hue,  his  keen  mind,  and 
his  undoubted  bravery,  lie  settled  afterward  in  Cal- 
ilornia." 

Dill  Williams,  on  the  other  hand,  distinouldied 
hiiiisi'lf  as  an  i'\|)lorer  of  the  (,V)lora(lo  basin,  and  kit 
there  a  record  of  his  services  in  the  I'lver  which  bears 
his  name.  Of  the  s[>ecial  trading  expeditions  dir-ded 
to  the  I?acilic  slope  was  that  of  ^Fajor  J  Midler,  whi(  h 
in  IH27  penetrated  to  the  (Colorado,  ti'apped  thence 
northward  as  fa.r  as  Fort  Ct)lville,  antl  after  an  ;ih- 
sent-i'  of  two  veai-s  returnc'l  to  tin;  l-nited  States  hv 


A\ 


yeai's  returnc'l  to  tin;  I  niteil  States 
IV  of  the   Atljabasca,  ai'ter  suilerin:''  severelv  fi 


'oiil 


lamiiie  and  hostik-  Indians.  .V  nunv  notai)lo  ventin<' 
was  made  in  IH'.V2  by  CAiptain  IJonneville,  v.lio  k'<l  a 
force  of  one  hundred  and  i  'U  nii'U  into  I'tal),  Xtvadi, 
and  Oregon,  si'iiding  also  a  (h\ision  untkr  Walker  t^ 
California.  Full  acconnts  of  tiie  exj>editions  into  tli'- 
teri-itories  of  tiie  Xorthwest  will  be  gi\en  hereaftri. 
Want  of  i\[terIonoe  made  him  connnit  many  error--, 
whicli,  ad<led  to  the  strong  rivalry  eni-ountered  from 

"  The  ilci'ilsof  tlu'Hf  tlii'C"'  inuii  Iwni'  l»cii  roL'anlrd  uh  ho  cNtninnliiiiny  iiml 


iiitiit  ■itiii''  ii.-i  tu  «l(ni'rv( 


(ilii 


t)  Kjictial  liio^rajiliiL'  vuliiiiii'.i,  as  Hdiiiii  r  k 


It 


<  Lo- 


ci 


l!.l. 


innir  h,  I'lhrs  Kll  ^'urnuii,  uml  \'idur'M  Jiiixr  0/ tin  Wot,  tlio  laat  foiiudt  I 
on  M If !»..■<  advcutuita. 


THE  AXXU.VL  RENDEZVOUS. 


817 


the  tliorounjlily  established  Hudson's  Bay  C<)in])anv 
and  tlic  W(j11  organized  Anierieaii  eon)i)aiiiLs.  cuiild 
not  fail  to  entail  discoiira<;ini'  results,  llecoiiuiz-ini' 
tlie  futility  of  the  struggle,  he  retired  in  18;U  t<»  the 
east  side  of  tlie  Rocky  Mountains  and  cstaMisln  d  a 
post  on  Powder  ]iivcr,  where  he  courted  fortune  for 
a  while  longer.  Equally  unsuccessful  were  the  at- 
tempts made  at  the  same  time  under  Cajttain  Wycth 
to  establish  an  oi)position  to  the  old  companies.  After 
losing  three  fourths  of  his  large  forces,  he  was  ohligi'd 
to  sell  his  fort  on  Snake  River  to  the  Hudson's  Hay 
Coni[)any  and  to  seek  other  fields  f  )r  his  enter))ri-r.'- 
These  expeditions,  although  failures  financially, 
were  of  great  value  in  spreading  a  knt»\vl<'dge  of  tlio 
country  and  calling  the  atti-ntion  of  tlu'  (»ld  statr.  to 
the  value  of  its  resources,  Ignorance  of  the  wisdii 
region,  and  want  of  time  and  j)atience  in  acipiiriiig  i 
knowledge  of  the  trapping  business,  were  as  powi  i  I'nl 
()i)-;t  ructions  to  success  as  tiie  I'ivalry  of  the  older  ("iii- 
panies  with  their  large  means.  The  reliance  on  raw 
recruits  was  to  a  certain  extent  compulsory.  i"i»r  the 
experienced  trappers  were  too  jealous  of  intrudi.  rs  to 
ri'adily  tender  them  their  services.  Y(  t  disengagt-tl 
trappers  were  numerous  enough  in  the  mountains, 
kept  there  by  a  reckless  extravagance'  which  deprived 
them  of  the  means  to  seek  other  fields,  oi-  by  the 
charm  (tf  the  rough  ami  independent  mountain  life, 
which  had,  besides,  unlittcd  them  for  settled  pursu'ts. 
Thev  wei'c  alwavs  to  be  found  in  force;  at  (he  annual 
rendezvous  ajtjiointed  by  the  larger  <'omi)ani< v,.  This 
was  usually  near  tlu'  South  Pass  of  the  R.-eky 
^Mountains,  as  the  most  ct'atral  point  of  reunion  for 
jKuties  from  both  sl()|»es  of  tlie  continent,  ami  swim- 
times  on  Win<l  Kiver,  but  usuallv  at  the   iun<lion  of 


'-' 7'i»»'))»r;i(/'.'i  Xir.,  pnHsiin  ;  IrriiK/"  fliiini  viUi'.<  Aihrii.,  iws.sini;  I'/'Voc'* 
/'<(•<»•  III'  fill  )\'i^l,  jiimNiin ;  SiIHiikiii'.s  Jniinml,  .liiiniiiry  ls;Jt;  //iiii<'  Inv., 
411     I -J;" /(/.,<»;•.,  10    '  I;  .Ih'/i, •.«'-/( '.v  //;.7.  .V.-///n'«>7(,.f,.s7,  MS.,  1-JI    'J;   .Im-;- 

i'lii  Stall  /'ti)His,\\.:  //lint's  Ml ,:  M(i  I.,  in.  V.t'  H)4:  '/'//'/'.ss' o,-.  (^>^,^^.•J74  .•>• 
limit's  Dr., '.\H;  /'ilir-i'  Kit  Cin-'-nii,  .VJ;  /'i-rkiiis  An,  U'w^,  807;  J'arkti'ii  iV. 
Tour,  In7;  Itullfr's  Amokj  thr  Imliang,  IS^-ID, 


>18 


THE  UNITED  STATES  FUR-TIIADE. 


Ifoi'sc  C'l-rtk  wltli  Cri'c'U  Rivt'i-.  Tliu  Ljiitluriiii;'  \va>; 
as  motley  in  rliarjictn-  as  it  was  nuiiicious,  rlsjiiL;-  at 
tiiiu's  into  the  tliousaiuls,  and  onibrai-inL?  every  elass 
wild  raeo.  The  Indian  was  i-ejdtsented  in  nil  starts, 
IVoni  tlio  dei^raded,  root-eatint;-,  naked  I>aiini)'k, 
M'itli  ]mnil)l('  yet  ennnin^  niiiMi,  to  the  cliivaliou.-; 
Xe/  Perec  ii'  j^audy  ti-appin^^'s,  dashing-  to  and  iVo  on 
eai)arisoned  st(>ed  amidst  wild  yells  and  api)arently 
insane  gesticulations.  The  liaH-l)ree<l  was  there,  the 
eonncetin;^'  link  between  Indian  and  white  man,  de- 
siiiseil  hv  the  one  lor  his  blood,  a(hnii'ed  hv  the  other 


lor  h 


US  sunei'ior   m 


telli--. 


enee  and  a[>pearance 


]!i 


purer  confrere,  the  Mexican,  llitted  about  in  broad- 
brinmied  hat  and  ]>antalonc;ras,  and  with  imposini;- 
manner   that  hardly   conlormcd    to  the    ])osition  (I" 


drudi 


db 


cl  I 


e  usually  assi!L,^necl  hnn   at  the   camp  iiiu 


d   foi't. 


Suj)erior  to  tliese  was  tlu-  hali'-eHeminate,  hall-hai'dy 
voyaLjeur  o{'  Fn^nch  extraction,  whose  worth  retpiired 
the  discipline  of  servitude  to  become  developi'd,  and 
who,  to^jether  with  the  ordinary  hired  trapi)er,  formed 
the  I'ank  and  file  of  the  ti'adin^-  parties.  The  most 
jirominent  man,  howevt-i',  was  the  fi'ee  trappi-i",  indi- 
l)endent  of  all  sa\e  his  horse  and  rille,  delighting' 
ahke  in  braving  the  elements  and  in  thwarting  the 
redslvin,  whom  he  surpassed  botli  as  warrior,  hunte;-, 
find  horseman,  yet  whose  ajij»earance  ;ind  habits  he 
often  took  a  piivle  in  aife'eting. 

The  life  of  these  men,  haj»py  as  it  has  been  painted, 
neems  to  have  been  a  jierpetual  warfare  with  one  foe  er 
unother,  yet,  j)erluips  for  that  verj'  i-eason,  all  tlu*  more 
attractive,      lietween  the  vears  1  y-J.")  and    18;5<)  t\\-» 

« 

iifthsof  the  lur  hunters  vter<  killc'd  by  Indians,  iainine, 
eold,  wild  bc-asts,  aiid  accidents,  and  t'ajttain  Wyeth 
is  said  to  liaNc  brought  back  less  than  a  fourth  of  the 
two  hundred  men  whom  he  took  westward,  'i'lieir 
.elaxations  were  few.  They  would  s<|uat  by  the 
camp-tire  at  night  and  join  in  a  roun«l  of  yains, 
Vi  herein  misha[»s,  toil,  ain!  danger  s«r\i'd  only  to  ei'eate 
amujjciutait,  fur  s>y[Ucai-ish  s\iu£>atl.y  was  baiiLsiicU, 


RECRKATIOXS. 


«t» 


niid  adniiration  accorded  purely  to  succossful  exjiloits. 
These  j,nitlieriii_t;'s  wore  usually  reserved  for  the  winter, 
w  hicli  wjis  spent  in  some  spot  t^ndowed  with  abundant 


j^''rass,  W( 


)od,  and  <ranie.     A  favorite  winteriiiir-'iround 


was  in  the  hend  of  the  Yellowstone  Jliver,  which  en- 
joyed a  milder  eliuiate  than  any  aceessihle  district  to 
the  south.  With  a  life  so  devoid  of  recognized  eidov- 
ments,  it  may  bo  readily  und«Tstood  that  the  novelty 
of  a  rendezvous  nuist  prove  exci'edinLjly  attractive  to 
the  hunters.  It  was  their  Olympia,  with  ])ii)nysius 
enthroned;  it  was  the  fair  of  the  wildi-rness,  wilii 
tents  instead  of  booths;  it  was  the  tournament  of  the 
j>rairies,  with  naked  Indians  and  rude  frontiersmen 
in  lieu  of  kniiihts  and  ladies,     Xoise  and  eonl'nslon 


reiu^iiechdrunkeniK  ssand  riotintj,  yelllnij;'  and  sweai-ini^', 
bayiiiL;' of  doL;s  and  tram[)inLjof  horses,  whizzini;' of  ai- 


]-ows  and  oiackiu'''  of  rill 


es. 


l']mi»l< 


pioves  anu  employers, 
'      d 


tradeis  and  han;^er.s-on,  found  it  both  a  pleasure  anc 
u  necessity  to  attend ;  to  whieh  the  Indian  broui^ht  his 
s'piaw  and  [)a[)poost',  tlu!  hunter  his  Jialf  bri'ed  I'amily. 
.Vccoimts  I  id  to  be  settK'd,  and  furred  capital  e\- 
chaii'^ed  for  iraudy  fabrics  and  subtile  luxuries.  Extras  - 
aidant  and  depraved  habits  were  pandered  to;  also  vain 
euudation.  With  \\hiskey  at  three  d(»llai-s  a  pint, 
;ind  n'nn])owder  ;)T  six,  with  tobacco  at  tive  dollars  a 
pound,  and  fancy  articles  at  fancy  ])rices,  it  is  not  sur- 
prising' that  eai)ital  was  soon  exhausted  and  even 
j>nKspective  earnings  Mbsorl»e<l,  while  one  more  link 
was  welded  in  the  chain  of  bondaije. 

The  n'spite  iVom  toil  was  not  lonuf,  r>r  tlie  fur 
companies  vi<'d\vith  one  another  to  hrst  j;ain  the  reii- 
(|ez\.>Ms,  with  a  \uw  to  secui'e  the  best  chances  for 
s;de,  and  to  contract  for  the  trappers'  services  or  fur 
\iel<l.  and  als«)  to  bi;  the  first  to  secure  the  ri<'hest 


fur  district. 


If  tl 


\r  expel 


lit 


ion  w 


as  to  be  (Hrei-ted  t 


o 


the  cotnitry  of  tlie  l)lackt">ot,  a  laruu'r  foi>.  than 
ordinarv  was  reiiuired  to  intimidate  the  blo(»d-t  hir.'4v 
sava^'es;  elsewhere  a  small  party  sufficed,  for  mstancu 
« m  southern  untl  Snake  expeditions,  the  former  embrac- 


520 


THK  UNITED  STATES  FUR-TRADE. 


i:l 


() 


\nff  tho  Colorado  l)a«in  aiul  California,  ami  tlio  latter 
Idaho.  OiK'o  in  the  tield,  the  companies  strained  every 
eflort  to  discover  the  value  of  liuntin<;-i;rounds  in  i\\o. 
possession  of  rivals,  and  to  profit  tlierel)y.  Tlii.^  led 
to  stealthy  pursuits  on  the  one  side  and  to  clever  haf- 
flini;  on  t'le  other,  resultinijf  in  loss  of  time  to  botli. 

Aft(>r  Captain  Wyeth's  withdrawal,  ex j)editions  t 
the  l^U'itic  slope  became  less  fre(]uent  among  Amer- 
ican trap))ors,  for  the  immediate  region,  particnlaily 
south  of  the  Oregon  line,  was  no  longer  rich  eiiougli 
to  tempt  enterprise.  California  was  (hstant,  and  the 
country  to  the  north  had  a  jealous  guanUan  in  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Com})any.  The  eastern  slope,  liowi-vei', 
still  enjoyed  tlieir  favor,  and  the  main  strcvim  ;nid 
tri1)ntaries  of  the  Missouri  were  lined  Avith  the  forts 
of  Aster's  successor.  Their  steamer,  which  ascended 
to  Fort  I^nion  as  early  as  1SIV2,  made  annual  lii]'S 
witli  snpj)lies,  and  shortened  the  cordello  to  the  1  Hack- 
foot  station  to  seven  hundred  miles.  In  ISaO  a  small 
stern-wlieel  boat  aj)[)roached  to  within  a  few  miles  of 
the  great  falls  of  the  river,  and  it  was  not  till  iKiM 
that  any  other  than  the  fur  company's  steamers  were 
seen  on  tho  up[)(>r  JSIissouri.  ()p[)ositioii  was  not 
wanting,  but  in  1  H()0  the  company  made  a  llnal  eil'oit 
to  once  again  secure  the  mono[)oly  by  [)Ui'chasing  Ww. 
rival  forts.  A  i)art  of  the  trade  was  obtained  fn  >iu 
the  ]led  River  settlers,  who  since  I S4*.)  becoming 
more  indep(Mident of  the  ILudson's  ]>ay  Company, 
boldly  siimggled  skins  across  the  frontier  if  their  de- 
mands were  not  granted. 

The  furs  found  their  way,  for  all  that,  to  the  gi-eat 
em|)(»rium  of  England,  for  Astor's  schemes  resulted 
onlv  in  making  New  York  the  centre  of  the  United 
States  trade,  and  with  the  exception  of  a  i'ew  ship- 

'^•Fo  .\[i>t'k  relntea  that  tlio  Aniericim  Fr;  '""DiniLiny  no  cxanporati  d  tho 
Roi  ky  Miiuiitiiiii  Coinixiiiy  l)y  tlii'ir  Htfinly  I'UiMiit  unit  the  hiUir  iiliimn'l 
cxiiiilitioiis  for  tilt!  iiRTu  inirp(;«e  of  h';»<liiig  tht'ir  !-ival.s  into  tlic  iiiitlst  '<i  tin' 
cruel  lihiiktoot.  The  result  was  that  the  Aineiiean  ( 'oiiipaii  y  hst  their  hieler 
nud  one  or  two  men.  i'irtu/K  J'nrr  of  tin'  H'isf,  llUt  2.  So  intell^se  was  the 
rivalry  at  this  period  that  it  was  a  Jimtterof  death  fur  tin."  trajipcr  to  sell  tin:* 
to  any  otiier  cunipuny  than  tho  one  he  had  couti'iictcd  with. 


CAXADA  AND  CIIIXA. 


021 


mrji+s  to  nci'^liljoriiiLj  statt's,  Mexico,  TriiniI)Ui'L',  and 
Canton,  Im'I-  sur])lus  stock  liad  to  be  sent  to  L(  lulon. 
A  lai'ye  part  oi'  tliis  consisted  of  hnH'alo-inhey.  tlio 
yield  of  which  liad  (hu'lnLT  the  fouitli  decade  of  the 
century  readied  the  nuniher  of  ninety  tlionsand  j>er 
nniunn.  The  fi'W  consij^nnients  from  ahi'oad  were 
merely  for  domestic  use;  South  Amei'iea  sen<!in;^ 
seal,  initria,  vicuna,  and  dei>r  slcins,  and  l^^ui'ope  Mu! 
dressed  furs  of  the  .sijuirrel,  genet,  fitch,  and  other 
animals. 

In  tlie  earlier  staijres  of  the  fur-trade  in  the  TTnIti'd 
States,  licr  nier'chants  had  heen  ohliLTcd  to  ljo  to  Loii- 
don  for  Canada  furs,  hecause  EnLfland's  colini* 


couM 

send  their  products  only  to  I'^n^land.  This  at  that 
tim(>  had  well  nijj^h  i)revented  extensive  operations 
in  the  Ignited  States,  for  all  larL;"^  sui»j>lies  oi'  I'urs 
must  come  fi'om  (Canada,  and  hel'ore  tliey  could  he 
ship])ed  to  China,  tlien  the  hest  niai'ket  in  tlie  world 
for  line  furs,  they  had  to  he  sent  to  lCn,L;land.  Jhit 
whvn  sonu'  ten  years  al'ter  the  orLjanization  of  the 
Northwest  Company  these  restrictions  wi«i'e  I'cmoved, 
and  hy  the  treaty  of  17*.)")  with  (ireat  Ih'itain  direct 
(lealinj^s  wei'e  oj)ened  hetwi'cu  Canadaand  the  Ignited 
States,  the  merchants  of  New  York  and  IJoston  louiid 
themsi'lvi'S  possessed  of  (U'cidt'd  advantaL^cs.  as  they 
nii^lit  theti  ship  direct  to  China,  and  save  the  voyage 
to  l''ni;-land. 

Se\  enteen  thousand  di  »llars  was  considered  sul1i<'ient 
for  the  outfit  of  a  l>oston  vessel,  and  the  carn'o  con- 
sistcfl  principally  «)f  tin  and  injn,  hollow-waic,  hrass 


kettles,  wiri',  heads,  lead,  knive; 


s,  nans,  sma 


11  lo..[ 


vUl''- 


;lasses,  har  iron,  hatchets,  ^nnis,  powder.  Hints,  nun, 


an( 


1  mo], 


isse 


J*riorto  ls;]0  Xew  Eii'danders  traded 


few  blankets  or  jjruns  for  heaver 


14 


In  all   the  early  history  of  the  Northwest  Coast 


"//<)W()«  (■/(  //«'  Xor/linrxt,  MS.,  77;  Tolmir'.i  Journal,  MS.;  Ainlir-iini'i 
Xort/nii/'f  <'i>"st,  MS.,  JM-Kll:  Ihnii'i  Mir.  Moj,,  xii.  50;  HuLbina''  LijlJi/ 
Yctirs'  I'iiir,  ;$43;  llaijH~.il,  Hist.  t'hU.,  xii,  jJ7-8. 


Till']  L'XITKD  STATES  FUR-TRAT)K. 


iliiTc  i~;   no  |>li!is('  or  cjxicli  f([ual  in  iiiiiioifnnco  to 
llial.  ol'  (he  China  I'lU'-tradi-.     T\\r  wlialt-lislicrii's  did 


lit! It!  in  coiiiiturisoii  toward  l)iinLrir)<'  tiiis  rc'ion  into 
iiolicc,  IJclon'  tliu  advcnturors  trading,'  into  1  Tndsoii 
Uay  had  ventured  tar  inland  from  theii*  swam] »y  shores, 
or  the  Montreal  intfrchants  had  t'ornied  the  Northwest 
(company  [»artnershijt,  the  llussians,  inijulled  l»y  tfie 
L,n-owin;.;'  seai'city  of  I'urs  in  Siheriu,  had  extended  their 
o|terations  to  Alaska. 

TIh'  itusslaiifs  had  enjoyed  tlie  hencfitM  of  the  luora- 
tivu  China  trade  some  lime  hefoi'e  it  heeami'  known  to 


]•: 


uro 


With  a  semicircular  cordon,  the  middle  link 


inij  the  Aleutian  Archi[n'laL^o,  and  one  end  I'xtendini^ 
down  Alaska  and  tlu'  other  Kamchatka,  they  w(,'re 
not  e\[)  >u'd  to  the  dangers  and  uncertainties  of  tran- 
sient voyaijes,  hut  the  wlioli;  sweep  of  icy  oc'ean  was 
tlu'irs  to  deal  out  to  the  Asiatics  of  lower  latitudes  as 
occasion  miijfht  oIKt. 

The  doing's  of  tlie  Russians  will  be  fully  treated  in 
another  Nolume.  Sullice  it  to  say  here  that  to  facili- 
t;ite  their  operations  a  company  was  incorporated  under 
]>atrona;;('  of  the  ci'own  with  a  capital  of  two  hundred 


pital 
linLf. 


an- 


and  sixty  thousand  jiounds  sterlinLf.  The  Ivussi 
did  a  lai'^'e  husim-ss  with  n<»rthern  C^hina  which  did  not 
touch  Canton,  and  it  was  in  the  northern  part  of  th;.; 
emjiiri'  tliat  the  consumption  was  greatest,  (^uitoii 
was  in  truth  hut  the  entrepot,  where  furs  wer(>  I'eceived 
for  disti  ihution  throui^liout  the  em[iire.  Now  if  hy 
shorter,  (piicker,  and  less  expensive  routes  the  same 
i-esults  might  he  aeeoinplisheil,  the  advantages  wi'iv 
ohvious. 

Still  then^  was  a  temj^ting  demand  at  Cant(»n;  and 


later  the  Ixussii 


ms  Were  lount 


1  1, 


loornii 


g  und 


er  a  ( 


loud 


in  that  ([Uarter.  However  tliis  might  have  heen,  W(.' 
kiu>w  that  ahout  1780,  a  quantity  of  sea-otter  skins 
sent  to  China  yielded  so  well,  that  a  stinuihis  was  at 
once  impai'ted  to  tlie  tratHc^  of  the  northern  coasts, 
M'hich  afterward  concentrated  on  the  seal. 

It  was  not,  however,  until  the  return  of  Captain 


i\  Tin:  rACiric. 


nja 


Jaims  K\u\x  rrciii  tlu-  t-xix-dltion  so  fatal  1«>  (\i|»taiii 
(\>t»k,  that  the  hin'h  j>rici's  jit  which  sra-ottiT  skins 
wvrr  rnVnyj;  in  Canton  l)t't'unu'  ^t'lierally  known  in 
KiU'opo  and  .Vnu'!-ii-a.  Thi-n  it  was  liko  liiuliii^'  a  nrw 
t^olil -coast.  JJiiti.^h  and  Anufican  merchants  hotli 
iiitcrcd  the  ficlil,  l»ut.  the  latter  liein;4-  li-ss  hampered 
liy  ;;"overnment  jiroteclion,  tyrants,  and  mono|tolies,|M)  .- 
sos.sed  i^reattT  advantages,  and  al'ter  I"'.*,")  outstii|>|H  I 


all  com 


Itetiton 


In    171)-  there  were  on  tlie  coast  t'^n^au'ed  in  this 
traliic  not  less  than  twi-ntv-tive  vessels,  most  of  tliei 


n 


ess  was  wliuiiv 


1!^ 


I'rom  l)oston.  1'lieir  method  ol'  husin 
dillei-eiit  iVom  that  of  later  ju'riods.  It  was  a  kind  of 
ocean  j)oddlinij^.  Ti-aders  then  only  touched  at  diller- 
eiit  points  alonij  the  coast,  and  ti'aHii-kiil  with  the 
iiati\e.s  without  attemptinu;-  to  jx'iietrate  tlu*  interior. 
'J'here  Were  no  forts,  no  I'l'sident  a^'ents,  no  wood- 
r{iiit>er.s  or  collectors  of  anv  kind.     The  sava'ns  know  - 

re  accustomed  to  touch,  carried. 


J  US''  where  vessels  wi 


thither  their  furs,  and  puttiiiLj  out  in  their  canoes  d 
the  ship,  found  ti'inplinj^ly  sjti'cad  upon  the  deek  tin 
thiii'^s  that  most  deli;4hte(|  their  liiarts,  Manyof  <ii' 
nati\is  livin;;  on  the  coast  traded  the  articles  tluis  oh 
t;iini'd  fi-om  the  ships  wit!i  the  adjacent  iidand  trih 


an( 


1  t 


hesu  WI 


th  th 


lose   hevtind,  so 


that  when  the  fii>t 


exjx  (lit ions  ci'osst'd  the  I'oeky  Mountains  n^diiiL;- wesi - 
ward  they  found  .l']ui'(tpean  ai-licles  live  liundre<|,  and 
in  some  instances  «'i;_;ht  hiuidred,  miles  l'r<tm  the  coast. 
In  this  manner,  j^oini^  iVitn I  place  to  place  idon-^- 1  he 
coast,  the  trading-  vessels  employed  tin."  summer.  Then 
as  the  inclement  seasnn  jipproached,  they  ju'oei'cded  to 
t!io  Sandwich  L'^Iamls,  tin  le  to  wintci- and  cure  Iheli- 
furs.  The  following;;  spring;'  they  w</uld  return  to  the 
Anurican  coast,  as  it  was  not  possiMe  to  disjiose  i.f 
their  cargo  or  load  their  ship  with  furs  in  one  seaxm. 
Jiut  after  two  suimneis'  successl'ul  traliic  tiny  \\iir, 
jtrej)aivd  to  sail  j'o)-  ( 'hiiia,  fre(piently  carrying' with 
them  some  products  of  the  Islands  to  e(»mpl<tcf  their 
cargo.     Arriving  at  China  the  ship-master  would  st  11 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


h 


A 


{/ 


:/. 


<0     4r 


f/. 


1.0 


I.I 


^  IB  IIIIIM 


IM 


12.2 


2.0 


1.8 


1 

1 

1.25      1.4      1 6 

1 

>l 6"     »• 

PhotDgraphic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


<x^ 


•1? 


:\ 


\ 


'q> 


<^ 


>> 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N,V.  I4>90 

(716)  872-4S03 


■^ 


f/i 


1 


c\ 


\ 


1 


524 


THE  UNITED  STATES  FUil-TRADE. 


Ills  furs  and  purchase  teas,  silks,  beads,  nankeens,  or 
other  articles,  and  return  to  Boston  after  a  two  or 
three  years'  absence.  The  profits  of  this  trade  greatly 
varied,  but  we  may  well  believe  that  they  were  enor- 
mous. ^^ 

But  adventures  thither  were  \ot  always  without 
reverses.  In  1792  a  wealthy  London  firm  united  with 
the  Northwest  Company  in  the  shipment  of  furs  to 
China.  For  five  successive  years  the  experiment  was 
continued,  to  the  ultimate  loss  of  eighty  thousand 
pounds  sterling,  one  half  of  which  was  borne  by  the 
London  firm  and  one  half  by  the  Northwest  Com- 
pany. This  loss  was  attributed  by  the  adventurers 
not  directly  to  the  market  or  price  realized,  but  to  the 
difficulty  of  getting  home  the  Chinese  goods  received 
in  payment  for  the  furs,  and  converting  such  returns 
into  money.  Great  as  were  the  fur  companies  in  the 
forests  of  America,  they  were  powerless  when  com- 
l)cting  with  the  omnipotent  East  India  Company, 
whose  ships  then  in  a  measure  controlled  the  trade 
between  China  and  Great  Britain.  L^nited  States 
C(Mnmercc  being  then  free  from  such  a  scourge,  and 
ii'om  the  enormous  expenses  and  restrictions  attending 
monopoly,  could  sen  s  from  the  Pacific  coast  to 

China  and  realize  on  e  o  returns  in  New  York  some- 
times within  twelve  or  fifteen  months,  so  that  Amer- 
ica possessed  great  advantages  over  Europe  in  this 
trade.  To  help  still  further  our  own  Northwest 
Coast,  from  17'JG  to  1814  the  Russians  were  not  per- 
mitted to  enter  Chinese  ports,  so  that  the  Boston 
ships  which  then  fre(iuented  those  waters  stood  higli 
in  advantage  above  all  others.^" 

Another  rich  field  was  opening  before  them  on  the 


''• '  This  casual  traffic  by  coasters  yielded  to  their  owners  in  former  days, 
l>y  means  of  the  returning  cargo,  an  average  clear  gain  of  a  tliousaud  percent, 
every  second  year.'  Jiotn'  Adr.,  4. 

^^Tiriss'  Or.,  8;  y^oss'  Adv.,  4;  fi'viiig's  Astoria,  32-?*  Machcnzie^x  Voy., 
xxvi.  In  the  London  Qunrti't-hi  Hrrkw,  October  1810,  Archibald  Cainiihell 
holds  to  the  opinion  as  expressed  by  Mackenzie  on  p.  .103  of  this  voluiiio, 
%\  liereat  Greenhow  talies  oll'ence,  and  accuses  Campbell  of 
of  the  moiit  deadly  hatred  toward  the  Uuited  States. 


writing  in  a  spiiit 


THE  CALIFORNIA^  COAST. 


625 


lower  coast,  then  in  tho  possession  of  Spanish  Amer- 
icans, ^vho  had  neither  the  enterprise  to  establish  a 
ti'ade  nor  the  wise  government  to  foster  it.  True, 
the  fur  v/ealth  of  the  Cahfornias  had  not  been  over- 
looked, for  the  archives  record  a  shipment  in  178G 
from  San  Diego  of  two  thousand  dollars'  worth  of 
otter-skins,  and  also  that  for  some  time  tlie  article 
had  entered  into  trade  in  small  quantities;  but  this 
industry,  which  under  proper  management  miglit 
have  been  considerably  developed,  was  promptly 
trannnclled  by  a  royal  cedula,  whereby  the  whole 
trade  was  reserved  for  the  king  and  his  commissioner, 
^'^asadre  y  Vega,  and  to  him  the  missionai'Ies  were 
strictly  ordered  to  deliver  all  skins  obtained  from  tlu' 
Indians  at  a  low  fixed  rate."  The  receipts,  as  may  be 
su[)})osed,  were  insignificant,  and  the  monopol}'  was 
abandoned  by  a  decree  of  1790,  but  the  export  of 
skins  was  restricted  to  Mexican  jiorts,  and  the  prices 
there  being  low,^^  the  settlers  preferred  to  clandes- 
tinely give  the  lion's  share  to  the  foreign  vessels  which 
now  began  to  a})pear  on  the  coast.  The  government 
neglected  to  entertain  more  liberal  and  enterprising 
l>lans  to  establish  a  trade,  and  the  people  were  too 
indolent  to  acquire  the  needful  skill  and  to  exert 
themselves  beyond  Avliat  was  demanded  by  their 
actual  wants,  so  that  the  fur-traders  found  an  open 
field  when  by  increased  competition  on  the  northern 
coast  they  were  obliged  to  extend  their  operations 
southward.  The  Bostonian  O'Cain,  of  the  L'clqisc, 
had  observed  how  numerous  the  sea-otters  were  on 
the  coast  of  southern  California,  and  in  1803  he  pre- 
vailed on  the  Russian  authorities  in  Alaska  to  aid 

'"  Tliia  varied  from  seven  dollars  for  the  best  ottcr-skius  to  two  dollars  for 
the  lowest  class.  An/i.  ('(iL,  MS.,  Jh/if.  SI.  I'ap.,  San  Jo.-t'\  i.  IJl-."»;  I'roiK 
Hi.  I'lijK,  vi.  HS-O,  jiassim.  '  Prohibieudo  a1)s()liitaineiito  il  todo.s  loa  do  Kazmi 
lii  adiiuisicion  delos  jiieles  do  Xutriati.'  (.Joveruor  Fages'  Jjottur,  in  Smiht  liur- 
hani  Arch.,  MS.,  xii.  3.  White  lueu  being  thus  restricted,  the  Indians  wore 
alone  relied  upon  to  supply  the  monopoly,  and  they  had  no  interest  to  stimu- 
late them,  since  the  fathers  applied  tlie  money  to  mission  work. 

'"This  is  explained  by  the  fact  that  the  I'liilippine Company  had  a  monoj)- 
cly  of  tlie  China  trade  with  the  Spanish  possessions.  Arch.  Cat.,  !MS.,  I'rui: 
at.  I'ap.,  xxi.  -18  ot  sccj[. 


526 


THE  UNITED  STATES  FUR-TRx\DE. 


liim  in  exploring  this  wealth.  An  expedition  vras  a^ 
once  sent  out,  v/itli  twenty  bidarkas,  and  resulted  so 
Well  that  the  Russians  engaged  in  the  venture  on  a 
larger  scale,  and  soon  on  their  own  account  entirely. 
A  few  years  later  found  them  firmly  established  at 
Bodega,  with  Fort  Ross  as  the  centre  of  the  otter 
and  seal  fishery  operations  which  were  carried  on  from 
Oregon  to  Capo  San  Lucas,  along  the  shores  of  the 
coast  and  bays.  There  they  remained  with  their 
well  known  tenacity  until  1841,  by  which  time  the 
seals  as  well  as  otters  were  almost  exterminated.^" 

The  English  and  Americans,  particularly  the  latter, 
were  equally  zealous  in  the  trade ,'^*'  though  barter, 
which  was  legitimized  under  republican  rule,  entered 
largely  into  their  operations,  and  afforded  quite  an 
acceptable  revenue  to  the  inhabitants.  Of  this  the 
missionaries  at  first  reaped  the  larger  share,  but  soon 
they  as  well  as  the  J*.Iexican  settlers  were  displaced 
by  tlio  more  enterprising  foreigners,  who  entered  into 
the  country  and  became  naturalized  in  order  to  engage 
in  the  fishery."^  That  foreign  vessels  should  carr}'- 
away  this  wealth  without  leaving  a  commensurate  re- 
turn, was  decidedly  objected  to  by  the  government,  and 
the  most  stringent  orders  v/erc  issued  to  check  the 

"  The  Russian  governor  aa  early  as  1834  reportecl  that  the  raids  of  Amer» 
ican  tviidci-.j  w  oLild  buou  cxtenniiiato  the  ottcva,  overlooking  lay  ovm  uiirckut- 
in^'  pcracciitioii  of  the  animal.  ZavaUsli'm,  Dilo  i>  Kolon!>/  Iio>'S,  0.  doiicral 
Vallcjo  estimates  that  50,000  eca-ottcrs  were  taken  in  Califoniian  watera 
between  IbJO  and  loiO.  Jli^t.  CaL,  MS.,  ii.  20-1-,");  KhtcOiiib/,  Zapisiyt,  in 
Mall na'ui  I'l'a  L-for.  I?ii-s.,  in.,  pt.  iii.  8-0;  TilJimfnrf,  Istnr.  Oho-.riniip., 
ii.,  app.,  27i-3;  Arch.  CaL,  MS.,  Prov.  St.  Pap.,  xix.  307-9,  278;  Piov.  Kec^ 
ix.  -IT-oO. 

'-"C:i;jtain  Smith  is  snid  to  have  seeurofl  130,000  sralskins  and  a  largo 
number  of  otters  at  the  Farallonc.4  between  1808  and  1810.  Tiujlor's  Dlscoi\ 
Founders,  i.  7G. 

■^'  In  this  they  were  often  assisted  by  Alaskan  Indians  with  their  bidarkas, 
who  wero  either  engaged  by  them  or  tendered  by  tlio  Russians  agn  uist  a 
Fharo  iii  the  yiold.  The  missionaries  were  not  pleased  with  a  license  [:y;;tcin, 
nuder  wliich  tlio  government  allowed  these  intruders  to  displace  native  enter- 
prise. The  superior  of  San  Buenaventura  mission  writes  in  1313  that  the 
miy  ion  used  to  mnintain  six  canoes  for  otter- fishing,  catching  annuidly  100 
t;>  l-"0  pieces,  but  'ha  tenido  que  nlargar  esto  tan  xitil  como  procioso  ranio.' 
,1 1'ch.  Air.ub.,  MS.,  ii.  97.  A  tax  was  levied  on  the  catch,  except  on  such  aa 
had  born  obtained  by  native  Mexicans,  but  it  was  not  very  often  jiaid.  J  /■'A, 
<  'I'l.,  MS.,  Dii^f. 7?cc.,  viii.  r,'2, 130 ;  Vallejo,  Doc.  7//,s/.  CcU.,  MS.,  i. 323;  VulUJo, 
Aotds  Jlist.,  ilia.,  3(i~S;  Santa  Cruz,  Arch., 'Mii., 'Jo, 


OVERLAND  TO  CALIFORNIA. 


527 


m 

irgo 
coi\ 

kas, 

it  a 
|cTn, 
Itcr- 
Ithe 
100 
lu).' 
Ii  n3 


aljusc.  T]io  Spanish  government,  vliicli  foi'l)a(:Ie  for- 
ciijncrs  ever  to  buv  furs,  had  been  able  to  enforce  its 
(locrccs  to  some  extent  with  the  aid  of  cruisers,  but 
those  of  the  rcpubhc  were  empty  threats,  and  tho 
fishery  was  carried  on  with  impunity  even  in  sight  of 
the  forts.^^ 

The  interior  river  waters  of  the  Sacramento  and 
San  Joaquin  had,  on  the  other  hand,  attracted  tho 
attention  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  even  before 
United  States  trapper.s  had  reached  them,  and  traders 
remained  there  in  unmolested  possession  long  after 
the  Russians  had  left  the  country.  The  feeble  iron- 
tier  guard  could  do  nothing  but  protest,  and  finally 
when  the  trappers  had  pretty  well  exhausted  the  out- 
lying districts  and  wished  to  penetrate  into  the  centre 
of  the  state,  the  government  admitted  them  under  an 
agreement  with  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  whereby 
a  tax  of  fifty  cents  was  to  be  paid  for  each  bcaver-sldn."^ 

The  first  party  to  reach  California  from  the  United 
States  was  led  in  1825  by  Jcdediah  Smith  of  A^;hloy's 
company,  across  the  desert  regions  of  Utah  and  Xe- 
\ada.  He  found  a  few  beaver.  Smith  came  a^ain  two 
years  later,  but  met  with  so  disastrous  a  reception  from 
the  Indians  while  pursuing  the  route  to  Oregon  as  to 
deter  him  from  ever  visiting  this  coast  again.  Quito 
a  number  of  similar  parties,  varying  in  strength  from 
fifty  men  to  a  few  stragglers,  arc  shown  by  the  ofiicial 
letters  of  the  period  to  have  entered  from  the  direc- 
tion of  Arizona  and  Sonora  after  182G,  and  till  the  timu 
when  the  gold  excitement  converted  trappers  into  pros- 
} lectors.  One  of  those  parties  was  headed  by  S}1  venter 
Pattic,  who  in  1824  passed  from  the  Missouri  to  New 

''^Arch.  Cal,  MS.,  Dept.  St.  Pap.,  Prrf.  y  Juz,  iii.  24;  Drjf.  S'f.  Pap., 
i.  C'l-i'j.  As  early  aa  1803  several  hurnlrcd  ottcr-pkius  were  seized  on  the 
American  vessel  A/cj'ander,  but  while  tho  supreme  deci.-jion  in  tlie  e;i.->ij  was 
following  tliu  red-taped  eircuit,  ninths  and  other  a;^eneief!  t^n.'itelied  jiv.ay  tho 
Lone  of  contention.  Arch.  Cal.,  MS.,  Prov.  St.  Pap.,  xix.  145-150;  xx.  \)'^, 
llil-'2;  Lttmjs)lorj'\s  Jo//.,  18.'>. 

^'This  arrangement  was  made  in  1S41,  at  whieh  time  the  cnniyiany  hnd 
.';!rcady  acquired  a  tradint,'  station  in  San  l''raneiseo.  VuUcJo,  Doc.  Hist.  Cal., 
JdS.,  X.  77;  xxxiii.  ISO;  l'\rnaii(l(z,  Cal.,  MS.,  (i(>-7. 


528 


THE  UNITED  STATES  FUR-TRADE. 


Mexico,  and  thence  made  trap]iing  tours  into  Arizona 
till  1829,  when  he  entered  California,  to  find  a  prison 
and  a  grave.  His  son  James  succeeded  in  obtaining 
his  release  in  the  following  year,  and  published  shortly 
after  an  account  of  this  expedition.-* 


It  is  time  these  fur-hunting  chapters  were  brought  to 
a  close.  I  would  gladly  have  made  them  shorter  were 
it  possible  so  to  give  any  adequate  idea  of  the  origin 
and  operations  of  the  several  ponderous  agencies  that 
pushed  discovery  from  the  rivers  St  Lawrence  and 
Mississippi,  from  Lake  Superior  and  the  ba}'-  of  Hud- 
son across  the  broad  continent  of  plains  and  mountains 
to  the  shores  of  the  Western  Ocean,  and  sent  fleets  of 
New  England  merchantmen  sailing  round  Cape  Horn, 
and  flitting  between  California,  Vancouver  Island^ 
Alaska,  the  Sandwich  Islands,  ani  China. 

-Wattle' A  Pcmoiinl  Narrath-e,  210-2.30;  Arch.  Cat,  IklS.,  Dept.  St.  Pap., 
ii.  4-5,  .•i:?-45;  iii.  101-2,  111;  JJcjit.  liec,  xiii.  17;  vii.  89;  vi.  0;  v.  48,  T.'i, 
102,  107;  St.  Pop.,  S'icrnmciifo,  xix.  37-8;  Smith,  in  Xoiivcllcx  Ann.  (/c.i 
('(/(/.,  xxwii.  210-11 ;  Frhjuet,  (Jul.,  58-00.  Some  of  the  trappers  had  licenses 
from  Xuw  Mexican  autlioritics. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

RELATIVE  ATTITUDES  OF  FUR -TRADERS  AND  NATIVES. 

Different  Views  of  Savagism  by  Diffekext  Europeans,  accoethxg  to 
THEIR  Several  Interests — United  States  Policy — Upmani  Inten- 
tions— Villainy  of  Agents — Border  Atrocities — Policy  of  the 
Northwest  and  Hudson's  Bay  Companies — The  Interests  of  Gold- 
seekers,  Fur  Companies,  and  Settlers  Contrasted — System  of 
Wife-taking — Half-breeds — Intoxicating  Drink — Missionaries. 


The  attitudes  assumed  by  the  several  bands  of 
Europeans  at  different  times  and  places  in  America 
were  quite  distinct  one  from  another.  The  invaders 
were  governed  partly  by  clouded  conscience,  but  far 
more  by  interest.  Many  pretending  piety  made  con- 
science subgorvient  to  interest.  Many  really  good  men 
having  the  welfare  of  the  natives  at  heart  did  nearly 
as  much  harm  through  ignorance  and  ligotry  as  did 
the  vile  through  lust  and  avarice. 

In  the  minds  of  the  gold -seeker,  the  fur- hunter, 
and  agriculturist  the  savage  inspired  very  different 
sentiments.  In  the  first  instance  he  was  regarded  as 
a  temporary  tool  which  after  its  work  was  done  was 
to  be  thrown  away;  in  the  second  case  he  was  a 
splendid  fellow  wliu  by  a  little  petting  and  pampering 
would  bring  splendid  returns.  In  the  path  of  perma- 
nent settlers  he  was  a  viper,  a  vile,  treacherous  thing, 
fit  only  for  extermination.  He  was  useful,  profitable 
in  the  first  two  instances;  in  the  last  lie  was  an  encum- 
brance, whose  presence  poisoned  the  air. 

With  the  Spaniards  conversion  was  no  less  a  part 
of  their  purpose  than  conquest.  In  any  event  the 
country  must  be  conquered  for  Christ,  and  the  people 


Hut.  N.  W.  Coast,  Vol.  I.    31 


( 621) ) 


530 


ATTITUDES  OF  FUR-TRADERS  AND  NATIVES. 


liold  in  holy  subjection.  If  they  would  accept  pope, 
and  king,  and  Christ  as  represented  by  priests  and 
i-eckless  adventurers,  well :  if  not,  they  must  be  butch- 
ered for  Christ,  and  king,  and  pope.  The  cavaliers 
had  little  thought  of  cultivating  the  soil,  though  some 
attempted  it.  Gold  was  their  chief  concern.  But  the 
native  abhorred  work;  furthermore,  it  killed  him,  so 
that  he  was  of  little  value  as  a  slave  or  for  any  other 
purpose. 

The  English  colonists  desired  land.  There  Avas 
little  gold  upon  the  eastern  seaboard  to  tempt  tlicni, 
and  furs  oft'ered  them  few  attractions.  Homes  for 
themselves  and  their  children  were  what  they  cov- 
eted, and  to  this  end  land  was  necessary.  This  was 
granted  them  in  most  cases  by  their  sovereign  before 
embarking  from  their  native  shore.  But  the  land  did 
not  belong  to  their  sovereign,  and  being  men  of  stub- 
born piety  and  principle,  some  of  them,  to  quiet  their 
own  minds  and  at  the  same  time  acquire  title  and 
peaceable  possession,  pretended  to  buy  the  land  they 
wanted  by  giving  for  it  a  few  valueless  trinkets.  Tlieir 
descendants,  desiring  more  land,  took  it,  and  on  one 
or  another  pretext  slew  the  inhabitants;  but  always 
unjustly,  because  they  were  robbers  and  the  sons  of 
robbers.  Thus  civilization  crept  swiftly  and  treaclier- 
ously  westward,  the  people  meanwhile  receding  from 
forest  to  forest  in  tlieir  vain  effort  to  escape  the  fell 
destroj'Cr. 

White  people  were  at  first  regarded  by  the  Indians 
as  beings  superior  in  righteousness  as  well  as  in  ma- 
terial strength.  But  alas!  they  soon  learned  their 
mistake.  From  the  moment  Europeans  placed  foot 
on  American  soil  the  aborigines  were  -doomed.  Sa\- 
aijism  and  civilization,  like  heat  and  cold,  or  li^ht  and 
darkness,  cannot  dwell  together  in  harmor}'.  Nativi; 
wise  men  and  philosophers  saw  this  at  th«-'  time  and 
affirmed  it. 

Taking  advantage  of  the  Indian's  passion  for  finery 
and  fire-water,  Frenchmen  and  Englishmen  accuniu- 


SECTIONAL  POLICIES  CONTRASTED. 


m> 


latcd  vast  fortunes,  wliicli  their  descendants  now  enjoy, 
while  forest  and  forester  were  swept  away. 

Tlie  Indian  pohcy  of  the  United  States,  in  so  far 
as  a  pohcy  existed,  has  been  in  tlic  main  a  righteous 
one.  All  saw  that  the  race  was  doomed,  and  that 
little  was  to  be  done  but  to  make  savagism  as  com- 
fortable as  possible  during  its  death  agonies.  The 
more  bigoted  and  brainless  talked  of  Christianizing  or 
of  civilizing  the  natives;  but  such  knew  not  the  nature 
of  civilization.  The  more  enlightened  and  practical 
regarded  them  as  children  needing  parental  care  and 
authority,  and  so  they  became  wards  of  the  nation. 

Nothing  could  have  been  nobler  or  more  humane 
than  this  view  of  the  matter,  which  has  been  gener- 
ally acted  upon  by  our  statesmen  for  the  past  half 
century.  Part  of  their  lands  were  fairly  purc-hased 
from  them,  while  other  parts  were  held  in  reservation 
for  their  sole  use.  Their  comfort  was  likewise  re- 
garded; supplies  were  annually''  furnished  them  by 
the  government.  Arms  and  annnunition  for  hunting 
were  given  them;  likewise  blankets,  cloths,  provisions, 
and  utensils  of  various  kinds.  Schools  were  estab- 
lished, though  with  questionable  yet  harmless  wisdom. 
In  all  this  our  government,  which  should  moan  our 
])eoplc,  behaved  in  a  manner  of  which  we  may  justly 
feel  proud.  History  affords  no  higher  example  of 
kindness  and  forbearance  exercised  by  a  dominant 
power  to  those  whose  presence  could  scarcely  be  re- 
garded in  any  other  light  than  that  of  a  national 
nuisance.  Congress  was  even  so  magnanimous  as  to 
appropriate  eiglity  thousand  dollars  for  a  miserable 
compilation  in  six  volumes,  illustrative  of  Indian  cliar- 
acter  and  condition,  that  it  might  know  the  better  how 
to  provide  for  the  wants  of  the  savage. 

And  yet  our  government,  even  tliough  it  should 
mean  ourselves,  has  been  greatly  to  blame,  has  acted 
foolishly,  criminally,  in  not  protecting  from  the  s[)oilers 
these  children  of  its  adoption.  While  its  counsels  were 
in  the  main  wise  it  failed  to  suppress  the  most  das- 


r>32 


ATTITUDES  OF  FUR-TRADERS  AXD  NATIVES. 


tardly  deeds.  It  allowed  the  exercise  of  its  parental 
care  to  degenerate  into  a  trade.  Appointments  to 
af^encies  were  openly  bought  by  unprincipled  men 
who  trusted,  for  a  profitable  return  of  the  investment, 
to  robbing  those  in  their  charge.  To  prevent  this, 
as  many  other  iniquitous  practices,  the  government 
has  been  too  weak  or  too  indifferent.  Notwithstand- 
ing our  fine  declamation  and  beautifully  spun  theories, 
our  conferences,  and  our  Christianizing  and  civilizing 
societies,  we  have  not  done  our  duty  by  the  Indian.* 
What  can  be  more  fatal  to  the  honor  and  dignity 
of  a  great  nation  like  that  of  the  United  States  than 
failure  to  keep  faith  with  the  helpless  barbarians  on 
its  border?  It  is  not  enough  for  the  government  to 
say  that  it  has  not  required  of  the  natives  strict  com- 
pliance with  treaty  obligations;  to  break  faith  under 
any  circumstances  is  disgraceful,  most  of  all  to  break 
faith  with  the  poor,  ignorant,  and  helpless.  Fourteen 
superintendencies  with  numerous  agencies  under  the 
Intlian  Bureau  branch  of  the  Interior  Department  at 
Washington  accomplish  the  evil.* 


'  The  laxity  of  the  government  in  protecting  the  natives,  and  the  conduct 
of  its  corrupt  officials,  have  been  for  years  notorious.  In  the  words  of  Wil  iaiii 
Blackmore,  writing  in  a  work  by  Richard  In'ing  Dodge,  lieutenant-colonel  in 
the  United  States  army:  'It  would  be  extremely  difficult  to  find  any  treaty 
entered  into  by  the  govcniment  with  the  Indians  during  the  last  twenty  yo:;'.'.-} 
which  had  been  strictly  and  honorably  fulfilled.'  An  acting  general  in  llio 
United  States  army  affirms  that,  'Civilization  makes  it  own  compact  with  t!io 
weaker  party;  it  is  violated,  but  not  by  the  savage.'  A  commission  on  In- 
dian affairs  reports:  'Tlie  history  of  the  government  comiections  with  tlio 
Indians  is  a  shiimcful  record  of  broken  treaties  and  unfulfilled  promises.  The 
history  of  the  border  white  man's  connections  with  the  Indians  is  a  sickening 
record  of  murder,  outrage,  robbery,  and  wrong  committed  by  the  former  as  a 
rule,  and  occasional  savage  outbreaks  and  unspeakable  barljaroua  deeds  of 
retaliation  by  tlie  latter  as  the  exception.'  It  is  useless  to  multiply  words 
upon  the  subject  when  we  can  find  them  officially  prmted  in  black  and 
danniing  uliaracters  like  tlie  following  from  the  governor  of  Oregon  to  the 
sheriff  of  Umatilla  county,  dated  the  18th  of  July  1878:  'It  is  not  necessary, 
in  my  judgment' — Chad  wick's,  I  presume,  too  good  a  man  for  so  bad  a  judg- 
ment— ^'that  any  of  the  Indians  taken  should  have  been  personally  present 
at  any  particular  murder  in  order  to  make  them  amenable  to  the  law.  Their 
depredations  in  Umatilla  County  may  be  regarded  as  parts  of  a  general  com- 
bination or  conspiracy  for  the  commission  of  a  crime,  and  all  who  arc  in  any 
way  connected  with  it  may  be  regarded  as  principals.' 

-An  agent  at  Siletz,  Oregon,  robbed  the  natives  in  his  charge  of  .?oO,000, 
took  service  in  the  army  as  a  colonel,  held  high  his  head,  talked  loudly  of 
extermination  as  the  only  cure  of  the  Indian  evil,  and  found  among  our  iutcl- 


THE  UNITED  STATES. 


533 


All  our  TiKlian  wars  may  T)c  traced  immediately 
to  Olio  of  tliree  causes,  namely,  outragCH  by  border 
men,  failure  of  government  in  fuliilling  its  promises, 
and  frauds  perpetrated  by  agents.  The  outrages  com- 
mitted liy  settlers  and  desperadoes  of  the  l)order 
C(pial  any  in  the  annals  of  crime.  Indian  agents  liavo 
always  been  notorious  for  their  peculations,  the  natives 
scarcely  ever  receiving  more  than  twenty  i)V  thirty  per 
cent  of  the  amount  appropriated  by  the  government 
for  their  benefit.' 

I  jack  beyond  the  Allcghanics  the  natives  were  at 
first  driven;  then  they  were  made  to  vacate  the  fe'i'tile 
valleys  of  the  Ohio  and  the  Mississij)pi,  and  finally  the 
saints  of  Salt  Lake  and  the  gold-diggers  of  California 
completed  a  continuous  line  of  pacified  country  to  the 
Pacific.  A  recital  of  events  during  this  westward 
progress  of  civilization  would  cause  a  heart  c^f  stone 
to  bleed.  Adopting  the  red  man's  mode  of  warfare, 
his  treachery,  and  his  pitiless  exterminating  policy, 
wliicli  civilization  so  loves  to  denoiince,  stealthily  and 
in  darkness  crept  the  noble  European  from  east  to 
west,  his  pathway  marked  by  the  scalped  carcasses 

ligeut  antl  fiiir-mindetl  people  many  ardent  admirers.  Pnrri>ih'.s  Iivl.  A  iter- 
doles,  MS.,  74.  Chilliman,  a  Coquille  native,  separated  wliite  men  into  three 
classes — the  missionaries,  who  were  sober  and  righteous  ;  the  '  l>ostaus,'  who 
drank  whiskey,  swore,  and  abused  tliem ;  and  tlie  soldiers,  the  '  JJostons' ' 
<logs,  who  killed  the  Indiana  when  set  upon  them  by  their  masters.  Vile, 
Kunsual  men,  far  below  the  brutes  in  bestiality,  who  could  not  .speak  with- 
out copiously  interlarding  their  words  with  liorrible  oaths  and  imprecations, 
sometimes  2)laye(l  the  missionary,  selling  the  savages  packs  of  cards  forbiljles, 
and  telling  them  God  woidd  be  angry  with  them  if  they  refused  them  women, 
and  the  like.  Martin's  llud.toii's  Bay,  73-0 ;  Parker's  Ex.  Tour,  84-."). 

^  I  coulil  cite  by  the  score  instances  which  would  set  abla/e  every  honest 
lieai't,  and  noake  one  wonder  how  almighty  justice  should  sluml>er  amidst  such 
inhuman  wrong.  The  interposition  of  force  to  prevent  the  lustful  advances  of 
dissolute  white  men  towanl  their  wives  and  daughters  has  cost  the  liio  of 
many  a  nnt'vo  father  and  husband,  Jind  has  been  the  occasion  of  many  battles. 
Driven  from  their  hereditary  liuntmg-grounds,  their  game  frighteneil  yet 
faither  away,  robbed  of  the  food  provided  by  the  government,  l)y  vaiiiiiires 
v,  lio  to  add  a  few  dollars  to  their  illicit  gains  with  brutal  indifrcrc-nco  saw 
wliolo  families  stiirve,  to  save  their  lives  they  would  sometimes  kill  and  eat  a 
stray  animal  belonging  to  a  settler.  But  such  instiuices  weio  exceedingly 
rare,  and  occurred  only  when  the  poor  shelterless  people  were  driven  Ijy 
liunger  to  desperation ;  for  they  knew  that  in  all  probability  their  lives  would 
l)u  the  penalty.  Often  and  often  in  California  the  nearest  ranchcria  of  Indians 
have  been  butchered  by  drunken  miners  for  ofl'eucea  which  it  was  afterward 
ascertained  never  had  been  committed  at  all. 


ATTITUDES  OF  FUR-TRADERS  AND  NATIVES. 

of  savniyos  antl  the  mutilated  bodies  of  iin«)fFendin<:^ 
■\voincii  and  innocent  children.  Such  is  Cliristianify 
and  civilization  as  carried  westward  from  Plymoutli 
Kock  into  the  forests  of  America  by  desciendants  of 
the  Puritans.* 

And  the  saddest  feature  of  it  is  that  there  should 
be  upon  this  so  righteou  dy  governed  planet  so  (fvvi\t 
a  wrong  for  which  there  is  no  remedy.  While  in  the 
full  enjoyment  of  what  God  had  given  them,  wo  canio 
ui)on  them,  killed  them,  and  took  their  possessions. 
Being  stronger  than  they,  being  what  wo  call  civil- 
ized, it  was  what  wo  call  right  thus  to  displace  them. 
They  arc  dead,  and  have  left  no  inheritors  of  their 
wrongs.  All  we  can  do  is  to  hide  our  heads  in  sJiamo 
over  the  outrages  committed  in  our  behalf,  and  teach 
our  cliildren  that  murder  and  theft  are  equally  wicked, 
wliethcr  perpetrated  by  nations  or  individuals,  by 
civilization  or  savagism,  in  Christ's  name  or  in  the 
devil's  name, 

Whom  did  we  make  a  neighbor  of  the  red  man? 
Who  upon  the  ever  shifting  border  of  these  American 
states  have  been  our  civilizers?  The  whiskey- seller, 
the  blasphemer,  the  cheat,  the  libertine,  tlie  des- 
perado, the  assassin.  Even  the  missionary  lacked  that 
complete  and  c  uitable  moral  sense  whence  alone 
comes  even-handed  justice." 

■*  It  would  be  difficult  to  find  in  the  annals  of  law-making  anything  more 
absolutoly  repulsive  to  a  humane  mind  than  the  following  from  the  le2iril;iti\-o 
journals  of  Idaho:  'I'esnlvcd,  That  three  men  be  appointed  to  select  25  men 
to  go  to  Indian-hunting,  and  all  those  who  can  fit  themselves  out  shall  recL'i\o 
a  nominal  sum  for  all  scalps  that  they  may  bring  in;  and  all  who  cannot  lit 
themselves  out  shall  be  fitted  out  by  the  committee,  and  when  they  bring  in 
sculps  it  shall  be  deducted  out.  That  for  every  buck  scalp  be  paid  JrHOO,  and 
for  every  squaw  §50,  and  ft2.")  for  eveiything  in  the  shape  of  an  Indian  umlcr 
ten  j'cars  of  age.  That  each  scalp  shall  have  the  curl  of  the  head,  and  c  icli 
man  shall  make  oath  that  the  said  scalp  was  taken  by  the  company.'  When 
we  sec  such  sentiments  promulgated  in  such  language  by  the  legislature  of 
one  of  our  moat  recently  formed  territories,  we  may  well  blush  for  our  people. 
Nothing  I  ha^•e  ever  read  of  outrages  in  any  form  has  called  up  8tron,i,'er 
feelings  of  disgust. 

^Wliat  shall  we  say  of  such  a  sentiment  as  this  proceeding  from  the  mouth 
of  Christ's  vicegerent:  'If  a  policy  had  been  established  with  the  Indians  in 
tlie  outset  tliat  the  whites  had  in  the  providence  of  God  become  the  inhabitant?! 
of  the  United  States,  the  inhabitants  of  the  same  soil  with  the  Indians,  and 
tliat  we  liad  just  as  good  a  right  to  the  soil  as  the  Indians  because  tliere  was  a 
time  when,  they  did  not  occupy  it,'  etc.  ParrUh'a  lad.  Anecdoks,  MS.,  7-. 


THE  BRITISH  COMPANIES. 


533 


All  this  time  the  more  respectable  of  our  nation, 
good  and  kind  dolts  as  they  are,  reading  of  outbreaks 
on  the  border  and  thinkinLT  only  of  slaujxhtered  set- 
tiers  and  their  burnintf  honien,  rejjard  their  own  :\s 
the  most  injured  of  races,  berate  the  govermnent  for 
its  leniency  in  its  dealings  with  savages,  and  on  Sun- 
day listen  to  their  pastor's  explanation  how  the  dilh- 
culty  can  be  solved  only  by  the  total  extinction  of 
the  barbarians.  I  have  heard  God's  ministers  preach 
blood  and  injustice  from  the  jtulpit  until  my  soul  has 
sickened. 

Soldiers  burn  to  inflict  upon  them  the  very  hor- 
rors they  so  severely  denounce.  "  Dragoon  them," 
says  one.  "  Kill  seven  nations  if  necessary,"  says 
another,  in  order  to  j)rotect  a  band  of  diss'^Iute  traj)- 
pers  or  a  half  dozen  ruffia;L  miners.  It  is  the  old 
revenge,  hatred,  and  curses  for  those  we  have  injured." 

The  Indian  policy  of  the  Northwest  and  Hudson's 
Bay  companies  was  quite  the  reverse  of  those  of 
Spain  and  the  United  States.  In  the  absence  of  golil 
and  the  desire  of  settlement,  the  great  temptations  to 
abuse  or  extirpate  were  removed. 

Several  causes  united  to  bring  about  this  state  of 
things.  The  British  who  first  planted  their  foi-ts  on 
the  inhospitable  shores  of  Hudson  Bay  were  wholly 
dependent  upon  the  natives  for  their  entire  trade. 
They  could  not  penetrate  the  interior  and  catch  the 
fur-bearing  animals  themselves.     Unless  they  were 

'The  thcmo  of  the  cruelty  of  man  to  his  fellow-man  begins  with  the  1>e- 
ginning  of  the  race,  and  to  all  appearances  will  end  only  with  the  extinction 
of  tlio  race.  There  arc  no  devils  more  wicked  tlian  man;  it  liKilJLjna  tiie 
beasts  to  call  men  brutal,  for  brutes  do  not  indulge  in  such  mcrcilcs.i  diver- 
sion as  enslaving  or  torturing  tlicir  captives.  Those  who  have  a  desire  to 
continue  their  investigations  further  should  consult  Eraiix'  Hist.  (Jr.,  MS., 
172-.");  Piirrifs/i'.i  liidtaa  Anecdote  a,  MS.,  Uo;  Sir  Gciir(jc  S''m])i(in,  in  llomi' 
of  Commons  Ii<pf.  Iludioii's  limi  Co.,  S5;  Victor's  AV(v  l'fiicttip<\  102,  and 
llhvr  of  Ihc  Wcit,  2);  Dnikr's  'Wild  North  Land,  TM  /)r,/,/,''s  Pl'ins,  xvii. 
321,  430,  passim;  Unifrevilk's  Hudson  s  liaij,  GO;  AlthotCs  Kit,  <'<ir.<on,  72, 
passim;  Peters'  Kit  ( 'arson,  r>27;  ]>nnns  Or.,  71,  81-.'5;  Grcciihnv's  Or.  and 
<'«/,,  307;  Duurriren's  Great  'Vride,  118,  passim;  Mardonul'l's  Brit.  CoL, 
50-12-t,  172--U4;  Ircinj's  Astoria,  olo;  2\iclies  North  West,  110;  Jlarnioii'a 
Journal,  33-4. 


538 


ATTITUDES  OF  FUR-TRADERS  AND  NATIVES. 


frirndly  with  the  inhabitants,  unless  their  conduct  was 
such  as  to  inspire  confidence,  not  alone  in  personal 
safety  but  in  fair  dealing,  the  fur-traders  might  as  well 
have  remained  at  homo. 

Hence  it  was  ordered  at  the  home  office  that  the 
savages  should  be  treated  as  human  beinjjs.  The  men 
were  not  to  bo  shot  down  at  pleasure,  or  the  women 
to  be  stolen,  or  the  children  scalped.  In  commercial 
intercourse  they  were  not  to  be  cheated;  their  self- 
respect  was  to  be  fos^red;  credit  was  to  be  given 
them,  and  their  necessities  wore  to  be  relieved,  even 
when  there  was  little  probability  of  returns,  British 
sovereigns,  instead  of  calling  them  'bucks'  and  'squaws,' 
the  most  disgusting  and  brutal  appellations  ever  be- 
stowed on  men  and  women,  designated  them  as  'Our 
American  Subjects,'  which  term  for  some  reason  car- 
ries with  it  a  sense  of  greater  security  and  fair  treatment 
than  the  'Our  Wards'  of  the  United  States. 

As  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  spread  southward 
and  westward,  and  finally  laid  claim  to  the  whole  of 
hyperborean  North  America,  their  original  policy 
became  yet  more  firmly  established.  They  found  the 
natives  exceedingly  useful  to  them,  indispensable,  in 
fact,  to  their  trade;  to  hunt  was  one  of  the  few  things 
an  Indian  could  do  without  disgrace — that  and  beating 
his  wives,  decking  himself  in  finery,  assassinating  an 
enemy,  and  getting  drunk.  To  preserve  the  wild 
men,  the  game,  and  the  native  hunters  were  all  abso- 
lutely essential  to  the  continuance  of  their  exceedingly 
lucrative  traffic.  By  this  time  they  were  strong 
enough,  l^acked  up  by  their  pretended  chartered  rights, 
to  hold  the  countr}^  against  interlopers  and  completely 
to  dominate  it.  Obviously  settlement  would  be  fatal. 
The  admission  of  rival  traders  was  not  to  be  thousi'ht 
of  Even  the  employment  of  Irish  or  Orkno}^  n>en  as 
hunters,  were  such  a  course  possible,  would  sooner  or 
later  break  up  their  monopoly;  for  with  the  admission 
of  white  men  in  greater  numbers  than  they  could 
individually  control,  the  land  would  quickly  be  thrown 


RECOGNITION  OF  RIGHTS. 


537 


open  to  the  world.  In  these  forests  they  could  manage 
savagism  better  than  civilization;  and  they  did  manage 
perfectly. 

By  their  moral  and  intellectual  superiority  they 
not  only  stimulated  the  natives  to  greater  activity  in 
bringing  in  peltries,  thereby  converting  them  into  cus- 
tomers, but  they  made  them  dependents  and  allies, 
building  of  them  bulwarks  for  permanent  protection. 
And  here  their  servants,  the  patient  peasants  of  Aber- 
deenshire, achieved  a  grander  conquest  than  did  ever 
the  comrades  of  Cortes  or  Pi-:arro.  The  i-apine  of 
the  wealth  of  civilized  nations  required  little  else  than 
cunning  and  brute  courajj^e,  whereas  in  the  domination 
of  the  countless  tribes  inhabiting  the  vast  forests  and 
plains  of  the  north,  there  nmst  be  in  dealing  with 
those  hunters  and  fishers,  in  appearance  at  least,  a 
recognition  of  rights.  Thus  it  was  in  the  Oregon 
Territory  that  such  British  subjects  as  the  company 
could  easily  control  were  welcome,  v.hile  citizens  of 
the  United  States  were  discouratjced.  The  natives 
were  taught  to  despise  alike  the  Americans  and  their 
goods:  not  because  they  were  Americans,  but  because 
they  were  not  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company.  Their 
own  countrymen  of  the  Northwest  Company  they 
fought  far  more  bitterly  than  ever  they  opposed  the 
Americans,  Spaniards,  or  Russians. 

By  the  time  tl^e  conquest  of  Canada  was  achieved, 
and  the  Northwest  Company  was  faii-ly  in  the  field, 
the  wise  and  conciliating  policy  of  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company  had  become  so  tirmly  established,  and  was 
so  universally  recognized  as  the  profitable  and  light- 
cous  one,  that  the  Northwest  Company  was  in  a 
measure  obliged  to  adopt  it.  Indeed  during  their 
bitter  and  bloot'y  feuds  both  sides  became  too  con- 
ciliatory, feeding  the  native  with  iire-water  until  he 
could  not  hunt,  and  paying  him  more  for  his  peltiies 
than  the  traflSc  justified.  Nowdiere  does  the  Hudson's 
Bay  (Company  system  claim  our  admiration,  to  greater 
extent  than  in  its  treatment  of  ofienders. 


CSS 


ATTITUDES  OF  FUR-TRADERS  AND  NATIVES. 


The  object  was  in  all  cases  even  and  exact  justice, 
not  indiscriminate  retaliation.  Unlike  the  people  of 
the  United  States,  the  British  North  Americans  did 
not  seek  to  revenge  themselves  upon  savage  wrong- 
doers after  the  savage  fashion. 

When  an  offence  was  committed  they  did  not  go 
out  and  shoot  down  the  first  Indians  they  met;  they 
did  not  butcher  innocent  women  and  children;  they 
did  not  scalp  or  offer  rewards  for  scalps.  Professing 
Christianity  and  civilization,  the  argument  that  as 
brutes  and  savages  treat  us,  so  we  must  treat  brutes 
and  savages,  had  no  force.  A  stolen  article  must  be 
restored,  and  the  tribe  harboring  a  thief  was  cut  off 
from  commercial  intercourse.  The  fort  gates  were 
closed  to  them;  they  could  neither  sell  nor  buy  until 
the  thief  was  brought  to  punishment. 

If  an  Indian  murdered  a  white  man,  or  any  person 
in  the  employ  of  the  company,  the  tribe  to  which  he 
belonged  were  assured  that  they  had  nothing  to  fear, 
that  King  George  men  were  single-hearted  and  just, 
that  unlike  the  Indians  themselves,  they  did  not  deem 
it  fair  to  punish  the  innocent  for  the  deeds  of  the 
guilt}' ;  but  the  murderer  must  be  delivered  to  them. 
This  demand  was  enforced  with  inexorable  persistency; 
and  herein  lay  the  secret  of  their  strength.  In  all 
that  vast  realm  which  they  ruled  there  was  not 
mountain  distant  enough,  nor  forest  deep  enougli, 
nor  icy  cave  dark  enough,  to  hide  the  felon  from 
their  justice,  though  none  but  he  need  have  aught  to 
fear.  The  officers  and  servants  of  the  company  were 
ordered  to  go  to  any  trouble  or  expense  in  seeking 
and  punishing  au  offender,  and  they  were  never  ti> 
cease  their  efforts  until  the  end  was  accomplished. 
Threats  were  made  aii'ainst  those  who  harbored  a 
criminal,  anil  rewards  offered  for  their  capture.  Num- 
berless instances  I  might  cite  where  criminals  were 
tracked  for  thousands  of  miles,  and  where  an  ofiic*  r 
of  the  company  would  enf  .ra  hostile  camp  alone,  and 
shooting  to  death  a  murderer  walk  away  unharmed. 


EVEX-HAJa)ED  JUSTICE. 


539 


Often  friendly  natives  would  be  employed  to  capture 
malefactors/ 

This  certainty  of  punishment  acted  upon  the  savage 
mind  with  all  the  power  of  a  superstition.  Felons 
trembled  before  the  white  man's  justice  as  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Almighty. 

Five  hundred  millions  of  dollars  the  United  States 
has  spent  in  Indian  wars.  Between  the  shores  of 
the  Atlantic  and  Pacific,  in  United  States  territory, 
there  is  not  a  hundred-mile  patch  on  which  white 
men  and  red  have  not  fouijht;  and  durinjx  our  hun- 
dred  years  of  national  history  each  successive  score 
may  count  its  great  Indian  battle,  and  some  scores 
three  or  five.  North  of  the  Canadian  line,  wliero 
dominate  the  same  avaricious  Anglo-Saxon  race  over 
the  same  untamed  element  of  humanity,  there  never 
have  been  Indian  wars  or  massacres  such  as  ha^•o 
been  almost  constant  on  the  United  States  border,  n<  )t 
a  single  encounter  such  as  we  could  call  a  bloody 
battle;*^  and  no  money  spent  by  the  government  to 
keep  the  natives  in  peaceful  subjection.  The  reason 
is  plain.  In  the  latter  instance  the  natives  are 
treated  as  human  beinos    and  their  riijhts  in  some 

'Alexander  Simpson  in  liia  life  of  his  brother,  Thomas  Simpson,  states 
that  nuirilor  was  avjuged  by  blood  for  blood  without  trial.  Tlio  House  of 
Coinuion.5  committee,  y/e/wrt  llwlson's  liuij  Compmnj,  01,  asked  Sir  (teorgc 
Simpson  if  this  statement  was  true.  Ho  replied:  'Wo  are  obliged  to  punish 
Indians  ;is  a  matter  of  self-preservation  in  some  parts  of  the  country.  We  sel- 
dom gi,t  hold  of  them  for  the  purpose  of  trial,  and  they  are  usually  punisheil  \;y 
their  own  tribe.  I  scarcely  know  a  case,  though  there  may  have  been  periiap.s  a 
few  cases,  in  wliich  our  own  servants  liave  retaliated.'  I  could  cite.  Sir  ( ieor  .;e, 
a  score  of  cases ;  in  short,  retaliation  without  trial  was  the  rule,  and  puni.sh- 
ment  by  the  tribe  the  exception. 

*Tiie  reverend  Mr  Hines,  in  his  Oregon,  ils  llkfonj,  etc.,  301-."),  bcconus 
somewhat  loose  iu  his  statements  respecting  intercourse  Avith  tlie  niitivei. 
All  tile  sins  of  all  the  fur-liunters  and  border  ruihans  he  hij's  indiscriminately 
upon  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company.  In  general  an<l  sweejiiug  Rtatcments  lio 
fills  the  iiortliern  country  with  wars,  robberies,  and  murders  which  I  fill 
utterly  to  lind  corroliorated,  surjiassing  even  ^Ir  'iray  in  this  partiru'ar. 
Strangely  enough  wo  find  stated  on  the  same  page  that  while  t!.ey  art;  iu  the 
liabit  iif  sending  out  war  parties  to  attack  indiseriminately  the  oO'eiiding  tribe  ^ 
and  fi'Cipu.'Utly  in  these  excursions  women  and  cliililren  have  bi;eu  the  gr<;ate<t 
suH'eicrs,  yet — 'wlioever  lias  been  intimately  aciiuainted  \\'\\\\  tlie  Hudson's 
I>ay  Company,  and  has  observed  its  operations  for  any  length  of  time,  must 
be  aware  that  the  poliry  pursued  by  •'leni  with  reference  to  the  Indians,  la 
one  of  the  greatest  forbearance  and  couciUutiou.' 


t 

! 


1 1 


640 


ATTITUDES  OF  FUR-TRADERS  AND  NATIVES. 


measure  respected.  Being  amenable  to  the  law  they 
are  protected  by  the  law.  In  the  former  case  they 
are  treated  as  brutes,  having  no  rights. 

Of  crimes  among  themselves,  of  their  wars  and 
atrocities,  the  fur  companies  did  not  feel  called  upon 
to  take  special  notice,  though  without  direct  int(.;r- 
forence  they  used  their  influence  to  prevent  barbarities 
and  maintain  the  peace,  for  the  men  could  not  hunt 
and  trade  while  fighting. 

By  preventing  the  coalition  of  neighboring  nations, 
by  fostering  petty  jealousies,  by  refusing  arms  and 
annnunition  for  purposes  of  war,  by  dividing  clans,  by 
setting  up  one  chief  and  deposing  another,  by  weak- 
ening: the  stronix  and  strcnu^theninix  the  weak,  the 
fur  companies  held  the  balance  of  power,  and  easily 
controlled  the  fierce  tribes  by  which  they  were  sur- 
rounded." 

Now  it  would  not  be  just  to  human  nature,  it 
would  not  be  just  to  Spaniard  or  Russian,  or  to  our 
own  people  of  the  United  States,  to  infer  from  their 
superior  Indian  policy  and  kinder  treatment  of  the 
savage  that  the  fur-traders  of  British  North  America 
were  better  men,  more  humane  or  fair-minded.  It 
was  alone  the  difference  of  situation  and  circumstances 
that  made  them  different.  In  the  gold -producing 
regions  of  middle  America  they  would  have  carried 
themselves  very  like  the  Spaniards;  thrown  among 
the  fierce  islanders  of  Alaska,  they  would  have  de- 
fended themselves  M'itli  cruel  retaliations,  as  did  the 
llussians;  and  to  suppose  for  a  moment  that  the 
Scotch  and  English  M'ho  traded  around  Hudson  Bay 
were  morally  superior  to  their  countrymen  who  landed 
on  Plymouth  Rock  and  founded  this  great  American 
republic  is  simply  ridiculous.     The  British  fur  com- 

*To\vnseud,  spenkinj^  in  his  NarmHir,  lOo,  of  Thomas  McKay,  who 
luiiteil  the  iirtk'ss  frankness  of  the  forester  with  the  affaljle  grace  of  the 
Frenchman,  greatly  iKhnired  the  disciphne  of  his  men,  most  of  wliom  were 
Canadians,  linlf -breeds,  anil  Indians.  McKay  ruled  tlieui  completely, altliough 
they  required  his  constant  attention.  Flagellation  was  sometimes  resorted 
to,  but  this  disgraceful  punishment  was  inllieted  only  by  the  hand  of  the 
cuptuiu  himself;  otherwise  the  liumiliutiou  would  be  unendurable. 


THE  FREE  TRAPPER. 


541 


panies  found  it  to  tlioir  pecuniary  interest  to  be  just 
and  humane  in  their  deahngs  with  the  natives — this 
and  nothing  niore.^" 

UnHke  the  United  States  border  men,  the  servants 
of  the  British- American  fur  companies  were  bred  to 
the  business,  and  hold  to  a  strict  accountabihty  for 
every  act,  whether  in  their  intercourse  with  white  men 
or  Indians.  They  were  no  more  allowed  to  shoot  or 
ill-treat  savarjes  than  to  murder  or  swindle  their  own 
comrades." 

The  free  trapper,  on  the  other  hand,  was  often  a 
rough  character  escaped  from  home  in  early  life  or 
from  later  questionable  transactions,  governed  solely 
by  his  passions,  and  responsible  to  no  one;  all  cases 
were  to  him  simple  questions  of  expediency.  Many 
held  savages  to  be  really  soulless,  and  the  killing  of 
them  no  greater  crime  than  the  killing  of  wild  beasts. 
Indians  were  only  a  distinct  species  of  animals,  re- 
markable chiefly  for  their  instinct  of  revenge.     Con- 


'*Gray  says  that  Greenhow  is  quite  -BTong  in  ascribing  to  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company  efforts  to  promote  culture  and  conversion,  and  I  am  of  the 
same  opinion  Tiiysclf.  There  are  inatances  wlicre  pious  postmasters  have 
supplemented  tlie  efforts  of  the  missionary,  and  encoui-agcd  schools  and  con- 
version. But  in  tlie  main  it  was  money  the  company  sought,  and  not  tlio 
mental  or  mural  improvement  of  the  savages.  As  a  class  they  were  ungodly 
men  for  that  day,  anil  quite  inclined  to  lechery,  the  freedom  of  the  forest 
seemingly  having  freed  their  minds  from  many  of  the  trammels  of  conven- 
tional thought. 

'I'A  Hudson  Bay  officer  would  receive  no  thanks  for  cheating  an  Indian. 
The  policy  of  the  company  was  h<jnesty,  and  also  to  keep  the  scvci-al  tiihos 
divided  and  at  enmity  among  themselves.'  Fhildi/mn^ii  Wincourrr  /.t/and,  MS., 
83.  Mr  Finlayson  also  bears  testimony  that  the  natives  were  honest  when 
honestly  treated.  Slaves,  he  says,  were  an  ch^ment  dangerous  to  tlie  fur- 
traders,  who  made  presents  to  the  chiefs  to  liberate  them  :  for  if  a  .slave  was 
ordered  by  his  i>'aster  to  kill  .a  white  man  he  nuist  do  it  or  Ije  killed  liimsrlf. 
Said  Mrs  Harvey,  daughter  of  Dr  McLoughlin.  to  me  in  her  quaint  way: 
'The  Indians  camo  into  the  Hudson's  Biiy  fort  at  Vancouver  in  sjiring  iimro 
than  at  any  other  time.  There  was  a  large  liall  there  where  they  came  in 
and  sat  down.  The  Indians  would  ask  what  was  right  to  be  done,  and  my 
father  told  them  what  was  riglit  ami  what  was  not  right — whether,  for  in- 
stance, they  should  kill  such  a  man  for  doing  so  and  so.  If  he  .said  'Xo,  you 
nnist  not,  it  is  wrong,'  it  would  be  all  stopped.  The  whites,  hired  men, 
sonictimes  troubled  the  Indians,  and  they  would  complain  to  my  father.  Ho 
would  put  them  in  irons.'  llarveifs  Life  McLouijIdiii,  MS.,  ii.  'I  have  not 
heard  as  yet  of  a  single  instance  of  any  Indian  being  wantonly  killed  by  any 
of  the  men  belonging  to  this  company.  Nor  have  I  heard  any  boasting  among 
them  of  the  satisfaction  taken  in  killing  or  abusing  Indians,  that  I  have  else- 
where heard.'  Parhr'a  Ex.  Tour,  131. 


042 


ATTITUDES  OF  FUR-TRADERS  AND  NATIVES. 


sequently  wlien  one  thought  of  shooting  an  Indian  for 
the  boavcr-skin  he  carried,  it  was  well  enough  to  con- 
sider the  chances  of  capture  and  escape.  This  was 
the  doctrine  many  independent  frontiersmen  acted 
U[)on.  I  know  of  nothing  of  the  kind  during  the  two 
centuries  of  fur- hunting  history  north  of  the  United 
States  boundary." 

To  gain  yet  further  influence  over  the  savages, 
a  system  of  wife-taking  or  popular  concubinage  was 
encouraged  by  the  fur  companies  on  belialf  of  their 
officers  and  servants.  By  this  means  two  objects 
were  secured:  the  more  powerful  native  tribes  were 
allied  to  the  traders'  interest,  and  the  servants  of 
the  companies,  as  offspring  came  on,  became  fixed  in 
the  country.  Further  than  this,  gross  immorality 
anionix  officers  and  subordinates,  which  often  led  to 
dangerous  feuds,  was  thus  in  a  measure  prevented. 
No  civilized  marriag^e  rites  attended  these  unions. 
The  father  of  the  bride  was   usually  solicited,  and 

'■'The  authorities  on  this  subject  .are  almost  endless.  Among  the  more 
important  arc  Jlurvcy'sLifc  of  McLoiiijhlin,  MS.,  5-G ;  WorL-'^Joiirnal,  MS., "JO."); 
F'iiil(tij^riii'--<  I'niiroiivcr  Iiilmid,  ^Ifi.,  S'.i—l;  Kaiic'.t  Wonleriiiij-'i,  9G-7;  Uinfir- 
rillirn  lIiKhoii^s  Bail,  GO;  Sir  G.  Back,  in  Iloiifte  of  t'ommnns  Ih'pl.  Iluifton^s 
Ban  (Joiuiiaii;/,  18G;  tichoolcrnfCs  Per.  Mejiioirs:,  ',i2~ ;  Viujc.'i  al  Xortr,  MS., 
411 ;  Sir  T.  l\icliardson,  in  lloii-te  of  Cominons  Iicpt..  Iludsrni'i  Bay  (Jonipuiii/, 
l.")y-(iO;  Al/lioft'n  Kit  Carson,  72;  trrienhow'n  Or.  auil  Cal..  307;  Dnnraven's 
Or<ut  Dtchh,  li21;  Fl/zije raid's  Vancouver  Island,  chajt.  \iL;  I'ictor's  Itioer  of 
the  West,  '20.  Mr  Gray,  Hist.  Or.,  chaps,  v.  vii.  Ixiv.,  catalo;,'ue3  the  crimes 
of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company ;  and  others  writing  as  partisans  enumerate 
many  ati'ocities  committed  by  its  servants.  These  I  do  not  deny.  It  would 
be  stnmgo  if  in  tlie  arbitrary  and  informal  administration  of  justice  in  this 
di:jtaut  wilderness  some  excesses  were  not  comm'tted  by  the  inexperienced. 
I  have  not  space  to  cite  examples.  I  am  not  writing  as  a  partisan.  !My 
oi)inion,  based  upon  my  study  ot  the  subject,  is  that  for  every  case  of  unfair- 
iiusa  or  cruelty  perpetrated  by  the  northern  fur  companies  upon  the  natives, 
one  hundred  crimes,  each  of  tenfold  intensity,  might  easily  be  found  wliicli 
have  been  committed  by  our  border  ruffians  antl  the  holders  of  office  under  the 
United  States  government.  Martin,  Hudson's  Bay,  1 1 1-13G,  quotes  The.  Bi-<hoi> 
of  MnntreaPs  Journal,  Missionary  Papers,  and  Exlrurts  from  Dcspalehcs  of 
various  Chief  Factors  and  others  to  prove  that  tlie  conduct  of  the  company 
was  wise,  prudent,  and  benevolent.  Mr  Martin  writes  only  in  the  interest 
of  tlie  company,  and  though  he  states  only  one  side,  his  assertions  are  in  the 
main  true.  A.  ilcUonnell,  in  House  of  Commons  Bept.  Hudson's  Bay  Conipani/, 
3a0,  thinks  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  system  one  of  bondage  to  the  native, 
and  believes  competition  to  bo  materially  beneficial  to  him.  The  Nootkas 
begged  an  American  captain  not  to  sell  muskets  to  certain  tribes  lest  they 
bhyulJ  become  too  powerful.   Viajes  al  Norte  de  Cat,,  MS.,  411. 


THE  ALUIRIAGE  POLICY. 


543 


presents  were  made;  the  del ii^hted  women  tlius  taken 
were  as  a  rule  affectionate  and  obedient,  and  to  the 
honor  of  the  fur-hunters  be  it  said  they  were  treated 
by  the  men  with  kindness  and  often  with  show  of 
respect.  To  some  regrets  never  came:  they  seemed 
to  take  as  much  pride  and  happiness  in  their  Indian 
wives  and  half-breed  children  as  if  tlie  hair  had  been 
less  lank  and  the  skin  less  dark  and  greasy;  others, 
more  refined  and  sensitive,  perhaps  exjxrienced  re- 
grets in  finding  themselves  tlius  trammelled  as  mar- 
riageable white  women  began  to  ajipear," 

Some,  in  returninij  to  civilization  and  minaling 
again  with  graceful,  lovable,  fair- featured  women 
having  hearts  and  minds  akin  to  their  own,  remem- 
bered their  forest  family  with  some  degree  of  shamo 
and  chaiirin:  but  back  aujain  amidst  their  old  associa- 
tions  they  were  speedily  reconciled.'* 

The  British  American  fur  companies  were  not  the 
first  to  encourage  sexual  union  with  the  natives.  It 
lias  been  the  English  policy  since  tlie  man-lage  of 
John  Rolfe  and  Pocahontas  in  1(5 1 G.  The  treaty 
with  Powhatan  txrowintf  out  of  this  alliance  was  faith- 
fully  observed  by  him,  and  renewed  by  his  successor. 
Yet  this  turning  the  wilderness  into  a  liarem,  and  the 
settlements,  where  intoxicatinLj  drink  was  introduced, 
into  iJandemonium,  greatly  scandalized  the  mission- 
aries, who  saw  their  harvest  thus  spoiled  and  their 
religion  disgraced  by  emissai'ies  of  Satan. 

"Although  infonnal,  these  marriagea  had  been  pronounced  hinding  by  the 
courts.  From  the  (jIuIJ  Ifrriihl  Mr  Anderson,  JJiif.  Xnrt'iinxf  Cuasf,  MS., 
208--9,  extracts  <a  case  decided  l)y  the  superior  court  at  Montreal.  AVilliani 
Connolly  in  ISOJJ  purcliased  an  Indian  wit'e,  thus  niarryinc;  lii'r,  acconling  to 
iibori.'.Mnal  custom.  The  two  lived  together 'J3  years,  and  ten  cliildicn  were 
born  to  them.  In  1831  Connolly  returned  to  Canada  with  his  fa  Jiily  and  con- 
tinued to  cohabit  with  his  wife  until  tiie  following  year,  lie  tlieu  marrieil 
his  cousin,  and  the  Indian  wife  returned  to  her  country,  being  gianted  an 
annuity  by  Connolly.  The  children  were  also  treated  with  grjat  iiindnes.s 
and  liberally  educated.  Connolly  died  in  l!-!41).  Tlic  Indian  A\ifo  died  in 
18(]2.  Action  was  brought  by  the  eldest  son  to  recover  a  portion  of  tlie  ju-op- 
crty,  on  the  ground  that  the  second  marriage  was  illegal.  Judgment  waa 
rendered  for  tlie  plaintiff,  thus  alHrraing  the  legality  of  Indian  marriages. 

'*Sce  Victor's  Xtw  Peiirlopr,  10.1:  /funitoii'n  Juid-iial,  -am.;  Btillcr's  Wild 
North  Land,  •iAr-'t;  WUkrti'  Nar.  U .  S.  Ex.  Erped.,i\'.',\o2;  Mui/ne's  Brit.  Vol., 
110;  Grtenhow'a  Or.  and  CuJ.,  398;  White's  Or.,  UD-20. 


644 


ATTITUDES  OP  FUR-TRADERS  AND  NATIVES. 


Attached  by  wife  and  children  to  the  soil,  of  wliich 
during  good  behavior  a  small  patch  for  a  garden  was 
allowed  them,  the  servants  of  the  company  sank  to 
a  state  of  vassalage.  The  strictest  decorum  was  in 
this  way  secured,  but  the  offspring  thus  engendered 
were  usually  without  much  mind  or  energy. 

The  term  metis,  or  half-breed,  is  used  to  designate 
any  mixture  of  white  and  Indian  blood;  sometimes  a 
person  witli  one  fourth  Indian  blood  is  called  a  quad- 
roon, but  that  appellation  is  not  common  in  northern 
intermixtures.  The  chief  distinction  is  French  half- 
breeds  and  Eufjlish  half-breeds,  which  are  so  dcsiLf- 
nated  according  to  the  language  spoken  rather  than 
actual  parentage.  Yet  it  is  interesting  to  note  the 
difference  in  those  of  diiferent  nationality  on  the 
father's  side.  All  inherit  the  deep-seated  passions 
of  the  mother,  but  wliile  those  of  the  French  father 
are  frivolous  and  extravagant,  the  sons  of  Scotchmen 
are  often  found  to  be  staid,  plodding,  and  economical. 
Though  swarthy,  the  half-breeds  are  usually  large 
handsome  men,  proud  of  their  parentage  and  nation- 
ality, and  quite  hardy.  No  shame  is  manifested  by 
reason  of  their  aboriginal  extraction,  and  some  scarcely 
show  it  at  all.  They  are  a  sharp-sighted,  sharp-tem- 
pered race,  yet  too  often  uniting  savage  sluggishness 
of  mind  with  civilized  proclivities  to  drink  and  disease. 
Yet  I  have  seen  many  beautiful  and  intelligent  ladies 
who  were  daughters  of  Indian  mothers.  The  half- 
breeds  have  laruje  families,  and  thouixh  their  instincts 
are  Indian,  they  are  generally  kind-hearted  and  hos- 
pitable. The  women  are  better  than  the  men;  they 
make  good  wives  and  are  quite  thrifty.^" 

'■•Many  lialf-brecds  proved  themselvea  able  men,  and  were  allotted  high 
positions.  Mosea  Norton,  born  at  Prince  of  Wales  Fort,  where  he  subse- 
quently governed  with  prudence  and  ability,  being  very  successful  in  for- 
warding the  interests  of  the  coni[)any,  was  a  half-lireed,  educated  in  J'^ngLind. 
Six  of  the  most  tieautifnl  Indian  girls  were  kept  for  his  harem.  At  the  sanio 
time  he  was  cxoeeilinglj'  jealous  for  the  lionorof  liis  people,  andof  the  reputation 
of  tlieir  wives  and  daughters  for  eliastity.  He  h>st  no  occasion  while  indulging 
himself  in  every  excess  to  inculcate  precepts  of  virtue  and  preach  morality  to 
others.     The  wrath  of  God  and  the  suvu-'eness  of  Indian  nature  were  alike 


th 

tei 


thJ 
pr: 
ab 


HALF-BREEDS. 


545 


The  fur  companies  have  generally  acknowledged 
the  claims  of  their  half-breeds  to  protection  and  sus- 
tenance, and  this  class  has  never  been  forced  into 
savagism.  Attached  to  the  Northwest  Company  in 
1817  were  fifteen  hundred  half-breed  women  and  chil- 
dren; so  many,  indeed,  that  the  company  forbade 
their  servants  taking  new  W'ives  from  the  forest, 
there  being  sufficient  of  tliis  mixed  element  for  all 
practical  purposes.  Several  thousand  dollars  were 
about  this  time  subscribed  by  the  partners  and  clerks 
of  the  Northwest  Company  to  establish  a  school  at 
Rainy  Lake  or  Fort  William  for  the  education  of  their 
chiklren. 

The  liquor  question  was  always  one  of  no  small 
moment  to  the  fur-trader.  The  savage  took  greedily 
to  intoxicating  drink  and  tobacco  from  the  first.  His 
passion  for  rum  and  whiskey  approached  madness, 
and  his  only  idea  of  happiness  in  the  bottle  was  dead- 
drunkenness.  Anything  he  had,  his  gun,  his  horse,  his 
wife,  he  would  give  for  a  quart  of  bottled  oblivion. 

Intoxicating  drink  was  not  only  the  strongest 
magnet  for  bringing  hunters  to  the  forts,  but  its  pur- 
chasing power  was  greater  than  that  of  any  other 
commodity.  Hence  the  constant  temptation  to  swell 
the  profits  by  dealing  out  fire-water. 

But  experience  soon  taught  that  the  advantage 
thus  gained  was  temporary;  that  the  Indian  would 
not  hunt  so  lonf»:  as  lie  could  get  drink;  and  that  it 
was  not  only  safer,  but  in  the  long  run  more  profitable, 
to  dispense  entirely  with  the  destro3'ing  liquid  in  abo- 
riginal traffic.  To  collect  furs  the  Indian  must  pos- 
sess his  senses;  to  endure  the  winter's  cold  he  must 
be  fed  and  clothed;  drink  destroyed  his  energies,  alj- 
sorbed  his  property,  and  left  him  hungry  and  naked. 

held  up  as  a  warning.  In  liis  old  age,  overcome  by  jealousy,  ho  is  said  to 
have  poisoned  two  of  his  young  women.  See  Good\i  Brit.  Vol.,  MS.,  1  lG-17 ; 
Ileartie'x  Joiiriiti/,  62;  li(il/anti/ne''g  Hiulnon'n  Bai/,  107;  Tach-'n  Xort/witit, 
97-110;  liiitler'ii  Wild  North  Land,  45;  Kaiie'n  Wauderbifjs,  75-G;  Gruitt's 
Ocean  to  Ocean,  175. 

Hist.  N.  W.  Coast,  Vol.  I.    35 


I   1 

I 
•I 


'li 


i 


I 


546 


ATTITUDES  OF  FUR-TRADERS  AND  NATIVES. 


Tlic  great  monopolies,  therefore,  had  no  difficulty 
not  alone  in  reguhiting  the  trade  within  tlieir  terri- 
tory to  suit  tlieniselves,  hut  in  forming  compacts  with 
their  neighhors  prohihiting  the  traffic.  It  was  only 
when  opposition  was  rampant  that  prudential  prin- 
ciples were  thrown  aside,  and  the  fragrant  forest  air 
was  thickened  with  the  fumes  of  vile  distillations. 

In  1742  by  the  French  in  Canada  the  traffic  was 
forbidden,  and  to  trade  required  license  and  passport; 
yet  the  governor  winked  at  it,  and  the  trader  met 
with  little  difficulty  when  liberal  with  his  profits  to 
the  officials.  The  missionaries  affirmed  that  tlie  devil, 
to  pervert  the  gospel,  had  with  the  gospel  sent  rum. 
Therefore  the}'  bestirred  themselves  to  thwart  the 
adversary;  and  for  a  time  the  prohibitory  order  which 
they  procured,  seconded  by  their  own  watchiul  exer- 
tions, stopped  the  traffic.  Spiritual  as  well  as  temporal 
punishment  followed  the  violation  of  the  order;  for 
not  only  were  the  privileges  of  trade  withheld,  but  the 
rite  of  sacrament  was  denied  ofi'enders,  though  some 
evaded  the  regulation  by  giving  the  Indian  licjuur 
instead  of  selling  it  to  him. 

Under  later  Fi'ench  re<jime  the  license  law  was  gen- 
erally observed;  but  following  the  concjuost  of  Canada 
was  free  dispensation  attended  by  the  usual  violence 
and  debauchery.  It  was  to  do  away  with  drink, 
among  other  things,  that  the  Northwest  Company 
organized.  The  X.  Y.  Company,  however,  appearing 
in  the  field  as  an  opposition,  with  a  plentitul  supply 
of  fire-water,  the  Northwest  Company  was  obliged  to 
sell  it  or  to  abandon  the  situation.  With  the  junction 
of  the  two  factions  the  sale  almost  wholly  ceased,"^  but 
was  revived  again  on  the  breaking-out  of  hostilities 
with  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company, 

'" '  It  was  shown  by  accounts  produced  at  the  meetingthat  the  qtiantity  of 
spirituous  liquors  introduced  into  the  Northwest  country  liad  in  the  two  pic- 
cediug  years  been  reduced  from  50,000  to  10,000  gallons;  no  great  quantity, 
considering  there  were  at  that  time  2000  white  persons  in  their  employment, 
of  which  the  greater  number  were  to  pass  the  winter  in  a  Siberian  chniatc' 
2\ortLwmt  Compain/s  Nar.  of  Occurrences  in  the  Indian  Vountried,  x. 


IXTOXICATING  DPJXK. 


647 


It  was  no  difficult  matter  fi>r  the  United  States 
after  tl.'e  evil  had  long  been  prevalent  to  pass  |)rohil>- 
itory  laws,  but  to  enforce  them  was  totally  beyond 
the  nation's  strength  or  inclination."  After  the  union 
of  the  Northwest  and  Hudson's  Bay  companies  the 
sale  of  liquor  ceased  almost  entirely,  and  Sir  George 
S^impson  in  1842  even  prevailed  upon  the  Russians  to 
stop  the  selling  of  it  to  the  natives.  The  American 
Fur  Company  were  in  the  habit  of  obtaining  annual 
jjermits  to  sell  a  limited  quantity  in  order  successfully 
to  compete  with  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  across 
the  border. 

On  the  Pacific  coast  the  natives  obtained  copious 
supplies  at  an  early  date  from  the  masters  of  trading 
vessels,  to  whom  the  demoralization  of  the  people  was 
a  matter  of  indifference  so  long  as  tluc^y  were  enabled  to 
fill  their  ship  with  furs.  In  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and 
in  the  dis^juted  Oregon  Territory  prior  to  1842,  alcohol 
flowed  freely.  Tlie  entire  property  of  a  village  would 
sometimes  be  swept  into  the  pockets  of  tlie  traders 
during  one  debauch. 

Al  different  times  and  places  the  practice  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company  was  quite  different.  In  1833 
east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  it  was  the  custom  to 
deal  it  out  sparingly  but  gratuitously,  giving  the 
voyager  a  regale,  as  they  called  it,  on  his  arrival  and 
departure,  and  the  same  to  the  Indian  hunter  when 
ho  brought  in  furs  to  sell.  Strange  to  say,  the  Chipe- 
wvans  would  not  touch  intoxicatinjjf  drink,  and  at  one 
time  the  Crows  would  not  allow  it  to  be  brought  into 
their  country.  They  called  it  "  fools'  water."  Heads 
of  families  were  sometimes  presented  a  few  gallons  of 
whiskey  on  Cliristmas.  In  1841  wagon-loads  of  al- 
ct)]iol  in  barrels  were  conveyed  openly  from  the  Mis- 
sissippi River  to  the  Roclcy  Mountains,  and  sold 
everywhere,  notwithstanding  the  laws  then  in  force 

'"  Tlie  agents  were  not  slow  to  profit  by  Una  law,  supplying  the  r  itivcs,  aa 
tlicy  did,  but  making  them  i)ay  enormous  prices,  while  they  por'-.eted  the 
pruiits.    .SchoolcrujVs  Per.  Man.,  480. 


! 


M8 


ATTITUDES  OF  FUR-TRADERS  AND  NATIVES. 


acjainst  the  traffic.  All  the  f^rcat  companies  north  and 
south  of  the  Canada  line  l)ewaile(l  the  necessity  of 
dealin*,'  out  alcohol,  affinnini^  that  thoy  would  gladly 
discontinue  it  hut  for  their  competitors.  Later,  in 
1850  and  1851,  the  Hudson  Bay  servants  grew  lax,  for 
we  find  complaints  by  the  Russians  on  the  one  side, 
and  the  American  government  on  the  other,  of  their 
lack  of  ijood  faith  in  selling  alcohol  to  the  natives.^"* 


The  missionaries  of  the  several  denominations  who 
])layeil  so  prominent  a  part  in  the  settlement  of 
()reg(m  and  of  other  sections  of  the  Northwest  Coast 
were,  in  the  main,  intelligent,  honest,  well  meaning 
men,  who  sought  to  do  the  best  for  themselves,  their 
families,  their  country,  and  their  God.  We  should 
scarcely  exj)ect  those  who  were  inspired  with  sufficient 
enthusiasm  to  enable  them  to  brave  the  hardships 
and  dangers  of  pioneer  missi(mary  life,  to  be  wholly 
free  from  partisanship  or  fanaticism.  We  should 
hardly  expect  the  highest  practical  wisdom  from  [)er- 
sons  educated  in  closets,  and  from  books  and  teachers 
regarding  all  human  affairs  from  a  single  standpoint. 
We  should  hardly  expect  to  find  the  most  evenly 
balanced  minds  among  votaries  of  a  religion  which 
i-ecognizcs  no  higher  rights  than  those  belonging 
to  its  dogmas.  Nevertheless  I  am  prepared  to  do 
honor  to  the  pioneer  missionaries  of  the  Northwest, 
Catholic  and  Protestant,  for  I  believe  them  to  have 
been  single-hearted  men  and  actuated  by  the  purest 
motives,  though  I  m"st  be  permitted  to  take  excep- 


1   r 

of  fi 
the 
18-21 
hy  b, 
from 
croft's 
of  Cor. 
ilixt.  I 


n  1795  the  Hudson  Bay  Indians  Avero  enervated  and  debased  by  reason 

■  deadly  drink.    Wintirhnthnm's  If  Int.,  iv.  21;  E.  Elliee  testifies  bcf(jrc 

ouse  of  Commons,  Ii'i'jif.  Ifmlxoii's  Bay  Co.,  326,  that  from  1811   to 

juor  was  used  ■\vlierever  rivalry  existed,  that  is  in  territory  occupicil 

I  the  great  companies  and  on  the  United  States  border  over  which 

'.her  side  Indians  were  enticed  for  hundreds  of  miles.     See  Schoof- 

Man.,  'S'lii-'J;   Victor's  Uivtr  of  the  West,  "ilo-Q;  T.  Rae,  in  lloiixi'. 


lions  Kept.  Iludmn's  Bay  Co.,  37,  43-4;  K.  Kin<i,  id.,  31G;  Eraim' 
.,  MS.,  173;  White's  Or.,  78-9;  Bopbf  Moiiiitirin  Scenes,  28-9;  U.  S. 
Catholic  Maqiizine,  v.  20;  Martin's  Ifudsou's  Bay,  G8-71 ;  Greenhow's  Or.  and 
Cat.,  389;  Gray's  Jlist.  Or.,  33-4;  Or.  Spectator,  June  11  and  25,  1845;  A'«//« ',s 
Wanderings,  97-8;  Armsfronif's  Per.  Nar.,  151,  164;  Ilichardsoii's  Polar 
Hejions,  298>-330;  Swan's  Northwent  Coast,  156. 


MISSIONARY  LABORS. 


549 


tions  to  such  acts  as  appear  to  mo  unwise,  iinijolitic, 
or  unjufst. 

In  looking  back  upon  their  oa  ly  efForts  we  can  hut 
rcj^ret  that  those  whose  zeal  in  their  <:reat  work  was 
never  wantinjjf  to  carry  them  throUiih  any  sutllriiii'S 
demanded,  even  unto  death,  and  who  hole  their  trials 
with  a  courage  which  claims  our  admiration,  should 
not  have  met  with  the  success  which  their  mericorious 
services  seemed  to  deserve. 

Several  causes  united  to  bring  about  the  result. 
First  of  all,  impossibilities  were  attempted.  Speaking 
generally,  r''  missionary  effort  is  a  failure.  Such  his- 
tory pronounces  to  be  its  fate.  Missionary  effort 
seeks  to  lift  the  savage  mind  from  the  darkness  of  its 
own  religion,  which  God  and  nature  have  given  it  as 
the  best  for  it,  and  to  fix  it  on  the  abstract  princi[)les 
of  civilized  belief  which  it  cannot  comprehend.  It 
seeks  to  impn^vo  the  moral  and  material  c»>nditions 
of  the  savage  wlien  its  very  touch  is  death.  The 
greatest  boon  Christianity  can  confer  upon  the  heathen 
is  to  let  them  alone.  They  are  not  ready  yd  to  culti- 
vate the  soil  or  learn  to  read,  or  to  change  their 
nature  or  their  religion.  These  ends  the  xVlmighty 
accomplishes  in  his  own  good  time  and  way,  unfolding 
their  minds  as  from  a  germ  of  his  own  implanting 
into  the  clearer  light  as  they  are  able  to  receive  it. 
Then  the  religious  civilizers  became  too  quickly  al)- 
.sorbed  in  the  acquisition  and  cultivation  of  landed 
possessions,  which  at  best  were  to  reduce  the  inhab- 
itants to  a  state  of  serfdom. 

It  was  indeed  a  hard  task  thus  imposed  upon  the 
poor  missionary,  a  task  whose  innate  difficulties  he  him- 
self did  not  comprehend.  Manfully  he  applied  himself 
to  the  material  as  well  as  mental  and  moral  improve- 
ment of  the  savage,  all  unconscious  of  the  poisonous 
nature  of  the  civilized  atmosphere  which  environed 
him.  As  settlers  came  in,  the  bad  examples  of  those 
of  his  color  and  faith  tended  to  destroy  his  influ- 
ence with  the  natives.    The  simple  savage  reasoned 


11 


660 


ATTITUDES  OF  FUR-TRADERS  AND  NATIVES, 


within  himself  that  if  drunkenness,  profligacy,  and  dis- 
grace were  the  practical  fruits  of  Christianity  and  civil- 
ization, they  were  better  otF  without  these  blessings. 

As  regards  the  attitude  of  the  fur  companies  to- 
ward the  missionaries  I  should  say,  speaking  broadly, 
that  it  has  been  indifltircnt  or  at  least  undemonstra- 
tive. The  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  charter  required 
of  it  the  encouragement  of  missionary  effort.  The 
company  did  not  dare  to  throw  impediments  in  the 
way  of  the  missionary.  And  yet  any  interference  o'f 
white  men  with  their  traffic  or  with  the  natives  was 
unwelcome.  Post  commanders  usually  treated  priests 
and  preachers  with  jioliteness  and  consideration.  If  a 
missionary  was  stationed  near  a  fort,  he  was  usually 
installed  as  cha[)lain  of  the  fort  with  a  salary  of  fifty 
pounds  per  annum  and  free  passage  to  and  from  the 
country.^'' 

We  still  read  of  the  attendance  of  chaplains  on  the 
soldiers  who  go  out  to  fight  the  natives,  which  calls  to 
mind  Cortes  and  Pizarro  of  old,  who  with  their  blood- 
hounds and  Indian-killers  carried  their  man  of  prayer 
to  beseech  the  God  who  made  the  Indians,  to  give  the 
white  marauder  the  Indians'  lands  and  ioin  the  in- 
vaderin  the  extinction  of  this  wild  race  whose  creation 
must  assuredly  have  been  a  mistake. 


'* Douglas,  Private  Pnprrs,  MS.,  latser.,  82-7,  gives  some  interesting  iii- 
forinatiou  respoetuig  tlic  natives  Ijefurc  their  clenioralization.  liieluirdson, 
Jniiriiul,  ii.  5o-(],  says  that  'the  Hudson's  liay  Company  aid  tlic  clergymen  of 
all  the  persuasions  by  free  passages,  rations,  and  other  advantages,  besides 
granting  sdaries  to  those  employed  at  tlieir  fur-jmsts,  wlietlier  I'mtestanls  or 
Komauratliolies.'  See  also  .l/)-.sr<-ni-Z'fi,  ISO;  A/ni/in'iiJirif.  tW.,  305,  ;U(t;  l/ol- 
fninlti''s  Siniiiiii  )•  than  Fhiion,  passim;  Ilort'tzkii\-<  Caiituld  on  tho  l'nriju\  •_'(!, 
i;{8;  Gn(!i''x  IIM.  Or.,  100;  Gniiit's  Ocean  to  Octan,  140-1;  Mackenzie's  I'oi/., 
V. ;  London  Times,  July  '22,  1S58. 


CAPTER  XVIII. 


THE    NORTHWEST    COMPANY. 
1783-1821. 

ClIAnACTER  OF  THE  MONTREAL  ASSOCIATES  —  TlIE  FrENCII  KeGIME  RE- 
VIEWED— Trade  at  Micuilimackixac— The  Montreal  MEntHA.\T.s 
Penetrate  Nortii-westwaru  and  Forai  a  Commercial  Copartxek- 
ship — Tin;  Disafiectionists  form  the  X.  Y.  Company— Union  of  the 
Two  Factions — Internal  Reoilationsoftiie  Northwest  Compan\  — 
The  Grand  Portage  —  Early  Voyages  from  Montreal  to  Lake 
Slperior  -Feudal  Glories  of  Fort  William — Wars  between  the 
Northwest  Company  and  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company — The  Red 
River  Affair — Fusion  of  the  Two  Cojipanies. 

Of  all  associations  formed  at  any  time  or  place  for 
the  purpose  of  obtaining  the  skins  of  fur-bearing  ani- 
mals, the  Northwest  Company  of  Montreal  was  the 
most  daring,  dashing,  audacious,  and  ultimately  suc- 
cessful. Its  energ}'-  was  surpassed  only  by  the  apathy 
of  its  groat  chartered  rival,  which  had  been  in  exist- 
ence one  hundred  and  thii'teen  years.  Canada  had 
been  twenty  years  in  British  possession  when  it  was 
organized,  without  assistance,  privileges,  or  govern- 
ment favors,  by  a  few  Scotch  Canadians  for  the  better 
])roHecutiou  of  a  business  with  which  they  were  all 
more  or  less  familiiir. 

Infusing  into  their  traffic  the  spirit  of  enterprise, 
these  asst)cin,tes  pushed  adventure  beyond  Lake  Su- 
l)erior  to  Winnipeg,  Saskatchewan,  and  vVtIiabasca, 
and  finally  overspread  the  then  wholly  new  North- 
west.    It  was  they  who  found  the  river  Mackenzie, 

'  Somctinios  called  the  Canada  Comiinny,  hocause  it  was  organized  in 
Ciinada,  iu  coutrtidistiuctiou  to  the  Hudson's  Bay  Coini)any  churtertul  in  I'lng- 
.Liud. 

(  531  ) 


.11 


m 


THE  NORTH\VEST  COMPANY. 


and  followed  it  to  the  Frozen  Ocean ;  it  was  they  who 
ascended  Peace  River,  crossed  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
planted  posts  upon  their  western  slope,  and  traversed 
the  country  to  the  Pacific;  it  was  they  who  by  their 
Scotch  shrewdness  and  resistless  energy,  after  absorl)- 
ing  the  Canada  trade,  took  poss^'ssion  of  the  North- 
west Coast,  swept  Astor  from  the  Columbia,  and 
brought  the  monster  monopoly  itself  upon  its  knees. 

We  have  seen  how  under  the  French  rcf/une  those 
forest  pedlers,  called  coiorurs  dcs  hois,  obtained  from 
the  merchant,  perhaps  on  credit,  the  necessary  store  of 
goods,  and  set  out  in  their  birch-bark  canoes  for  the 
great  lakes  and  regions  beyond,  whence  after  one  or 
two  years  of  successful  traffic  they  returned  richly 
laden  with  their  annual  harvests,  followed  perhaps  l)y 
crowds  of  Indians  with  furs  to  sell.  We  have  seen 
how  after  settling  accounts  with  the  merchants  those 
rovers  gave  themselves  up  to  dissipation  which  shortly 
left  them  with  little  of  their  hard- won  earnings. 

This  licentiousness  excited  to  jealous  action  the 
missionaries,  who  endeavored  to  suppress  this  prosti- 
tuted traffic  by  requiring  every  mon  trading  with  In- 
dians to  procure  a  license  from  government,  which 
license  prohibited  the  sale  of  intoxicating  drink  to 
natives,  and  was  to  be  given  only  to  men  of  good 
character. 

Pure  men  only  were  thus  to  be  brought  in  contact 
with  the  tender  savajje.  The  church  was  to  furnish 
its  quota  as  well  as  the  state.  Men  made  holy  by 
hungei',  by  filth  and  fasting,  by  sleepless  vigils,  coarse 
gowns  antl  bead-tellings,  should  enter  the  forest  only 
for  good.  In  their  trail  there  should  follow  no  slimy 
serpents  of  civilization,  no  hissing  flames  of  disease 
or  deadly  distillations;  and  more  wonderful  than  all, 
honest  servants  of  the  government  should  be  found 
who  would  deal  fairly,  humanely,  with  these  rude  niid 
defenceless  forest -dwellers.  Saturn  should  sup[»ly 
them. 


AFTER  THE  MISSIOXARIES. 


m 


And  for  a  very  short  time  the  system  worked  well. 
The  forests  were  exorcised  of  Christian  demons;  mis- 
sionaries salted  souls  without  let,  and  merchants  paid 
their  own  price  for  furs.  It  was  heavenly.  It  was 
far  too  fine  a  state  of  thinjjs  to  last.  The  mission- 
aries  bejifan  discussing  transubstantiation,  whilst  the 
traders  fell  to  cheating,  and  so  the  devil  was  per- 
mitted to  return,  fire-water  was  used  again,  and  civil- 
ization followed  its  beaten  track. 

The  establishing  of  military  posts  on  the  shores  of 
the  great  lakes  brought  upon  the  border  a  better  in- 
fluence than  that  of  either  missionaries  or  licenses, 
by  bringing  the  traffic  into  more  respectable  and  re- 
sponsible hands  and  checking  improper  policies.  The 
chief  officer  of  a  fort  at  this  time  was  regarded  in 
the  light  of  a  commander  rather  than  trader.  This, 
however,  did  nt)t  change  the  character  of  the  estab- 
lishment; for  call  himself  what  he  would,  he  com- 
manded that  he  or  others  might  trade. 

Following  the  interruption  of  trade  incident  to  the 
conquest  of  Canada  by  the  British,  Scotch  merchants 
with  purses  as  long  as  their  heads  located  themselves 
at  Montreal  and  assumed  control  of  the  fur-trade 
formerly  enjoyed  by  the  French.  By  employing  sucli 
French  Canadians  as  were  friendly  with  the  natives 
and  attached  to  forest  life,  of  whom  there  were  tliou- 
sands,  the  new  masters  of  the  country  were  enabled 
in  time  to  conquer  the  repugnance  of  the  savages 
to  everything  English,  v/hich  aversion  had  been  stren- 
uously instilled  by  the  French.  Indeed  many  French- 
men still  took  part  in  trade, for  by  the  cession  of  Canaila 
in  17G3,  they  had  become  British  subjects. 

Beginning  in  a  small  and  prudent  way  in  17(!n, 
with  Michilimackinac  as  their  interior  station,  singly 
or  in  pairs,  or  parties  of  three  or  four,  accom])anied  by 
French  boatmen,  guides,  and  inter[)ret(!rs,  the  ^[on- 
treal  Scotchmen  entered  the  field,  at  first  venturing 
scarcely  thirty  miles  away  from  head -quarters,  but 
quickly  gaining   confidence  with   success,  until   one 


554 


THE  NORTHWEST  COMPANY. 


Thomas  Curry  with  four  canoes  crossed  to  Fort 
Bourbon,  and  returned  the  following  spring  with  furs 
enough  to  supply  his  wants  for  the  remainder  of  his 
life.  James  Finlay  visited  Nipawee,  the  farthermost 
French  port  on  the  Saskatchewan,  and  returned  with 
four  canoes  fully  laden  with  furs. 

More  adventurers  now  entered  the  field,  and  com- 
petition became  animated,  not  only  among  themselves 
but  with  their  brethren  of  the  United  States  on  the 
south,  and  the  Hudson  Bay  people  on  the  north.  In- 
deed the  latter  became  more  jealous  of  their  fellow- 
countrymen  than  ever  they  had  been  of  the  French; 
and  in  1774,  aroused  to  the  adoption  of  protectionary 
measures  by  constant  encroachments,  they  established 
a  post  on  the  east  bank  of  Sturgeon  Lake, 

Gradually  the  nearer  country  became  exhausted 
and  remoter  regions  were  sought.  In  1775  Joseph 
Frobisher  penetrated  beyond  Churchill  Biver.  A 
year  or  two  later  his  brother  reached  He  h.  la  Crosse, 
both  meeting  with  success.  In  1778  some  traders  on 
the  Saskatcliewan  Biver  having  surplus  stock  agreed 
upon  a  common  venture,  filled  four  canoes  and  sent 
them  to  the  Athabasca  country  in  charge  of  Peter 
Pond.  The  goods  bought  twice  as  many  furs  as  the 
boats  could  carry;  and  having  secured  a  portion  in  his 
winter  hut,  he  returned  for  them  the  following  spring^ 

This,  however,  was  exception  rather  than  rule,  for 
througliout  the  country  generally  trade  was  falling 
into  evil  ways.  Every  possible  artifice  was  employed 
to  undermine  competitors,  and  among  others  liquor 
was  again  introduced.  The  natives  in  consequence 
became  troublesome,  threatened  to  exterminate  the 
traders,  and  were  in  a  fair  way  to  succeed  when  the 
small-pox  broke  out  among  them,  committing  fearful 


ravages. 


Tiaffic  was  brought  to  a  standstill.  The  country 
was  well  nigh  depopulated,  for  those  who  escaped  the 
disease  fied  to  the  forests.  Nor  did  the  fur-hunters 
perceive  very  fiattoring  prospects  before  them  even 


ORGANIZATION  OF  COMPANIES. 


555 


when  the  scourge  ceased.  Satisfactory  results  could 
bo  secured  only  by  excursions  of  constantly  increasing 
extent  and  danger,  performed  by  parties  of  constantly 
increasing  size  and  strength.  More  boats  were  neces- 
sary, more  goods  to  fill  them,  and  men  to  navigate 
them;  forts  must  be  built  and  Indians  awed. 

Thus  matters  stood  when  in  the  winter  of  1783-4 
Simon  McTavish,  Benjamin  and  Joseph  Frobishor, 
McGillivray,  Recheblave,  Fraser,  and  others,  including 
the  larger  part  of  the  wealthiest  and  most  influential 
of  the  merchants  of  Montreal,  together  with  the  more 
able  and  successful  of  the  traders  in  the  country, 
associated  themselves  under  the  name  of  the  North- 
west Company  of  Montreal,  though  sometimes  called 
McTavish,  Frobisher,  and  Company,  and  again  McGil- 
livray,  Thain,  and  Company. 

The  number  of  shares  originally  was  sixteen,  but 
Peter  Pond  and  Peter  Pangman,  able  and  successful 
traders,  not  being  admitted  by  the  association  upon 
such  terms  as  they  deemed  their  due,  left  their  busi- 
ness in  the  country  and  proceeded  to  Montreal,  in- 
tending to  form  a  rival  company.  Pond  was  at  once 
admitted  to  the  Northwest  Company,  so  his  opposition 
fell  to  the  ground.  Pangman  won  to  his  scheme  two 
influential  men,  Mr  Gregory  and  Mr  McLeod. 

Shortly  before  this  the  famous  Alexander  ]\Iac- 
kenzie  had  been  five  years'  clerk  in  the  counting-house 
of  Mr  Gregory,  and  was  then  at  Detroit  with  a  small 
stock  of  goods  intrusted  him  b}'  his  former  employer. 
Without  his  solicitation  or  knowledge  Mackenzie  was 
made  partner  in  the  Pangman  and  Gregory  Company, 
which  now  took  the  name  of  the  X.  Y.  Com[)any,'' 
})rovided  he  would  make  an  expedition  into  the  Indian 
country  in  the  following  spring  of  1785,  which  pro- 
posal was  immediately  accepted  by  Mackenzie. 

*  Schoolcraft,  Per.  Mem.,  IS."),  erroneously  states  that  ^Mackenzie  cstab- 
lislicd  thu  X.  Y.  Company.  Mackenzie  was  at  first  opposed  to  the  Northwest 
Company,  and  always  dLilikcd  McUillivray,  who  never  spoke  well  of  him. 


656 


THE  NORTHWEST  COMPANY. 


A  severe  struggle  now  arose  between  the  McTavIsh 
Company  and  the  Pangman  Company,  the  bitterest 
hitherto  expeiienced  in  those  parts,  arising  from  the 
attempt  of  the  former  to  crush  the  latter.  In  the 
feuds  which  followed,  one  of  Pangman's  partners  was 
killed,  another  lamed,  and  a  clerk  shot  but  not  killed, 
the  bullet  passing  through  the  powder-horn  before 
entering  his  body.  Hostilities  were  finally  terminated 
by  the  admission  in  July  1787  of  the  plucky  opposi- 
tion into  the  ranks  of  the  Northwest  Company,  whose 
unequally  divided  shares  were  increased  for  that  pur- 
pose to  the  number  of  twenty. 

The  Northwest  Company  was  now  prepared  to 
make  its  influence  felt;  and  the  partners  purposed 
to  do  business.  The  association  included  the  best 
men  in  the  country,  the  very  cream  of  the  Canada 
fur-traders.  It  was  a  simple  cr-  imercial  partnership, 
and  none  the  less  strong  because  not  a  dollar  of  capi- 
tal was  required  from  anybody.  Every  partner  must 
be  a  man,  a  strong  man  in  souie  one  particular  branch 
of  the  business. 

There  were  no  two  houses  in  Montreal  of  o-reater 
might  or  wealth  than  the  Frobishers  and  Simon 
McTavish;  these  two  distinct  houses  while  continuing 
their  regular  business  acted  conjointly  as  agents  for 
the  Northwest  Company  in  Montreal.  They  were 
to  supply  the  necessary  capital  for  conducting  the 
business,  the  money  actually  employed  to  draw  in- 
terest. They  were  to  obtain  supplies  from  England; 
have  the  goods  made  at  Monti'eal  accordinyf  to  the 
requirements  of  the  trade,  and  packed  and  shipjied 
to  the  Grand  Portage  on  the  north-western  side  of 
Lake  Superior,  where  the  French  Canadians  had 
formerly  a  rendezvous,  and  where  the  Northwest 
Company  now  made  their  head-quarters,  bringing 
there  every  spring  the  furs  collected,  and  sending 
thence  for  the  interior  fresh  supjdies.  There  two  of 
the  Montreal  agents  were  to  proceed  every  year  to 
attend  to  the  business,  for  which  service  the  Montreal 


PARTNERS  AND  CLERKS. 


557 


partners  were  to  receive  a  coiumissioii  in  addition  to 
dividends  on  shares. 

The  other  proprietors  were  to  spend  their  time  in 
the  Indian  country  managing  the  business  with  the 
assistance  of  clerks,  and  occupied  during  winter  in  the 
fur-tracHng  districts,  whereby  they  were  called  winter- 
ing partners.  They  were  not  obliged  to  furnish  capital, 
but  ability  and  energy,  and  even  then  such  was  the 
skill  and  influence  of  some  of  them  that  they  held  two 
shares,  with  one  of  which  they  might  at  any  time  re- 
tire from  active  service,  each  naming  a  clerk  as  his 
successor  who  should  have  the  other.  It  was  an  ad- 
mirable combination  of  skill  and  capital,  founded  not 
on  speculative  theory,  but  on  actual  experience  and 
practical  necessity. 

To  obtain  admission  into  partnership  was  no  easy 
matter.  It  could  be  accomplished  only  by  long  and 
arduous  service;  money  was  no  object,  ability  was 
everything.  It  was  what  the  candidate  could  do,  not 
who  his  grandfather  was,  that  spoke  him  favorably. 
Yet  those  admitted  were  generally  of  good  family. 

Clerks  succeeded  to  partnership  after  a  five  or  seven 
years'  apprenticeship,  receiving  one  hundred  jiounds 
sterling  for  the  term,  according  to  priority  and  merit. 
If  at  the  expiration  of  their  apprenticeship  there  was 
no  immediate  vacancy  in  the  partnership,  from  one  to 
three  hundred  pounds  per  annum  according  to  merit 
was  allowed  as  a  salary  until  they  could  take  their 
place  in  the  company  as  partners.  During  their  term  ( )f 
apprenticeship  some  added  to  their  duties  the  office 
of  interpreter,  receiving  therefor  extra  pay.  Shares 
could  be  sold  only  to  servants  of  the  company  wliose 
admission  as  partners  was  secured  by  vote;  the  seller 
of  a  share  received  only  its  value  based  upon  actual 
earnings  irrespective  of  probable  dividends.  This  held 
out  to  meritorious  young  men  having  served  a  five  or 
seven  years'  apprenticeship  the  prospect  of  some  day 
obtaining  shares  without  the  payment  of  a  jjremium ; 
and  if  worthy  they  were  seldom  disappointed.     Each 


C38 


THE  NORTHWEST  COMPANY. 


share  was  entitled  to  a  vote,  and  a  two  thirds  vote 
was  necessary  to  the  carrying  of  a  measure.  Thus  by 
a  Hbcral  and  intelligent  policy  interest  was  arousod 
and  emulation  sustained,  and  the  affairs  of  the  com- 
pany were  no  less  wisely  ordered  than  efficiently  exe- 
cuted. 

Forty  thousand  pounds  was  the  gross  return  in 
1788,  increasing  to  three  times  that  amount  in  eleven 
years.  So  signal  a  success  was  unparalleled  in  the 
annals  of  the  fur-trade.  In  1790,  the  term  of  jiart- 
nership  having  expired,  the  organization  underwent  a 
change.  Some  retired,  while  ne>y  partners  were  ad- 
mitted and  the  shares  were  increased  to  forty-six.  xV 
new  firm  was  formed  by  the  retired  partners,  who 
built  a  fort  at,  the  Grand  Portage  and  styled  them- 
selves the  X.  Y.  Company,  and  for  a  time  there  were 
again  two  powerful  parties  in  the  field;  but  in  1805, 
yielding  to  the  dictates  of  iiiterest,  the  two  factions 
coalesced. 

The  company's  business  routine  was  as  follows:  No 
money  was  directly  employed  in  the  purchase  of  furs 
from  the  natives;  Indians  scarcely  ever  knew  wliat 
money  was.  In  October  of  each  year  the  agents  at 
Montreal  ordered  goods  from  London,  which  were, 
shipped  the  following  spring  and  reached  Canada  in 
the  sunnner.  These  goods  consisted  of  coarse  woollen 
and  cotton  cloths,  calicoes,  blankets,  silk  and  cotton 
handkerchiefs,  hats,  hose  and  shoes,  thread  and  twine, 
brass  kettles,  cutlery  and  other  hardware,  arms  and 
annnunition,  and  tobacco.  Liquors  and  provisions 
were  obtained  in  Canada. 

The  next  winter  the  cloths  were  made  into  such 
articles  as  suited  trade  with  the  natives.  The  stock 
required  was  then  put  into  packages  of  ninety  poiinils 
each,  and  sent  from  Montreal  the  following  May,  and 
reached  the  wilderness  market  the  winter  following, 
two  years  from  the  date  of  ordering.  Goods  for  the 
posts  of  the  Pacific  wxtc  yet  longer  in  reaching  their 
destination. 


BUSINESS  ROUTINE. 


559 


•  This  is  not  all.  Goods  wore  frequently  kept  over 
a  year  or  two  at  the  interior  forts,  and  the  furs  did 
not  reach  Montreal  until  the  autunni  fijllowinur  the 
Avniter  of  their  purchase.  Then  they  were  shipped  for 
the  most  part  to  London  and  sold;  but  pay  was  not 
received  until  the  succeeding  s[)ring  (jr  summer, 
three  years  at  least  from  the  shipment  from  England 
of  the  goods  with  which  they  were  purchased,  and 
sometimes  four  or  five  years. 

The  expenses  attending  the  sale  of  the  goods  were 
about  equivalent  to  their  first  cost.  Allowing  the 
Montreal  agents  twelve  months'  credit  in  London, 
they  were  still  obliged  to  carry  for  two  years  the 
outlay  for  the  goods  and  tlie  expenses  attending  their 
sale.  It  is  easily  seen  that  when  the  traffic  was 
£80,000  or  £120,000  per  annum,  the  amount  required 
to  be  carried  especially  for  those  times  was  enormous; 
so  that  although  profits  were  large,  expenses,  risk, 
and  labor  were  likewise  larcje.  At  first  ijoods  for  the 
Pacific  posts  were  transported  across  the  mountains 
in  boats  and  on  men's  backs,  at  fearful  cost  and  labc  ; 
later  they  were  shipped  round  Cape  Horn  and  taken 
up  the  Columbia  and  Fraser  rivers.^ 

^  There  Avcrc  employed  in  1708  by  the  Northwest  Company  .'jO  clerks,  1120 
canoc-mcn,  and  .S.i  guidea.  Of  these  between  Montreal  and  the  ( U'and  Port- 
age, sonio  going  aa  far  as  L:ic  hi  Pluie,  were  employed  during  the  mun'.ner  live 
clerks,  ciijlitecn  guides,  and  330  boatmen.  These  peoi:)lo  were  called  'purk- 
eatcrs,'  aloO  'goei's  and  comers,'  as  they  lived  chielly  on  pork  instead  of  the  meat 
of  wild  animals,  which  was  almost  the  oidy  food  of  those  in  the  foi-est,  and  spent 
their  livej  going  and  coming  between  Montreal  and  Fort  ^Villialu.  A  j  c>m- 
pensation  for  this  trip  the  guides  received,  besides  expenses  and  privileges  to 
trade  on  their  own  account,  .§1G0  and  their  equipment;  foremen  and  steers- 
men, i;;'Jd;  middlemen,  .^70,  and  a  shirt,  trousers,  and  blankets.  In  trading 
they  often  made  as  much  as  their  wages.  Tliose  who  wintered  at  the  upper 
end  of  the  route  received  double  pay.  All  other  employes  were  engaged  by 
the  year,  and  for  a  term  of  years.  A  first-claims  erpiipment  consisted  of  four- 
teen pounds  of  tobacco,  two  blankets,  two  shirts,  two  pairs  of  trousers,  two 
handkerchiefs,  and  some  trinkets  for  trading;  second-class,  ten  pounds  of 
tobacco  and  the  other  articles;  third-class,  half  the  quantity  of  second-class. 
To  the  northmen,  as  the  employes  who  wintered  in  the  licld  were  called, 
were  attached  more  than  700  native  women  and  children,  victualled  at 
the  company's  expense.  During  the  height  of  their  power  '2000  voyageurs 
were  employed  at  un  average  wage  of  £-10  per  animm.  Nuvthwint  Com- 
jiauiffi  Niir.,  77-87;  E.  EHicc,  in  Jfouse  of  Commons  Report  Iludxou'a  Daij 
Vompnny,  32.3;  SiUlmmis  Journal,  April  IS'.yi;  Macl:eitzl(''s  Vo>j.,  iii.  xliv. ; 
Harmon's  Journal,  40;  Dallanli/iic's  l/udson's  JJai/,  244;  Franchrrv's  Nar., 
3,38-9;  Dunn's  Or.,  \ir--i2;  Ron/ Fur  lluntir:i,i.2'ni-1;  Cox'yfol.  J!hrr,i.  xi.- 
xix.j  Irviiii/a  Anloria,  21;  Ora/n  Or,,  22-23.     'Employed  at  uue  time  not 


I 


H 


ceo 


THE  NORTHWEST  COMPANY. 


When  the  boundary  line  between  Canada  and  the 
United  States  was  determined  it  was  found  that  the 
old  fort  of  Grand  Portage,  situated  on  the  north- 
western side  of  Lake  Superior,  and  which  from  the 
date  of  their  organization  had  been  the  rendezvous  of 
the  Northwest  Company  in  that  region,  stood  on 
United  States  soil,  and  the  company  determined  to 
demolish  it  and  build  another  forty-five  miles  to  the 
northward,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Kaministiquia  River, 
flowing  into  Thunder  Bay,  still  on  the  shore  of  Laku 
Superior.  It  was  in  1805  when  the  two  unfriendly 
factions  of  the  Montreal  merchants,  that  is  to  say 
the  X.  Y.  Company  and  the  Northwest  Company, 
were  united  that  this  was  done,  and  the  new  estab- 
lishment, built  upon  a  magnificent  site,  was  called 
Fort  William,  in  honor  of  William  McGillivray,  then 
chief  agent  of  the  company  at  Montreal.* 

Fort  William  became,  as  the  Grand  Portage  had 
hitherto  been,  the  grand  depot  for  the  interior  posts, 
where  every  summer  assembled  the  wintering  parties 
from  the  interior  and  the  agents  from  Montreal,  the 
former  to  deliver  the  furs  collected  and  receive  new 
outfits,  the  latter  to  bring  forward  the  necessary  sup- 
plies, discuss  the  affairs  of  the  association,  and  plan 
the  campaigns  of  the  ensuing  season. 

Let  us  follow  a  brigade,  as  they  called  their  little 
fleets,  from  Montreal  to  Fort  William,  and  then  look 


fewer  than  2000  voyageurs.'  Twisa'  Or.,  13;  Greenhorn's  Or.  and  Cal.,  .32"n 
British  N.  Am.,  247;  Lord  Selkirk  and  the  Northwext  Cnmpanij,  in  London 
Quarterlji  Review,  October  181G.  'Tlio  number  of  voyageurs  in  the  service 
of  the  Northwest  Company  cannot  be  less  than  2000.  Their  nominal  wages 
are  from  30^  to  GO/,  some  as  high  as  80i  or  even  100/;  the  average  cannot  l)u 
less  than  40^  and  is  probably  higher;  so  that  the  sum  total  of  w.ages  must  be 
80,000/  or  90,000/.  The  gross  return  of  their  trade  seldom  exceeds  150,000/.' 
Selkirk's  Sketch  Fur  Trade,  39,  not  tlie  liest  authority  on  Northwest  Com- 
pany. Umfreville,  Iliidson's  Bay,  71-5,  asserts  that  while  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company  through  a  false  sense  of  economy  endeavored  to  make  boatmen  of 
tlie  Indians,  and  ground  their  servants  down  to  £15  per  annum,  the  Canada 
merchants  paid  theirs  £40.  Yet  the  former  stigmatized  the  latter  as  pedlors, 
tliieves,  and  interlopers,  because  they  went  where  trade  was  instead  of  wait- 
ing for  it  to  come  to  them. 

*  McGillivray  originated  the  measure  which,  first  in  the  Northwest  Com- 
pany and  later  in  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  made  every  elficient  clerk  iu 
due  time  partner  or  shareholder. 


FROM  MONTREAL  TO  FORT  WILLIAM. 


SGI 


in  upon  thcni  for  a  moment  there;  for  it  was  a  gay, 
dashing  Hfo,  in  which  creature  comforts  wore  hy  no 
means  forgotten,  thougli  it  was  the  boast  of  this  com- 
pany, from  the  managing  agent  to  the  humblest  voy- 
ageur,  that  ho  was  always  ready  to  accept  hardshij)s 
cheerfully,  that  upon  emergency  he  could  tramj)  for- 
ests, buffet  rapids,  burrow  in  snow,  carry  burdens, 
bleep  hard,  and  eat  dog. 

The  start  is  made  from  Lachino,  a  prettily  situated 
yillagc  on  the  bank  of  the  St  Lawrence,  eight  or 
nine  miles  aboye  Montreal,  and  in  the  month  of  May, 
when  the  riyers  and  lakes  are  nearly  free  from  ice. 

At  a  cost  of  about  sixty  dollars  each  the  requisite 
numljer  of  canoes  hayc  been  provided,  say  thirt}', 
in  which  case  the  squadron  is  diyided  into  three 
brigades,  each  haying  its  guide  or  pilot,  whoso  busi- 
ness it  is  to  point  the  course,  take  charge  of  boats 
and  property,  attend  to  all  repairs,  and  act  as  com- 
mander or  admiral,  to  whom  the  voyag :urs  stand  in 
the  relation  of  common  sailors. 

In  each  boat  are  eight  or  ten  men  with  their  bag- 
gage,  six  hundred  pounds  of  biscuit,  two  hundred 
pounds  of  pork,  three  bushels  of  pease — these  as  ship's 
stores,  with  sixty-five  packages  of  goods  as  freight. 
The  equipment  of  the  canoe  consists  of  two  oilcloths 
M'ith  which  to  coyer  the  goods;  a  sail  and  sailing 
tackle;  an  axe,  a  towing-line,  a  kettle  for  cooking 
purposes;  a  sponge  for  bailing,  and  some  gum,  bark, 
and  watape  for  repairs.  To  the  inexperienced  ob- 
server of  these  frail  craft,  thus  crowded  with  men  and 
heaped  with  goods  three  or  four  tons  in  each,  until 
the  gunwale  is  within  six  inches  of  the  water,  it  seems 
that  destruction  is  inevitable,  especially  when  winds 
and  swift  currents  are  considered.  But  so  experienced 
and  expert  are  these  Canadian  boatmen  that  loss  of 
life  and  property  is  comparatively  rare,  although  acci- 
dents are  frequent.  Two  picked  men,  a  foreman  and 
a  steersman,  are  placed,  the  one  in  the  bow  and  the 
other  in  the  stern  of  every  canoe;  those  who  simply 

Hist.  N.  W.  Coast,  Vol.  I.    3G 


I 


662 


THK  NORTHWEST  COMrANY. 


ply  tho  paddlo  arc  oallod  middlt'inon.  A  sail  is  hoisted 
wlu'Dovcr  tiio  wind  is  f'uvorahlt;.  Abovu  Fort  Williaiii 
and  tho  Grand  Portacjo  the  boats  aro  about  lialf  the 
sizo,  and  aro  nianaj^od  by  four,  fivo,  or  six  nion.  Thoy 
carry  about  thirty-fivo  i)acka<^os,  twonty-tlireo  of 
whi(.'li  aro  for  purposes  of  trade,  and  the  remainder 
luiLj.i^ai^e  and  stores. 

A  ])rayer  and  a  vow  to  Saint  Anne,  a  few  confessions 
and  cheap  votive  offerings,  a  farewell  carouse  to  com- 
rade and  f-'weetheart,  and  the  vovajjfcur  is  readv.  Then 
adieu  for  a  time  to  civilizati(jn  and  dissipation,  adieu 
to  cliurch-bells  and  tutelar  saint;  for  the  white  mis- 
tress uaw  must  give  }»lace  to  tlie  brown,  the  dusty 
cobwebbed  vault  of  Saint  Anne  to  the  open  ar-c  of 
God's  tenn)le,  where  the  stars  shall  kee[)  vigil  amidst 
the  companionship  of  wild  men  and  wild  beasts. 

]Cmbarking,  soon  the  rapids  of  Saint  Anno  are 
reached,  when  part  or  the  whole  of  the  cargo  must  be 
unladen.  These  ])ortages,  from  porter,  to  carry,  though 
frequent  and  fatiguing,  are  not  annoying,  because 
taken  as  a  matter  of  course.  The  vc^yageurs  at  these 
places  vie  with  each  other  in  displays  of  strength  and 
celerity, and  would  as  soon  think  of  ctmiplaining  because 
the  sun  heated  them,  or  the  water  made  them  wet,  or 
rum  drunk. 

Tho  advantage  of  ninety-pound  packages,  from  long 
exjierience  proved  the  most  convenient  weight,  is  now 
seen.  The  usual  load  for  one  man  is  two  packages, 
but  if  the  way  be  exceedingly  rugged  one  suffices, 
though  tho  ambitious  boatman  will  sometimes  cany 
three.  Thi.se  are  thrown  upon  the  back  and  there 
supported  in  slings  suspended  from  the  head.  The 
cargoes  arc  ilius  carried  to  some  point  above  the  fall 
or  i-apid,  to  wdiicli  the  canoes  are  either  towed  hj  a 
str'ong  line  or  carried  on  men's  shoulders.  The  car- 
rying-i)lace  passed,  the  boats  are  again  loaded  and  the 
party  proceeds.  So  methodical  and  expert  have  these 
boatmen  become  by  practice,  that  a  portage  is  made  iii 
an  incredibly  short  time,  twelve  or  twenty  of  them 


ALOXf;  THE  LIQUID  HIGHWAY. 


5^3 


l»L'injjf  fr(>quciitly  passed  in  a  sitijjjli!  day.  Tlio  loiijjfth 
of  the  poi'tuj^fs  varies  jjfreatly,  exteiuliiii^  from  sixty 
yards  to  six  miles,  or  even  twiee  or  thrice  that  <lis- 
tance.  liouiul  a  perpendicuhir  fall  the  way  is  usually 
not  far.  In  crossiiiL^  from  one  stream  to  auother  the 
carry ing-i)lace.s  are  longest.^ 

Up  the  Ottawa  River  the  Portaj^e  do  Cliaudierc  is 
passed,  where  over  craggy  rocks  the  stream  plunges 
twenty-five  feet;  then  l^ortage  desChenes,  after  which 
Lac  des  Chauilieres  is  entered. 

Whatever  calls  to  mind  the  Christ,  his  crucifixion,  and 
his  comfortings,  claims  recognition.  In  passing  a  fork  of 
the  river,  or  a  cross  erected  over  a  grave,  of  which  thei'o 
are  many  on  all  the  main  routes,  the  voyageurs  solemnly 
remove  their  hats,  cross  themselves,  while  one  in  each 
hoat  oi'  in  each  brigade  repeats  a  short  prayer.  But 
not  alone  their  songs  and  superstitions  break  the  mo- 
notony of  portages  and  paddling.  Like  the  sailors 
they  have  their  lines,  passing  which  for  the  fii'st  time 
comrade  or  clerk  must  treat  or  take  a  ducking.  Pleavy 
hearts  and  weeping  eyes  were  all  left  with  Saint  Aime ; 
and  the  wild  solitudes  echo  only  laughter  and  loud 
delight. 

Step  by  step  picturesque  waterfalls  arc  surmounted, 
and  the  transparent  streams,  }>lacid  lakes,  and  wild 
untenanted  shores  come  and  go  as  in  panorama. 
Hunters  are  sent  out  and  bring  in  fresh  meat;  a  liglit 
canoe,  paddled  by  twelve  picked  men  gt)rge(Hisly  ar- 
rayed and  striking  in  exact  time,  shoots  past,  carrying 
a  director  clothed  in  rich  furs  and  surrounded  by 
sovereign  state  for  the  grand  council  to  be  presently 
held  at  Fort  William. 

Portage  des  Chats  is  passed;  likewise  Decliargc 

^'The  tract  of  a  transport  occupies  an  extent  from  three  to  four  thou- 
sand miles,  through  upwai'd.s  of  sixty  large  lakes  and  numerous  rivtM's,  and 
the  means  of  transport  are  slight  bark  canoes.  It  must  also  he  ohsei'ved  that 
those  waters  are  intercepted  hy  more  than  two  hundred  rapids,  along  which 
the  articles  of  merchandise  are  chiefly  carried  on  men's  hacks,  and  over  ono 
hundred  and  thirty  carrying-places  from  twenty-live  paci's  to  thirteen  miles 
in  length  where  the  canoes  and  cargoes  proceed  by  the  same  toilsome  u)>d 
perilous  operation. '  Macktiaie's  Voy.,  410,  note. 


5fl4 


THE  XORTHWEST  COMrANY, 


ties  Sables,  and  ]\rouiitaiii  Portage,  and  Lac  Coulongc, 
and  lifty  other  places  with  old-fiishioned  names,  sniaek- 
ing  of  the  all-absorbing  traffic  of  the  times.  Then, 
across  the  Nipissing  Lake,  past  Huron,  and  to  the 
upper  end  of  Superior,  where  at  Thunder  Bay  the 
centre  round  which  the  fur-hunting  universe  revolves 
is  reached." 


Rightly  to  picture  in  our  minds  such  an  establish- 
ment as  Fort  William  in  the  flush  fur  times,  we  must 
l)laco  the  feudal  beside  the  original  and  mark  the 
eftect  of  subservinix  civilization  to  connnerce.  As  in 
the  classical  abnormities  of  California  gold -seeking 
there  were  many  phases  of  human  nature  never  be- 
fore displaved,  nianv  scenes  in  social  statics  never 
again  to  be  dramatized,  so  here  we  may  see  the  blend- 
ing of  savagism  and  civilization,  a  mercantile  mixture 
of  French  volatility  and  keen-edged  Scotch  cunning, 
such  as  the  world  will  never  witness  again.  There 
are  no  more  unguarded  Californian  valleys,  gilt-edged 
with  a  gold -embosomed  sierra;  there  are  no  more 
hyperborean  planet-j^arks  filled  with  various  animals, 
l)easts,  birds,  and  fishes,  and  hunted  only  l)y  simple- 
minded  savages;  no  more  of  these  vast  unappro- 
priated natural  ti'easures  in  which  ci\  ilized  man  may 
make  display  of  his  voracity.  Within  the  palisades 
of  Fort  William,  in  the  centre  of  the  enclosure,  stood 
the  great  coi-poration's  great  house  which  was  both 
council-chand)cr  and  caravansary. 

In  it  were  the  rooms  of  officers,  the  spacious  dining 
hall  where  staid  revels  were  induhjfed  in ;  below  was  the 
ani[ile  kitchen,  stocked  from  Montreal.  Surrounding 
the  council-house,  and  still  within  the  pickets,  were 
subordinate  tenements,  eating,  sleeping,  and  working 
houses,  warerooms,  and  stores. 

Outside  the  stockade  during  the  summer  fortnight 
of   business    festivity  were    two   encam[)ments,   ccju- 

"  For  less  than  one  fiftieth  the  cost  by  canoe  transpoi'tation  from  Montreal, 
goud.s  uru  iiuw  luiiduil  at  Fort  Williuin  iu  tihips  Uiruut  fruui  JOugluud, 


FORT  WILIIAM. 


MS 


sisting  of  between  three  and  four  hundred  men  each, 
the  one  on  the  east  side  of  the  fort  beini;  the  man- 
[/('}( )'s  ihi  lard,  pork-eaters,  comers  and  goers  between 
Montreal  and  Fort  William,  and  those  on  the  west 
side  the  hii'crnanfs,  or  winterers  in  the  field.  Behind 
the  fort  were  camped  such  Indians  as  were  drawn 
thither  by  curiosity,  love  of  liquor,  or  love  of  finery 
and  display. 

The  four  groups  afforded  many  contrasts.  Prob- 
ably of  them  all,  the  least  thoughtful,  the  least  con- 
cerned about  the  here  or  hereafter,  as  indeed  they 
were  the  happiest,  the  noisiest,  and  the  greasiest,  was 
the  pork-eating  company.  They  had  not  the  reflective 
mclancholy-mindedness  of  the  Indian,  altliough  they 
vied  with  him  in  filth  and  freedom.  Next  to  the 
chiefs  and  their  immediate  followers  who  inhabited 
the  fortress,  and  made  pretensions  to  refinement  anil 
even  luxury,  were  the  winterers,  who  were  indeed 
the  chivalry  of  the  company.  As  a  class  they  were 
entitled  to  the  credit  of  some  degree  of  intellectual 
rasping  in  addition  to  their  s^dvan  accomplishments. 
Across  the  liver  from  the  fort  was  a  small  settlement 
of  worn-out  voyageurs,  their  little  log-houses  filled 
with  native  wives  and  children,  who  cultivated  small 
patches  of  corn  and  potatoes,  which  with  a  few  fisli 
and  perhaps  a  tobacco  pension  from  high  quarters, 
sufficed  to  secure  wliat  kingdoms  could  not  buy,  con- 
tent. 

A  busv  bn'.zing  characterized  the  day  both  within 
and  without  the  tort.  There  were  multitudes  of  ac- 
counts tit  he  settled,  of  old  scores  to  be  wiped  out  and 
newobhgatinns  to  be  assumed.  Expired  engagements 
were  renewed,  and  promotions  made.  Those  who  de- 
sired miglit  send  tlieir  earnings  to  ^[ontreal  or  London 
l)v  purchasing  the  conq)any's  draft  on  those  places. 
Always  there  was  more  or  less  barteiing  going  on 
between  employes,  accompanied  by  boistei-ous  niiilli 
or  sullen  cursings,  as  the  case  miglit  l)e.  (jlames  of 
chance  and  skill  were  indulL''ed  in,  Ijidians  and  Frencli- 


56C 


THE  NORTHWEST  COMPANY. 


men  alike  entering  into  them  with  the  keenest  zest. 
Tims  the  gathering  bore  to  some  extent  the  a[)pear- 
ance  of  a  ])lcasure  Jii^rty  no  less  than  a  business  meet- 
ing. While  the  bizarre  brotherhood  of  Canadians, 
Indians,  and  half-breeds  without  the  fort  were  enga<jfed 
in  their  noisy  industry  and  still  louder  voiced  pas- 
times, the  grave  Scotch  seigniors  were  holding  weighty 
councils  within.  It  was  a  huge  machinery  which  they 
had  set  in  motion  and  were  now  obliged  to  keep  run- 
ning, and  at  no  Spanish  cortes  were  ever  presented 
countenances  stiff  or  witli  concern;  and  although  some 
pompous  diction  and  swelling  oratory  were  indulged 
in,  tlicro  was  much  more  of  tough  Orkney  logic,  tlie 
immediate  result  of  practical  business  intuit'<!i.  \r\i 
it  was  at  the  hour  of  dining,  when,  the  sober  b  i^i;:  . 
of  the  day  accomplished,  like  old  feudal  barops  the 
wintering  partners,  eacli  surrounded  by  his  retainers, 
had  entered  the  groat  banqueting-hall,  there  to  meet 
the  still  more  august  magnates  from  the  city,  that  tlio 
gloi-ies  of  the  fortress  slionc  resplendent.  Running 
parallel  down  the  hall  were  two  large  tables  loaded 
with  the  combined  delicacies  of  forest  and  field,  pre- 
pared by  skilled  cooks  and  served  by  experienced 
stewards  from  London.  Fish,  beef,  and  venison,  with 
rarer  and  more  savory  side-dishes,  moose  nose,  beaver 
tails,  and  buffalo  tongue;  milk  and  butter,  white  brea.i 
and  corn,  pease  and  potatoes,  luxuries  indeed  to  those 
wliose  regular  diet  was  only  meat;  dainty  desserts, 
ale,  liquors,  delicate  wines,  and  finest  tobacco — all  thi 
and  nnicli  more  was  every  day  placed  before  the  as 
sembled  fur-hunters  in  the  great  liall  at  Fort  William. 
At  the  head  of  each  table  a  i)roprietor-agcnt,  the 
highest  officer  of  the  association,  took  his  scat,  and  on 
either  side  partners,  clerks,  guides,  and  interpreters 
arranged  themselves  according  to  their  several  pre- 
tensions Tlie  ]Montreal  partners  were  nabobs  richly 
attired,  and  with  the  sui-roundings,  whether  at  hom(>, 
en  r<)i/(((j<',  or  at  the  rendezvous,  of  luxury  and  wealtli 
In  the  city  they  kept  open  house,  and  entertained  like 


^sni 


THE  MONTREAL  PARTNERS. 


507 


lords,  and  in  the  field,  though  they  should  sleep  upon 
the  ground,  they  slept  soundly,  and  were  attended 
like  nionarchs.  Thoui;h  ranking  no  hi<jfher,  and  in  the 
council  having  no  extra  vote,  by  reason  of  position 
their  influence  was  more  general,  having  the  buving, 
selling,  and  handling  of  all  merchandise  employed  in 
the  traffic,  than  that  of  the  wintering  partners ;  though 
there  were  few  of  these  last  named  but  ruled  a  re; dm 
as  large  as  England.  Nor  nuist  we  forget  that  Ix'- 
tween  the  several  members  of  this  assembly  thei-c  was 
a  bond  of  common  sympathy;  they  were  not  oidy 
friends  but  business  brothers;  so  that,  wlien  tliey 
came  together  on  this  great  occasion  of  tlie  year,  it 
was  not  like  an  ordinary  feast  made  for  the  indulgence 
of  vain  display,  but  more  like  a  family  festive  gather- 
ing, in  which  the  senior  })artners  were  })atriarchs,  and 
the  juniors  their  sons  of  enterprise.  As  the  more 
importunate  claims  of  appetite  became  appeased,  and 
the  mellowing  influence  of  happy  surroundings  bnjught 
relaxation,  the  dry  distasteful  parts  of  British  charac- 
ter disappeared,  and  there  beamed  in  every  face  a 
kindly  sj'mpathy  which  presently  kindled  to  enthusi- 
rsm  as  homo  and  distant  friends  were  brought  to 
mind;  likewise  future  plans  were  discussed  and  the 
i)resent  as  usual  well  nigh  forgotten.  How  different 
an  affair  it  was,  this  thing  of  living  here  and  there. 
Become  savages  for  fursl  a  connnentary  truly  upon 
the  divine  ideal  in  i)r()gress.  There  was  little  philoso- 
phy, however,  little  iiK^uiry  into  the  a  ])ri<>ri  reasons 
of  their  skiimings;  instead,  stories  were  t(»ld  of  youth- 
ful frolics  in  the  dear  old  native  land,  and  these  com- 
pared with  the  life-defendings  of  pathless  wastes, 
which  often  swelled  in  the  recital  to  a  diapason  of 
dangers. 

And  as  the  generous  wine  wont  round  and  brim- 
ming bumpers  were  drank  to  loyal  toasts,  and  I'ising 
impulse  broke  forth  in  highland  song  and  chorus, 
makinu'  the  rafters  of  Fort  William  ring  with  hi-di 
hilarity,  round  the  outskirts  of  this  knightly  wassail- 


568 


THE  NORTHWEST  COMPANY. 


in<]f  were  hoard  the  roarinofs  of  French  and  Indian  bae- 
chanals,  whicli  were  indeed  a  credit  to  lordly  example. 
Such  was  Fort  William,  and  such  the  magnificent 
Northwesters  in  the  days  of  their  popular  renown. 

Slowly,  slowly  awoke  the  monster  monopoly,  as  by 
their  charter  and  self- affection  they  would  wisli  to 
be,  well  nigh  dormant  in  their  hyperborean  dealings 
these  hundred  years  and  more,  to  a  realization  of 
their  situation.  These  Montreal  Scotchmen,  with 
their  constantly  increasing  wealth  and  independence, 
with  their  superior  intelligence,  enterprise,  aiu^  pluck, 
becoming  formidable. 

'     lat  should  be  done? 

Inere  was  but  one  answer  an  Englishman  could 
make  to  such  a  question:  they  must  be  driven  out. 
Although  they  were  planting  themselves  firmly  enough 
in  all  tlie  wide  north-west,  scaling  the  stony  barrier 
which  had  so  long  obstructed  the  fur-hunter's  path  to 
the  Pacific;  and  although  the  fiercer  beat  upon  them 
the  storms  of  rivalship  the  deeper  and  more  firmly 
did  they  root  themselves  to  the  soil,  yet  they  must  be 
driven  out.  For  every  post  they  planted,  another 
should  be  built  beside  it;  for  every  inducement  offered 
the  natives  to  trade,  double  should  be  given;  so  the 
council  ordered,  and  so  the  servants  did. 

Now  no  hi<j:hland  chieftain  in  his  sovereisjjn  strong- 
hold  was  ever  more  ready  for  the  issue  than  these 
same  revellers  in  the  great  hall  of  Fort  William;  no 
hin'hland  clansmen  were  ever  more  eagfer  for  tlie  fray 
tlian  the  impulsive  voyageurs  and  fierce  half-breeds 
tliat  echoed  their  masters'  bacchanals  beyoi.d  the 
pickets. 

Tlu'ee  claims  to  solo  occupation  and  superiority  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company  set  up,  not  one  of  which  with 
the  Nortliwest  Company  was  of  a  feather's  weight. 
First  was  their  royal  grant,  which,  whether  confirmed 
by  parliament  or  established  l\y  time,  or  neither  con- 
firmed nor  established,  restricted  the  grantors  to  llu- 


THE  BRITISH  BROTHERS  QUARREL. 


5G0 


pert  Land,  which  latter  term  sijjfnificd  the  teri-itory 
immediately  encircling  Hudson  Bay.  Secondly,  the 
policy  of  the  Rupert  Land  adventurers,  wliich  was  to 
let  the  natives  of  the  interior  alone,  while  the  wliito 
men  should  remain  at  their  factories  on  the  coast  and 
receive  such  peltries  alone  as  tlic  Indians  chose  to 
bring  them.  This  method  was  deemed  better  than 
to  push  traffic  into  the  heart  of  the  continent  to 
the  speedy  extermination  of  native  men  and  beasts. 
Thirdly,  fixed  prices,  sober  routine,  orderly  inter- 
course, and  various  slow  commercial  flunnneries  to 
which  the  w4de-awakc  Northwesters  would  not  even 
listen,  ^t  must  be  confessed  that  the  Northwest  Com- 
pany were  not  so  strictly  scrupulous  in  their  use  of 
means  as  they  might  have  been;  but  in  princi[)le  they 
were  sound  enough.  The  north-west  territories  were 
as  rightfully  open  to  one  robber  as  to  another;  and  of 
this  a  Scotchman  did  not  need  to  be  told.  ICvils  arose 
from  bitter  rivalry  which  might  be  justl}'  cliargeablo 
to  both.  I  have  no  disposition  to  put  in  a  plea  for  or 
against  either.  Competition  led  to  summer  hunting, 
which  3'iclded  imperfect  furs,  and  to  dam  and  cub 
kihing,  alike  suicidal  and  cruel. 

By  this  time,  say  1805,  private  speculators  were 
practically  driven  from  the  Canadian  fur-trade.  In 
the  region  north-west  from  the  great  lakes,  be^'ond 
the  established  boundary,  the  Canada  Company  did 
not  attempt  to  penetrate  after  1804.  Prior  to  that 
time,  besides  forts  on  the  great  lakes,  the  Northwest 
Company  had  forts  on  the  headwaters  of  the  ]\Iis- 
sissippi.''  In  like  manner  the  United  States  com- 
j)anies  cast  of  the  mountains  confined  themselves  to 
their  own  territories.  West  of  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
where  proprietorship  was  yet  undisputed,  nation- 
alities met,  as  we  shall  see  hereafter.    Hence  the  two 


^ '  Prior  to  the  year  1789  they  had  extended  their  discoveries  and  cstab- 
lishineuts  along  the  ninueroiia  hikes  and  rivers  situated  nortli  of  tliat  liigii 
traetof  country  whicli  diviiU's  the  Missisidppi  and  Missoiui  waters  from  tlioso 
wliich  run  toward  the  north  and  east  to  within  u  short  distuuce  of  the  Rocky 
Mouutaiua.'  Gium'  Journal,  4. 


i  1 


670 


THE  NORTH^VEST  COMPANY. 


great  British  coinpaiiics  were  prepared  in  British  ter- 
ritory to  throw  their  whc^le  weight  against  each  other 
in  bloody  livahy;  Hcliool-fellows  perhaps  in  England 
or  Sc(jtland  were  now  to  array  themselves  under  com- 
mercial banners  in  deadly  antagonism. 

In  180G  a  Hudson  Bay  trader  named  Corrigal  was 
stationed  with  a  body  of  men  at  Bad  Lake,  within 
a  short  distance  of  which  was  a  fort  commanded  by  a 
Northwest  partner,  Haldane,  it  having  now  become 
customary  for  both  companies,  following  their  de- 
clared ])()licy,  to  plant  their  posts  beside  each  other. 
Corrigal  having  obtained  some  skins  from  natives 
owing  Haldane,  the  latter  with  five  men  broke  into 
the  establishment  of  the  former,  and  threatening  to 
kill  him  if  he  interfered,  carried  them  otf.  Then 
Alexander  McDonnell,  clerk  with  the  Northwest 
Company,  broke  into  the  house  of  T.  Creor,  a  Hud- 
son's lydy  Company  trader,  and  after  beating  him 
and  stabbing  his  servant,  righted  some  real  or  fancied 
wrong  by  seizing  some  furs,  a  quantity  of  provisions, 
and  a  canoe.  In  like  manner  William  Linkwater  auil 
Duncan  CauApbell  fought. 

From  Churchill  Factory  in  1809,  Peter  Fidler  went 
witJi  eighteen  men  t<^  establish  a  post  at  He  a  la  Crosse, 
the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  having  failed  in  [)revious 
similar  attempts,  being  driven  away  by  their  ri^•als, 
who  had  secured  the  attachment  of  the  natives  of 
that  locality.  Mr  Fidler  built  his  fort;  but  mean- 
while the  Northwest  Company  stationed  a  party  of 
hattdi/fcui's  or  professional  bullies  in  a  watch-house 
built  for  that  puipc^se,  in  order  to  overawe  the  natives 
and  i^rovont  them  from  trading  at  the  Fidler  fortress. 
Not  liking  his  situation,  Mr  Fidler  retired,  and  his 
persecutors  set  tire  to  his  fort.  In  like  manner 
the  Hudson  Bay  people  treated  their  opponents  as 
t)})portunity  oftered;  and  for  such  outrages  Canada 
at  this  time  offered  no  redress,  for  had  one  party 
attempted  to  capture  another,  and  carry  prisoners 
to  Montreal  for  trial,  general  war  would  have  been  the 


TRIALS  AND  DUELS. 


571 


result.  In  short  such  action  was  not  possible.  A 
thousand  Hudson  ]3ay  men  could  not  carry  a  single 
Northwester  through  his  own  territory  to  a  ]\It)ntreal 
prison. 

But  one  instance  of  bringing  an  offender  to  trial 
occurred  within  a  period  of  twelve  years,  and  that  was 
the  memorable  case  of  Mowatt,  a  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany's servant,  who  killed  a  Northwester  at  Eagle 
Lake  in  1809.  Surrounding  the  house  in  which  lie 
took  refuge,  the  Northwesters  demanded  his  innne- 
diate  surrender,  M'hich  was  made  on  condition  of  his 
being  taken  to  Montreal  for  trial.  This  was  done; 
and  after  k»ng  and  harassing  delay,  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Comjjany  then  having  no  agent  at  ^lontreal  and  the 
man  no  friends,  he  was  iinally  convicted  of  man- 
slaughter and  sentenced  to  six  months'  iniprisomnent, 
and  to  be  branded  on  the  hand  with  a  hot  iron.^ 

During  this  bkxxly  epoch  [)Ugilistic  encounters  were 
frequent,  not  only  between  the  men  but  between  tlie 
princi[)als.  Clerks  who  had  not  fouglit  their  duel  were 
regarded  as  little  better  than  cowards,  Licpiors  were 
circulated  freely  by  the  associations  both  among  the 
nati\'es  and  the  servants  of  the  companies.  Tiade 
was  demoralized  to  a  disgusting  extreme.  Wliite 
men  besieged  the  Indians'  hunting-path  so  as  to  se- 
cure the  catch.  Some  of  these  clansmen,  while  they 
would  fight  fiercely  in  the  field,  once  returned  to 
their  respective  forts  were  brothers,  visiting  each 
other  freely  and  keeping  holidays  in  common.  Their 
friendships  were  their  own,  their  fights  were  their 
masters'.  So  tame  were  some  of  the  servants  of  the 
old  monopoly  that  a  Hudson    Bay  clerk  was  once 


\ 


*A  complete  history  of  tlie  war  between  tlie  rival  companies  would  fill  n 
volume.  The  instances  cited,  however,  topjuther  with  ii  luief  account  of  the 
Ked  lliver  ditllculties,  will,  1  trust,  he  sullicient  to  give  the  reader  a  clear 
idea  of  tlio  nature  and  inetlioil  of  the  contest.  Cuniherland  House  was  a 
place  mucli  spoken  of.  'Tlie  houses  of  the  two  companies  at  tliis  place,'  says 
Sir  John  Franklin,  Xat:,  i.  80,  'arc  situated  close  to  each  other, 'witli  no 
friendly  intercourse  at  tliis  period  between  them.  'A  susjiicious  kind  of  aniieil 
neutrality  M'as   preserved   on  each   side'   Com's  Adv.,  ii.  •22'J-244;  see  also 


572 


THE  NORTHWEST  COMPANY. 


heard  to  say  in  dcelininfj  the  challonijo  of  a  cliival- 
rous  sprout  of  the  Northwest  Company,  "that  ho  was 
employed  to  trade  for  furs  and  not  to  kill  his  fellow- 
countr^'^mcn." 

In  playing  at  duello,  it  must  be  confessed  the  clerks 
succeeded  well  in  their  efforts  not  to  harm  each  othci-. 
Tricks  were  always  in  order,  and  the  bright  doings  on 
both  sides  lost  nothing  in  the  telling. 

One  winter's  day  in  the  Athabasca  country  a 
Hudson  Bay  scout  reported  Indian  tracks  in  the 
snow,  thereby  indicating  the  return  of  a  hunting  ex- 
pedition. As  usual  the  forts  of  the  two  companies 
were  near  together,  so  that  it  was  almost  impossible 
for  one  to  make  a  move  in  any  direction  without  ex- 
citing the  curiosity  of  the  other.  The  question  was 
how  to  reach  these  returned  hunters  and  secure  their 
furs  without  the  interference  of  their  riv'als. 

There  were  too  many  to  coerce,  therefore  courtesy 
should  do  it.  Childish  rivalry  for  the  moment  should 
giv^e  place  to  friendship's  hallowed  communion.  A 
grand  ball  should  be  given  to  the  honorable  Nortli- 
west  Company,  and  on  the  spot.  When  drink  was 
not  wanting,  a  ball  in  fur-hunting  circles  was  a  matter 
(piickly  arranged.  Invitations  were  answered  by  the 
dancers  presenting  themselves  in  the  evening  at  the 
hour  named  in  grandest  apparel,  with  clean  capotes, 
bright  liat-cords,and  new  embroidered  moccasins.  The 
fiativc  fiddler  struck  up  a  Scotch  reel,  and  while  from 
the  huge  fire  came  fitful  gusts  from  savory  roasts, 
the  guests  were  invited  to  manifest  their  appreciatit)U 
of  the  entertainment  by  the  measure  of  their  pota- 
tions. Would  they  not  drink?  would  they  not  dance? 
would  they  not  take  another  drink,  and  another,  and 
another? 

This  within  the  palisades;  while  down  in  a  hollow 
behind  the  fort  muffled  men  vrith  paclcs  and  snow-shoes 
were  hurrying  to  and  fro  hitching  dogs  to  sledges,  [jut- 
ting the  creatures  to  keep  them  quiet,  and  directing 
their  eager  movements  only  by  signs  and  whispers. 


ling 


DEATHLY  COMPETITION'. 


573 


Finally,  the  sledges  being  well  loaded  with  goods  and 
the  bells  all  removed  from  the  dogs'  nocks,  the  ])arty 
started  at  a  round  pace  for  the  Indian  camp.  Long 
after  the  noiseless  train  had  departed,  the  sound  of 
revelry  was  borne  upon  the  frosty  air,  until  finally  still- 
ness reigned.  Next  day  the  Northwest  lookout  re- 
ported the  returned  hunters.  With  bells  ringing 
merrily  a  party  set  out  in  pursuit,  only  after  a  long 
day's  journey  to  find  the  hunters  all  dead-drunk,  with 
not  so  much  as  a  musquash  left  to  sell. 

Yes,  it  was  a  brilliant  ball,  but  the  Northwesters 
swore  there  should  be  dancing  to  another  tune  ere 
long.  Soon  opportunity  offered.  Rival  trains  iu 
searcli  of  the  same  hunters  meeting  one  cold  day,  it 
was  proposed  to  build  a  rousing  fire,  and  eat  and 
drink  together.  Soon  a  huge  pile  of  logs  was  crack- 
ling furiously,  and  spirits  were  flowing  freely.  This 
time  the  Northwesters  by  spilling  their  liquor  upon  the 
snow  were  at  length  enabled  to  put  their  competitors 
into  a  state  of  beastly  intoxication;  then  tying  them 
to  their  sledges  they  sent  the  dogs  homeward,  while 
they  went  forward  to  the  Indian  camp  and  secured 
the  furs. 


i 


I 


A  novel  idea,  though  unmarked  by  deep  diplomacy, 
next  arose  in  the  minds  of  the  monopolizers.  If  they 
could  not  extirpate  their  enemies  they  might  at  least 
hope  more  thoroughly  to  annoy  and  exasperate  them. 
The  route  of  the  Northwest  Company  from  Montreal 
and  Fort  William  to  their  posts  in  the  western  inte- 
rior lay  along  liainy  Lake  and  Lake  of  the  Woods, 
and  thence  by  way  of  the  river  and  lake  Winnipeg 
to  Athabasca,  or  across  lied  Riv^er  to  the  Saskatch- 
ewan country. 

Now  if  by  any  pretext  their  way  westward  might 
be  barred,  if  at  the  ver}'  threshold  of  their  broad  field 
of  operations  these  impudent  interlopers  might  be 
driven  back  or  turned  aside  from  their  beaten  path 
and  compelled  to  make  a  v;ide  detour  in  order  to 


674 


THE  NORTHWEST  COMP^VXY. 


reach  their  destination,  thereby  adding  time  and  ex- 
pense to  all  their  operations  and  enabling  the  nionoju)- 
lizers  the  better  to  oonipete  with  or  crush  them,  would 
it  not  be  a  fine  thing,  a  noble  thing,  a  thing  worthy 
of  civilized  Christians  to  do? 

They  would  try  it.  Round  the  junction  of  the 
Assiniboine  with  Red  River,  at  the  lower  end  of  Lake 
Wiimipeg,  and  between  Lake  of  the  Woods  and 
^lanitoba  Lake,  and  extending  thence  westward  to 
the  Rocky  ^lountains,  is  a  region  of  more  than  ordi- 
nary fruitfulness  and  beauty  called  the  fertile  belt. 
It  is  well  watered  and  W(joded,  and  consists  in  part  of 
prairie  land  and  in  part  of  rich  river  bottom.  This 
tract  they  would  appropriate:  though  not  their  own 
they  would  call  it  theirs,  and  so  make  a  cheap  offering 
t»f  it  to  civilization.  Yes;  they  would  magnani- 
mously curtail  the  common  hunting-grounds  to  that 
extent;  they  would  gather  here  the  hj'brid  race  wliicli 
they  were  so  rapidly  propagating  in  every  forest  and 
beside  every  stream;  they  would  here  establish 
schools,  teach  the  simple  savage  superior  cunning, 
improving  him  meanwhile  to  his  swift  destruction. 
It  was  contrary  to  rule  they  well  knew  to  colonize 
or  settle  hunting-ground;  but  might  they  not  here  at 
once  help  themselves  and  injure  their  enemies?  Might 
they  not  indeed  serve  God  as  well  as  the  devil  by 
building  churches  and  making  revenge  popular  as 
well  as  profitable?  They  would  do  it.  Singular 
they  had  not  thought  ^  efore  of  applying  religion  t 


o 


fur-] uniting."     Briefly  the  history  of  the  Red  River 
settlement  is  as  follows: 

In  1811  the  earl  of  Selkirk  obtained  from  the 
Hutlson's  Bay  Company  possession  of  a  tract  of  lantl 
round  Red  River,  extending  from  Lake  Winnipeg  far 
into  United  States  territory,  for  the  purpose  of  estab- 

'S.ays  Governor  Semple  himself,  nliont  1815:  'I  h.ave  trodden  the  burnt 
ruins  of  liouses,  barns,  a  mill,  a  fort,  and  sharpened  stockades,  but  none  of  a 
phice  of  worship,  even  on  the  smallest  scale.  I  blush  to  say  that  throughout 
the  whole  extent  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  territories,  no  such  building  exists.' 
Jliiida'  litU  liivtr  Ex.,  i.  174;  Northiixst  t'omyuny's  Xat:,  3G-9. 


THE  RED  RIVER  SETTLEMENT. 


675 


lishing  there  a  Sooteli  colony,  tlioutifli  Irish,  Seandi- 
iiavians,  or  native  liaH'-hreeds  were  not  exehided. 
The  tract  was  given  Selkirk  in  the  fornj  oi"  a  jjfrant 
from  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company;  the  Northwest 
Company  denied  the  validity  of  the  grant,  l)iit  the 
British  g<^vernment  was  disposed  to  encourage  the  col- 
onization scheme. 

The  spot  selected,  besides  being  situated  on  tlie 
great  thoroughfare  between  the  St  Lawrence  and  the 
Northwest,  included  the  i)emican  depot  of  tlie  North- 
west Company,  who  were  already  in  possession.  1  Ici'e 
this  im})ortant  article  of  food  was  nianufactuivd ;  and  if 
colonization  were  permitted,  the  buffalo  would  shortly 
disappear,  and  the  company  be  obliged  to  remove 
their  manufactory  to  other  ])arts,  or  bring  su[)plics  at 
heavy  cost  fnjui  Canada,  In  short,  as  every  one  well 
knew,  a  colony  planted  in  a  hunting-ground  was  in  a 
measure  ruinous  to  the  fur  trafhi'. 

The  sc]icme,as  mav  well  be  imaiifined.M'as  not  favor- 
ablv  regarded  bv  the  Northwest  Companv-  Hence 
wlien  in  1812  several  Scotch  families  ])resent('d  them- 
selves as  the  vanguard  of  Lord  Selkirk's  colonial  army, 
they  were  met  by  a  large  party  of  natives  and  hali- 
l)reeds,  retainers  of  the  Northwest  Compau}',  and 
warned  not  to  attempt  settlement  there. 

Passing  the  winter  at  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's 
post  Peml)ina,  in  the  following  May  the  colonists  re- 
turned to  Fort  Douglas,  near  tlie  j)resent  site  of  Fort 
Carry,  and  began  agriculture,  spending  the  winter 
again  at  Fort  Pembina.  Some  l)ecame  discouraged 
and  returned  to  Canada,  free  passage  l)eing  offered  in 
their  canoes  by  the  Northwest  Compa'; y  Those  re- 
maining now  determined  to  attem])t  })-■ '  :  .ncnt  settle- 
ment upon  the  forbidden  ground;  but  every  effort 
was  attended  by  danger,  their  houses  being  destroyed 
and  their  lives  threatened.  Durinijf  this  sununer  of 
1814  Miles  McDonnell,  Hudson's  Bay  Company's 
governor  of  the  Assiniboine  district,  famine  being  im- 
minent, issued  a  proclamation  forbidding  the  sending 


570 


THE  NORTHWEST  COMPANY. 


away  of  any  kind  of  ])rovi.siona.  To  this  ,  Xortli- 
M'ost  Company  paid  no  attention,  their  storo-keejxT, 
Mr  Pritc'hard,  havinj^  in  charge  several  hundred  Iwgs 
of  ])enii('an  which  they  drew  upon  at  i>leasure.  Heal- 
ing of  it,  McDonnell  sent  Pritchard  an  oi'der  de- 
manding the  surrender  of  the  peniican,  whicli  order 
Pritchard  refusing  to  obey,  McDonnell  seized  the 
jjemioaTi  and  carried  it  off  l)y  force.  The  servants  of 
tlie  Northwest  Company  tlcw  to  arms,  coming  in  from 
(juite  a  distance  to  recover  their  winter's  provendei-, 
and  but  for  the  opportune  arrival  of  one  of  tlie 
Northwest  partners  blood  would  tlion  have  flowed. 
Half  of  the  pemican  being  immediately  restored,  the 
remainder  was  allowed  to  remain  under  protest. 
During  the  severities  of  winter  part  of  the  colonists 
liad  joined  the  Northwest  Company,  but  repudi- 
ated their  obligation  in  the  spring.  The  exasperated 
Northwesters,  however,  appeared  among  them,  burned 
houses,  killed  one  Warren,  took  Governor  McDonnell 
prisoner,  and  ordered  all  settlers  to  r<  ^  from  the 
river.     Thus  it  was,  when  in  October  the  main 

body  of  colonists  arrived  from  Scotland,  starvation 
and  the  sutFerings  incident  to  a  shelterless  winter  in 
that  i/egion  stared  them  in  the  face. 

But  Selkirk  proved  equal  to  the  emergency.  If 
M'ar  was  the  cry,  war  it  should  be.  Strengthening 
himself  l)y  a  new  purchase  of  shares  in  the  Hudson's 
Ba}^  Company,^"  he  assumed  active  management  of 
affairs,  opened  a  general  store  at  Fort  Douglas  where 
colonists  were  supplied  on  credit,  won  to  liis  service 
by  promises  of  higher  positions  and  pay  several  clerks 
of  the  Northwest  Company  discontented  by  reason 
of  non-promotion,  of  which  there  were  always  some, 
and  displayed  on  every  side  a  determination  to  adopt 
extreme  retaliatory  measures. 

Fortunatcdy  securing  for  his  manager  Colin  Robert- 

'" '  For  this  purpose  it  is  said,  and  wo  believe  truly,  his  lordship  purchased 
at  a  price  far  licyond  its  value,  about  one  third  part  of  the  stock  of  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  Comi)any,  the  whole  of  wliich  is  only  jtlOOjOOO.'  Loudon  Quaricrly 
lievkw,  October  ISIG. 


WAR  IN  EARNEST. 


fiT: 


son,  one  of  the  Northwest  Company's  most  shrewd 
and  enterprising  men,  with  him  Selkirk  obtained  all 
the  Canadians  he  recjuired,  and  throwing  aside  the 
traditional  caution  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company 
met  his  rivals,  in  the  person  of  Mr  Robertson,  with 
their  own  daring  policy. 

Trade  with  the  natives  was  now  opened;  and  know- 
ing .all  the  weak  points  of  his  late  masters,  Jtobertson 
carried  the  war  into  the  enemy's  stronghold,  which 
was  then  the  Athabasca  country.  Thither  he  made 
an  expedition  which  proved  eminently  successful.  ^lT 
Clarke,  late  partner  with  Astor  in  the  PacHic  Fur 
Con)[)any,  was  engaged  and  sent  there.  I^y  paying 
higher  prices  for  furs,  the  nearest  natives  were  seduced 
from  their  late  allegiance,  and  the  loyalty  even  of  the 
more  distant  was  made  to  waver.  The  enemy  visibly 
winced  beneath  these  blows. 

Selkirk  was  jubilant.  !  lis  triumph,  however,  was  of 
short  duration.  As  wx-ll  might  he  attempt  to  stop  the 
eruptions  of  Mount  iT:Ctna  with  his  hat,  as  thus  to 
quench  the  audacious  fire  of  his  opponents.  Rousing 
themselves  to  action  with  their  rising  wrath,  the 
Nortliwest  Company  prepared  for  the  camjiaign  of 
1815  by  raising  the  wages  of  their  men,  promoting 
clerks  to  proprietors,  and  doubling  the  usual  quantity 
of  goods  sent  to  the  interior.  Co^te  qiiil  coilte,  buy  furs, 
was  the  order  on  both  sides. 

It  suenis  a  little  strange  to  hear  of  actual  war  be- 
tween commercial  companies  of  the  same  nationality 
on  American  soil,  of  attacks  and  repulses,  of  capturing 
forts,  and  )\olding  business  competitors  as  prisoneis; 
yet  truth  compels  the  utterance,  for  througliout  this 
then  practically  limitless  region  arms  were  the  only 
argument  and  brute  foice  was  the  ultimate  appeal. 

Early  in  181G  the  war  began  in  earnest,  and  in  tlie 
battles  which  followed,  tlic  Hudson's  Bay  Company 
and  the  colonists  were  the  greater  sufferers.  Tlirue 
hundred  half-breeds,  armed,  painted,  and  plumed,  were 
mounted  by  the  Northwest  party  and  sent  forth  to 


Hist.  N.  W.  Coast,  Vol.  I.    37 


>78 


THE  NORTHWEST  COMPANY. 


muraud  in  good  old  feudal  fashion.  First  the  settlc- 
iiicnt  was  destroyed  and  the  colonists  dispersed,  some 
proceeding  to  Norway  House  and  otliers.  to  different 
l)arts,  though  their  fort  on  Red  River  yet  remained. 

\t  Athabasca  Mr  Clarke  was  besieged;  and  after 
losing  seventeen  men  by  starvation  he  capitulated. 
At  Slave  Lake  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  were 
more  successful,  though  they  elsewhere  lost  thirteen 
more  by  famine  in  June.  Two  of  tlic  Northwest 
Com])any's  forts,  with  all  their  properties,  were  taken, 
Mr  Cameron,  proprietor,  made  })risoner,  and  the  i'or- 
tresses  burned.  The  keeper  of  the  Northwest  Com- 
pany's station  on  Qu'appellc  River,  who  had  been 
thr  .'atoned  with  annihilation  by  the  Hudson  Ray 
people  should  he  attem[)t  to  pass  downward,  growing 
anxious  for  the  arrival  of  a  party  expected  from  the 
nortlnvard,  <m  the  19th  of  June  sent  Alexander  Fraser, 
scoiHled  by  Cuthbert  Grant,  with  eleven  men  and  some 
iifty  Indiaris  and  i;alf-breeds,  and  having  two  carts 
loaded  with  supplies. 

Their  way  carried  them  witliin  two  miles  of  the 
colonial  post  Fort  Douglas,  whei'e  (jrovernor  Semplo 
of  tiie  Hudson's  Ray  Company  was  then  in  connnand. 
Notified  of  their  approach,  the  governor  with  twenty- 
six  men  sallied  from  the  fort  and  demanded  their 
pur[)ose.  (jrant  answered  that  they  were  attending 
to  their  business,  and  wished  to  know  of  the  governor 
wliat  he  was  jjoinufto  do  about  it. 

Words  came  shar[)er  and  quicker;  and  almost  be- 
fore any  one  was  aware  of  it,  Semple  had  given  the 
order  to  fire.  The  order  was  obeyed,  and  the  result 
was  one  killed  and  one  wouii'led.  Then  at  tlie  com- 
mand of  Fraser,  the  Northwesters  raised  their  deadly 
implements,  and  taking  deliberate  aim  fired.  Sevi'n 
fell,  among  them  the  governor  himself,  mortally 
wounded.  The  Hudson  Ray  j)eople  turned  and  ran 
for  the  fort,  the  Northwesters  i)ursuing  and  firing. 
Of  the  twenty -six  who  so  lately  left  the  fort  only 
fom'  returned.     The  Northwesters  then  took  posses- 


MORE  FIGHTING. 


579 


sion  of  the  fort,  securing  therewith  a  large  quantity 
ot*  anus  and  aunnunition.  Anionir  the  officers  of  the 
garrison  killed  were  Governor  Seniple,  Doctor  White, 
!A[cLean,  llogers,  Holt,  and  Wilkinson.  Again  for  a 
time  the  colonists  abandoned  the  place." 

In  the  inniiediate  vicinity  <»f  Red  River,  however, 
the  Xorthwc'st  Company  suflered  severely,  while  at 
a  distance  their  superior  ent;rgy  a->d  holdncsis  i'urried 
all  opposition.  Selkirk  himself"  started  to  (piell  the 
disturbance,  but  i)aused  at  Fort  William,  preferring 
discretion  to  valor.  Proclamations  were  issued  by  the 
g(  )vernor-general  of  Canada  threatening  [)eace-breakers 
^viththe  severest  punishment,  which  fulminations  were 
treated  by  the  spirited  fur-hunters  on  both  sides  with 
sovereign  contempt.  Connnissioners  were  then  ap- 
pointed to  proceed  forthwith  to  the  scene  f»f  action  to 
investigate  outraijjes  and  seize  oifenders;  but  such  a 
misf:;ion  sniaeked  of  danger,  and  was  easily  postjtoned 
on  account  of  the  lateness  of  the  season,  thereby  per- 
mitting the  fur-hunters  to  fight  through  the  winter  of 
18f()-f7  U'lUiolested  by  the  busy,  buzzing  law. 

^[eanwhile  the  war  continued  with  unabated  viii'or. 
IsVaw  werj  killed  and  forts  cajttured  on  both  siiles, 
the  monopolists  being  as  usual  the  greater  sufferers. 

"The  statijnients  rcsiipctiiij.'  tlio  iifFray  aro  very  conflicting.  As  ti)M  by 
fliftcTunt  iK'i'sons  it  can  liaidiy  l)o  rccogiil/.t-il  as  tlio  Kaiiiu  stiii'y.  Sonio  .say 
t!i:it  Siiiiplo  was  out  in  .search  of  thi.s  liand;  otht'i's  tliat  tlio  Xorthwi'sti'tsj 
\voie  .•(tjout  to  attack  the  furt.  Kacli  s-icUi  accnscn  the  otiicr  of  liaving  liivil 
the  lir.st  shot.  ]'>y  a  cai'cful  comiiaiison  of  all  tlio  authorities,  my  text  cijii- 
vcy.s  the  faet.s  as  nearly  as  I  iim  alile  to  arrive  at  them.  'J'hat  (Joveinor 
Seniplo  was  an  iimiiihlo,  nioilest,  hninanenum,  following'  liis  line  of  duty,  tiieio 
cm  1)0  no  ([«esti<jn.  The  .\ioutreal  Utndd  of  Octolur  I'Jlii  hides  a  liody 
of  eavuliy  in  the  woods,  which  i^uirounds  Seiujile  and  his  )i;iity,  when  (jiio 
]>onche  opens  the  conference  hy  a]ijilyin,L;  insultinj,'  langu.i.u'e  to  tlie  ^'o\  enioi'. 
I!(ji-s,  llid  U'lVi  !•  Si  till  hinif,  iii.,  is  obviously  so  biassed  in  tav(n'of  the  Hudson's 
]>;iy  Company  that  I  lind  myself  un^dih?  to  follow  him  Mith  any  decree  of 
conlidence.  In  desciibin:,'  ihe  attack  lie  goes  fnrthi'i"  even  tlwin  Selkirk 
hinisi'lf,  and  asxcrls  thiit  an  arnu'd  bund  of  (i,'>  apin'oin'hed  the  foit  to  at- 
tjak  it,  when  (iovernor  Semple  appeared  at  the  liead  of  "JT  Uien.  iind  .hat 
A\  Idle  he  was  in  consultation  with  his  i)arty  'tlie  Indians  iind  haU'ln  'ciLs 
diviiled  themselves  into  t\,o  bodies  and  instantly  coumienced  liriii;;  from  tlio 
shelter  ullorded  by  u  few  willows;  tirst  ii  shot  or  two  and  then  a,  nierciles.s 
Volley.'  The  Northwest  Company  in  their  otiieial  version  of  the  aliair,  Sar- 
r'llirc  of  ( )rfiirri  iin'.i,  'A,  assert  that  in  view  of  the  fact,  not  even  denied  by 
the  opposite  part}',  that  they  marched  out  and  followed  the  Indians,  and  lircd 
lii'st  upon  thwu,  110  doobt  can  iciiiuin  wiio  were  the  uggrcasors. 


I 

i 


\ 


THE  NORTHWEST  COMPAXY. 

Trade  was  completely  ruined.  In  their  revengeful 
competition  the  natives  were  paid  more  for  furs  than 
their  value  at  Montreal,  while  their  expenses  wero 
wonderfully  increased.  And  when  at  last,  tired  of  all 
this,  Selkirk  was  permitted  to  bring  his  hundred  sol 
diers  up  from  Fort  William  and  call  back  his  frightened 
colonists,  the  charges  and  arrests  which  followed  were 
little  preferable  to  war." 


^''  Ross  Cox,  Adv.,  ii.  225-42,  gives  the  best  aocount  of  any  one  there  cluiiii'^ 
hostilities.  Lord  Selkirk's  Sketch  of  the  Britiah  Fur  Trade  in.  Xorfh  Amirirn, 
publishuil  in  181G,  as  well  as  the  Statement  J'especfhiij  the  Karl  of  SelL'ii//< 
SeftleniHiit  upon  the  lied  River,  London  1817,  are  not  so  much  historical  and 
descriptive  accounts,  but  rather  bills  of  indictment  against  the  North«ofst 
Company.  They  bear  no  comparison  with  Sir  Alexander  Mackenzie,  IIM  u-ii 
of  the  Fur  Trade,  in  points  of  intelligent  observation  and  fairness.  In  the 
Narrnt'irc  of  the  Orcurreiiee.i  in  the  Indian.  C'ountriex  of  A  merica,  50-5,  publislu'd 
by  tlie  Northwest  Company  in  1817,  we  have  tlie  other  side  of  the  story,  wliii  li 
must  be  accepted  with  the  sarr.e  degrees  of  allowance.  W^hen  men  became  so 
crazed  with  anger  as  to  resort  to  killing,  little  reliance  was  to  be  placed  on  (jaths 
and  asseverations.  From  the  minutes  of  a  meeting  of  a  council  of  Rupert 
Land  held  at  Red  River,  1845,  Gray,  Hist.  Or.,  G3,  quotes  eight  rules  re.Lju- 
latmg  the  rights  jf  settlers.  See  also  DouijUui'  Private  Papers,  ^MS.,  1st  serii  m, 
79-80.  In  tlie  Howe  of  <hmnwn!i  Report  from  the  Select  Committee  on  the 
J/ndfion^H  Ii(ij/('ompan;/,  .323,  in  the  testimony  of  E.  Kllice,  will  be  found  the  text 
of  tlie  grant  made  to  Lord  Selkirk  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  dated  the  )  "Jtli 
of  June  1811;  also,  .301-2,  copy  of  land  deed  as  made  by  the  company  in  convey- 
ing land  to  settlers  at  Red  River;  (jn  381-5  statistics  of  the  colony  by  Donald 
Gunn,  and  on  445-0  a  complaint  made  by  Pe(iuis,  chief  of  the  Saulteaux,  of  un- 
just treatment  by  the  settlers  and  by  the  Hudson's  Ray  Company.  Cornwallis, 
AVfo  El  Dorado,  Gi-2,  gives  an  account  of  the  overflow  of  Red  River  in  lS-'.\, 
when  houses  by  tlie  score  were  lifted  up  and  earned  awoy.  Van  Tra)iip\: 
Adr.,  200-0,  and  Farnhnin's  Travels,  13-14,  contain  general  sketches  on  the 
Re<l  River  settlement.  Evans,  y//>/.  Or.,  MS.,  lOi),  gives  a  general  sketch  (  . 
Reil  River  aliiiir.s.  See  also  Maedorndd's  Ii.  C,  247;  Graifn  Iltxt.  Or.,  21-0, 
Gl-0.  Du  'ing  the  affray  and  for  years  thereafter  those  belonging  to  tiie 
Hudson's  Ray  Company  were  known  as  the  '  IJIues,'  Avhile  the  Northwesters 
were  designated  as  the  '  (irays,'  from  the  officers  iilFecting  a  uniform  of  those 
colors  respectively.  Andir^nn'ti  Xorthtvext  ('oant,  MS.,  53.  The  advanta;,'es 
and  disadvantages  of  the  Red  River  establishment  over  similar  settlements 
are  given  at  length  by  Sir  James  Oouglas  in  his  Private  Pa/ier.i,  M.S..  l.st 
series,  7!*-80;  Iiail(i>ilipie\  Und'ton'.i  IJat/,  94-o;  Hinds'  lied  River  Ex.,  i. 
172-5;  M<trtins  Ihid-^nns  lUnj,  !•);  AWs'  Red  River  Setlli  nieut ;  Aiidnn^' 
Jilin.  Letter  X.;  Francheri\i  AVtr.  ,330-3;  Pallixer's  Papers  and  Further  Papers  ; 
AInrttn's  I{riti.-<h  Colonies,  iii.  532-3;  West's  Red  River  Colonii:  (Iraifs  Or.,  "Jt. 
212-13;  Milton,  and  C/ieadlr's  Xorthirest  Pussinje,  Ti  AT^;'  IFnies"  Lite,  ',\s: : 
Creenhow's  Or.  and  Cat.,  323-1;  Rriti.^h  X.  Ain.,  2.52;  Lord  Selk-irk's  SLrteh  </ 
the  British  Fur  Trade,  in  Xarlh  America;  British  ijuarlerhj  Revieu\  xvi.  r_'!l 
41;  lliltrami's  Pil/jrii'iuije,  ii.  34'J  et  seii. ;  ll(irmon\'*  dour.,  2."i{)-0l;  I'ortliiinl 
Om/o/KVtH,  January  15,  1870;  Awlersoiis  Xorthvest  Coitst,  M.S.,  4!)-.")2;  Tint's 
K<  w  Caledonia,  MS.,  3;  I)iiuiila.-<'  Privnte  Paiurs,  MS.,  1st  series,  80.  .bihii 
Dunn,  Or.  '."(/•,,  10,  gives  a  rabid  ancl  rambling  statement,  the  erroneous  de- 
ductions of  which  arc  only  exceeded  ))v  its  remoteness  from  truth.  Call  his  luii' 
rative  by  another  name,  ami  one  woulil  scarcely  recognize  the  story  us  told  by 
others. 


JUSTICE  AND  LAW. 


681 


At  that  time  tlio  Canadian  courts  had  nominal 
jurisdiction  over  all  the  north-west  territories.  The 
offending  of  both  companies  were  equally  amenable, 
and  after  feuds  so  serious  as  those  of  Red  River  it 
was  scarcely  to  be  supposed  that  on  the  field  of  battle 
the  trouble  should  be  ended. 

Human  justice,  however,  is  an  uncertain  affair. 
The  wonder  is  that  men  pretending  to  be  wise  should 
make  so  much  of  it ;  that  is  to  say,  it  would  be  strange 
were  not  chicanery  become  reputable.  Xo  sooner 
was  it  announced  that  le<ifal  investiuations  luid  been 
ordered  tlian  a  general  scattering  on  both  sides  took 
})lace,  pai'ticularly  among  the  Northwesters,  who  luid 
fought  in  earnest  and  with  fair  success,  and  wlio  did 
not  care  to  face  close  scrutiny.  It  was  remarkable  liow 
many  of  these  fighters  just  then  had  business  at  remote 
posts,  even  in  the  depths  of  the  wilderness  and  in  the 
bosom  of  native  families;  so  that  when  law's  slow 
minit)ns  api)eared  there  was  scarcely  a  bad  man  to  be 
found.  Imiocence  was  stamped  on  all  faces.  Enough, 
Innvever,  were  arrested  to  give  occupation  to  the  law- 
yers and  cause  much  trouble  to  offenders.  Se\'eral  of 
the  more  prominent  actors,those  whom  to  secrete  w<»uld 
l>e  inconvenient,  were  taken  to  Canada  or  England  for 
trial;  but  money  and  influence  seldom  failed  to  hood- 
wink justice. 

Four  years'  fighting  in  courts  followed  criminations, 
prosecutions,  and  suits  over  titles,  leaving  matters 
exactly  where  they  were  originally.  The  atlventmcrs 
into  Hudson  Ray  still  held  Rupert  Land,  and  the 
Xorthwest  Company  still  disputed  their  right  to  ex- 
clusive trade,  an<l  still  carried  off  the  largif  pait  of 
the  peltries.  (Jver  fifty  thousand  pounds  stejling  w eie 
spent  by  each  company  in  these  litigations;  iifter 
which  unsatisfactory  attempts  to  achieve  the  ulti- 
mate, both  at  force  and  at  law,  negotiations  followed. 
Ry  the  deed-poll  statute  of  the  UGth  of  March  \H'2\, 
the  tyade  was  to  be  carrietl  on  exclusively  in  the  nan»e 
of  the  adventurers  of  England  trading  into  Hudson 


fiat 


THE  NORTHWEST  COMPANY. 


Bay,  and  by  that  of  the  Gth  of  July  1834,  an  attempt 
was  made  still  further  to  regulate  the  trade  in  furs 
throughout  the  territory  and  diffuse  the  duties  of  em- 
ployers. Notwithstanding  whieh,  after  much  suffer- 
ing the  colony  at  Red  liiver  ultimately  prospered. 
Churches  and  academies  were  built,  and  close  beside 
them  jails;  and  law,  learning,  and  religion  were  thus 
administered  to  multitudes  of  the  fur-hunters'  half- 
savage  offspring. 

Steadily  all  this  time  the  Northwest  Company  had 
extended  its  cordon  into  and  to  the  westward  of  the 
mountains,  particulars  of  which  extension  will  be  given 
in  their  proper  i)lace.  Old  Establishment  on  Peace 
River  was  built  by  Mr  Pond  in  1778-9.  No  other 
fort  was  built  in  that  region  until  1785. 

Fort  Chipewyan,  on  Athabasca  Lake,  was  one  of 
the  most  important  posts  of  the  Northwest  Company. 
Thence  Alexander  Mackenzie  took  his  departure  in 
both  of  his  expeditions.  Two  months  were  occupied 
in  bringing  goods  from  the  Grand  Portage  to  this 
place.  Often  one  hundred  men  would  winter  there, 
dependent  for  their  su  itenance  wholly  upon  sucli  fish 
as  they  could  catcli.  Prior  to  1782,  the  natives  round 
Athabasca  used  to  go  to  Fort  Churchill  to  trade,  ])ut 
tlie  hardships  they  experienced  on  the  way  n)orc  than 
offset  the  higher  price  obtained  for  their  furs.  In  1 8"i  I , 
the  Northwest  Company's  force  between  the  Rocl<y 
Mountains  and  the  Pacific  numbered  three  hundred.'' 

In  other  jilaces  than  at  Red  River,  with  greater 
or  less  intensity  at  various  times,  hostilities  raged  be- 
tween the  two  companies  until  negotiations  for  peace 
were  instituted."  Alexander  ^lackenzie  pointed  out 
the  advantage  of  uni(m  us  early  as  1801,  which,  liad 

^'■^lionchelfc'H  lir'it.  Dom.,  i.  15:  Jlach'nz'u'.\-i  To//.,  Ixxxvii. ;  Uoduii,  Trau- 
scri/it,  May 'J.'),  1S57. 

"Tliift  ill  18'_*0.  'It  in  not  the  cli*ca(l  of  the  Iiidi.'i!;:;.  Imt  of  oiio  niKitlui', 
that  lias  lii()U;u'lit  the  rival  coniiianics  so  cIomc  t'>it''tlKT  at  vvory  traitiiitr-in;.st ; 
eaili  Jiarty  siiUiiif,'  to  prcvoiit  the  otlii'i-  tiom  fiigaj;iii;^  tlio  airt-ctioiii  of  the 
natives,  and  iiioiiopoIi/.iii;L,'  the  trade,  ^^lleue\('^  a  tseltleiiieut  is  iiiade  l>y 
the  one,  tliuuilier  iniiucdiutely  follows,  without  cousideriiijj  the  eligibility  of 


UXION  OF  THE  COMPAXIES. 


S83 


it  then  been  concluded,  would  have  saved  great  loss  of 
life  and  property,  besides  a  general  •  demoralization 
of  the  trade. 

Both  companies  possessed  such  international  rights 
as  they  had  the  strength  to  maintain.  The  Hudson's 
Bay  Company  might  plead  their  charter,  but  as  they 
had  failed  to  fulfil  its  conditions  their  better  claim 
was  prior  possession.  Tliis  likewise  was  the  title  of 
the  Xorthwest  Company  to  the  territory  claimed  by 
them,  derived,  through  the  conquest  of  1759,  from 
the  French  discoverers  and  colonizers  of  the  country. 
At  one  time  negotiations  were  entered  upon  for  t]ie 
sale  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  to  the  Northwe^st 
Company.  In  1804  Edward  Ellice,  then  a  partner  in 
the  Northwest  Company,  offered  Sir  Richard  Xeave, 
governor  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  £103,000 
for  the  whole  concern,  that  being  the  capital  stock  of 
the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  at  that  time.  ]^ut  part 
of  the  stock  being  the  property  of  minors,  the  bar- 
gain was  not  consummated.^* 

In  June  1819  the  question  of  rivalries  .and  existing 
disputes  between  the  Northwest  and  Hudson's  Bay 
Companies  was  brought  before  the  British  parliament. 
Later  by  interposition  of  the  ministry,  a  com[)romisu 
was  effected  and  the  two  companies  merged  into  one. 
In  conjunction  with  this  coalition  an  act  for  regulating 
the  fur- trade  and  establishing  a  criminal  and  civil 
jurisdiction  in  certain  parts  of  North  America  was 
passed  by  parliament  the  2d  of  July  1821,  whidi 
consummated  the  union.  The  capital  stock  of  the 
united  association  was  divided  equally  Ijetween  iha 
late  members  of  tlic  two  companies,  and  more  than 
half  of  the  oHic.'ers  were  secured  by  the  former  pai't- 
ners  of  the  Northwest  Company.  Upon  the  ha})py 
consunnnation  of  these  arrangements  a  grant  was 
made  by  the  sovereign  of  Great  Britian  to  tlie  repre- 

the  place;  for  it  may  injure  its  opponent  though  it  cannot  huncfit  itself, 
vliich  is  tiic  lir.st  iilijcct  of  all  otliiT  coniinerciiil  bodies,  but  the  aecoinl  of 
the  fm--tra(lei'rt.'  Fraiikrni'K  Xar.,  i.  "JOO. 

^■"Jluaiic  o/  Cuinmoitis  liipt,  Jluddon'n  Uuij  Company,  34-1. 


584 


THE  NORTHWEST  COMPANY. 


sentatives  of  both  companies,  of  exclusive  trade  for 
twenty-one  years.  The  name  of  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany was  retained  in  preference  to  the  other  by  reason 
of  its  age,  respectability,  and  charter. 


la 


'* Simpson,  L'ife,  40,  says  the  Northwest  Company's  resources  were  well 
nigh  exhtmsted  by  the  huge  expenses,  particularly  for  legal  processes.  But 
if  this  were  true,  how  could  they  bring  the  proud  old  Hudson's  Biiy  Company 
to  such  humiliating  terms.  See  also  Ureei>how''s  Or.  mid  t'aL,  'A1\A). 
No  less  were  the  hearts  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  turned  toward  recon- 
ciliation by  reason  of  loss  of  dividends.  Says  one:  'The  interests  of  tlie 
Huilson's  Bay  Company  suffered  so  much  that  between  1800  and  18J1  their 
dividends  were  for  the  first  eight  years  reduced  to  four  per  cent.,  during  tiic 
next  six  years  they  could  pay  no  dividend  at  all,  and  for  the  remaining  eight 
years  tliey  could  only  pay  four  per  cent.'  liritixh  N.  Am.,  249,  note.  Al- 
though tliroughout  its  whole  career  the  Northwest  Company  labored  under 
disadvantages,  assuming  risks  and  dangers  wliich  were  declined  by  the 
Hudson's  Biiy  Company,  and  although  they  piid  tlieir  servants  muuli  more 
liberally,  and  were  under  many  heavy  expenses  which  their  rival  was  not, 
and  required  a  much  longer  time  in  which  to  turn  their  capital,  yet  l>y  reason 
of  superior  energy  the  Northwest  Company  made  tlieir  business  more  jirolita- 
blc  than  the  older  and  slower  company.  Sir  CJcorge  Simpson,  in  J/otim-  Com- 
nioim  li^port  lluilmn\<t  Bay  Company,  87,  laments  tlie  general  demoralization 
of  Indians  and  whites  arising  from  the  rivalry  between  the  two  companies. 
'  It  was  very  uncertain  for  a  long  time  which  of  them  lost  most  money ;  none 
of  them  gained  money.'  Ellice,  in  House  t'ommoim  Rfjmrt  Iliiilsr)ii'.-(  Hay 
Company,  348-0.  Mr  Finlayson,  I'aiicourc)'  InUiud,  MS.,  84-8,  says  that 
both  companies  were  almost  ruined,  and  that  their  rivalry  tended  to  the 
demoraliziition  of  the  Indians.  See  also  the  testimony  of  McLoughlin  and 
McUonell  in  House  Commonit  Report  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  203-0,  283, 
387;  Anderson's  Northwest  Coast,  MS.,  40  et  seq. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 


EARLIEST   OVERLAND   EXPLORATIONS   NORTH-WESTWARD. 

1640-1786. 

Unknown  North-wests — The  Nokth-wf.st  of  New  FnANCE — Cii.vMrLAiN — 
BREBtEiK — Mesxari)  —  AtLorEZ — ^Iahqiette  ani>  Joi.iet — La  Salle 
AND  Hknnepin — Grosseliez  AND  ILvDissoN — La  IIontan— Tiik  (Storv 
01'  Joseph  la  France — Verendrye,  the  FcR-iUNTEii,  Proi-oses  to  Fit 
Ol't  an  Expedition — Chakacter  of  Verendrye— (tovern(ii;-(;eneral 

IJEArilARNAIS  IlE(iARI)S  THE  PlAN  FaYORAHLV — VeRENDRVE'.S  COPART- 
NERY and  Rocte — Emrarkation — Erection  of  Forts— Massacre  at 
Lac  des  Bois  of  Yoino  Verendi:.ye,  Pere  Axneau.  and  Twenty 
Men  —  Discovery  of  the  Rocky  Mountains — Verendkye's  Return 
and  Death— Infamois  Conduct  of  Canadian  Officials — Adven- 
tures OF  MoNCACiiT  Ape — Carver's  Speculations — Hearne's  Jour- 
ney— Pike's  Expeditions — Long's  Explorations. 

The  term  North-west  was  orginally  applied  by 
Spanish,  French,  and  Enghah  colonists  to  the  undo- 
lined  regions  of  North  America  in  the  direction  indi- 
cated. Later,  both  the  United  States  and  Canada 
had  each  within  prescribed  limits  their  North-west 
Territory,  as  the  former  had  its  South-western  Terri- 
tory east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  At  the  close  of 
the  revolution  in  1783  the  country  south  of  lakes 
Huron,  Michigan,  and  Superior,  now  comprising  the 
states  of  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Michigan,  and  Wis- 
consin, was  organized  as  the  North-western  Territory. 

Fifty  years  ago  Canada  called  all  that  jtortion  of 
her  domain  west  of  Lake  Superior  and  Hudson  J^ay, 
except  such  portion  as  belonged  to  the  liudson'ss  Bay 
Company,  the  North-west  Territories.^    As  the  Hud» 

'  'By  tlic  North-west  Territories,  is  geiK^rally  Huik'rstooil  all  tli.it  jiortion 
of  country  exteiulini,'  from  tlie  heail  of  Lake  Superior,  wcstwai'il  to  the  west- 
ern uhures  of  America,  uortliward  to  the  Frozen  Oeeuii,  and  north -westwanl  to 

(OUS) 


686 


EARLIEST  OVERLAND  EXPLORATIONS. 


son's  Bay  Company  gradually  absorbed  its  lesser 
rivals,  and  from  the  borders  of  its  original  Rupert 
Land  spread  its  dominion  over  all  unoccupied  country, 
naturally  such  territory  took  its  name;  but  when  in 
1870  the  Hudson  Bay  Territory  passeil  into  the  [)0s- 
session  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  the  term  of  Xortli- 
west  Territories  was  again  applied  to  this  region, 
which  to-day  comprises  all  British  North  America 
except  the  provinces  of  Ontario,  Quebec,  Nova  Sco- 
tia, New  Brunswick,  Newfoundland,  Prince  Edward 
Island,  ]\Ianitoba,  and  British  Columbia. 

It  includes  the  surfaces  drained  by  streams  flowing 
into  Hudson  strait  and  bay,  the  Arctic  Ocean,  and 
Lake  Winnipeg. 

The  name  Northwest  Coast  was  given  by  early 
voyagers  to  that  part  of  the  Paciiic  seaboard  nortli 
of  California.  For  the  purposes  of  this  volume  I 
extend  this  designation  from  the  sea-shore  north  of 
the  fort}^- second  parallel  back  to  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, excepting  only  Alaska.  It  will  be  noticed  that 
none  of  this  domain  has  ever  come  within  the  appel- 
lation proper  of  the  North-west  Territories  as  it  was 
applied  to  portions  of  their  possessions  east  of  the 
liocky  Mountains,  both  by  Canada  and  the  United 
States;  nor  would  it  make  any  difference  in  this  con- 
nection if  it  had.  Between  the  years  of  1776  and 
1790,  the  white  population  of  the  United  States  over- 
spread her  south-western  territory,  and  from  1795  to 
1804  her  north-western. 


To  the  French  in  the  north,  as  to  the  Spaniards 
in  the  south,  are  due  the  first  attempts  to  traverse 
the  continent  from  east  to  west.  While  yet  in  timid 
bands  ])utch  and  English  fur-hunters  were  percolat- 
ing through  the  chief  Atlantic  range  into  the  valley 

the  limits  of  the  territory  grante<l  under  tho  Hmlson'a  Ray  charter.  What 
th-'so  liinit.s  actually  are,  has  long  hecn  a  subject  of  doubt  taiid  dilllculty ;  ami 
created  not  iiuiiiy  years  ago  the  most  inveterate  and  alarming  feudn  butwecu 
the  rival  traders  of  the  north-west  and  Hudson's  IJiiy,  which  led  to  conse- 
•iuoucea  the  mobt  disastrous  aud  lamentable.'  JJoucheUe'n  Brit.  Dom.,  i.  2S). 


JESmX  MISSIONARIES. 


C87 


of  the  Ohio,  whoso  sombre  shades,  Hke  the  Sea  of 
Darliiiess,  wore  filled  with  monstrous  creations  of  the 
fancy;  and  wliile  the  hypothetical  shores  of  the  South 
Sea  wore  thus  receding  from  the  western  base  of  those 
JJlue  Mountains,  as  the  Alleglianies  were  then  called, 
observant  Frenchmen  from  Canada  were  quietly  de- 
scentling  the  Mississippi  and  noting  the  streams,  which, 
flowing  in  from  the  north-west,  told  of  more  continent 
in  that  direction  than  had  over  yet  been  dreamed  of 

Aroused  perhaps  by  the  reckless  chivalry  of  Cham- 
plain,  a  kind  of  forest  knight-errantry  broke  out  among 
tlie  religious  men  of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  which  dro\  o 
fifty  or  more  of  them  from  Quebec  to  welcome  death  in 
the  western  wilds.  It  was  durinix  their  distant  oxcur- 
sions  that  a  knowledge  of  the  marvellous  lake  system 
leading  westward  was  revealed.  Thus  in  1G40,  Per-o 
Breboeuf  came  upon  the  Falls  of  Niagara;  in  IGGO, 
Pere  Allouez,  dispensing  grace  from  th(?  same  spot, 
learned  much  from  the  natives  concerning  the  yet  un- 
explored region.  The  Sioux  assured  him  that  their 
lands  extended  northward  to  the  end  of  the  earth, 
while  the  Great  Stinking  Water  bounded  the  nations 
on  the  west. 

Leaving  Michilimackinac,  where  since  1071  he  had 
been  teaching  the  Hurons,  P6re  ^larquette,  accom- 
panied by  the  Siour  Joliet,  in  1073  floated  silently 
down  the  Great  Water,  not  knowing  wlilther  it  would 
carry  him.  Straight  on  was  tbo  ^fexican  gulf;  but 
it  might  deflect  to  the  cast,  and  so  prove  to  be  one 
of  those  streams  found  by  the  English  on  the  coast  of 
ViriJi'inia;  or  it  mitxht  turn  to  the  west  and  dischari/o 
into  the  gulf  of  California,  or  into  the  South  Sea. 
But  when  the  junction  of  the  ]\Iissouri  was  reached, 
it  was  then  clearly  evident  that  mucli  ele\nted  land 
must  intervene  between  them  and  the  Pacific,  to  send 
so  large  a  body  of  water  toward  them. 

More  than  this,  the  natives  assured  the  two  ox- 
}>lorers  that  beyond  the  sources  of  the  lliviere  des  Mis- 
sourir,  there  was  another  large  stream  which  flowed 


588 


EARUEST  OVERLAND  EXPLORATIONS. 


westward.  This  the  missionary  was  suro  found  its 
way  to  tlic  South  Sea,  and  he  said  God  helping  him 
he  would  find  and  follow  that  river.  In  his  surmise 
^Marquette  was  right ;  but  death  directed  his  ex}jloia- 
tions  elsewhere  before  he  was  permitted  to  prove  his 
theory. 

Since  he  was  a  boy  thoughts  of  a  route  from  the 
Laurentian  gulf  to  the  Pacific  Ocean  had  filled  the  mind 
of  La  Salle.  His  factory  near  Montreal  was  called 
La  Chine,  some  said  in  derision,  because  the  proinic- 
tor  fiincied  it  one  step  on  the  way  to  China.  Hence 
v/lien  M.  Juliet  returned  to  Quebec,  La  Salle  did  not 
hesitate  to  express  the  belief  that  by  ascending  this 
river  Mississippi  instead  of  descending  it,  some  means 
might  be  found  of  reaching  the  western  ocean.  It 
is  not  strange,  therefore,  that  before  undertaking  his 
memorable  journey  to  the  gulf  of  Mexico  La  Salle 
should  despatch  Pere  Hennepin  to  tracj  the  Illinois 
to  the  Mississippi,  and  to  ascend  the  latver  as  high  as 
possible. 

This  the  famous  Recollet  accomplished  in  1G80, 
reaching  the  Sault  St  Antoine.^  To  the  westward  of 
Hudson  Bay  in  1G82  we  find  Grosseliez  and  Radisson 
discovering  the  rivers  Nelson  and  Churchill. 

Thus  laboring  side  by  side,  piety  and  avarice  slowly 
pushed  back  the  curtain  so  long  obscuring  the  setting 
sun. 

The  temptation  to  romance  about  the  unknown 
regions  was  not  always  withstoocl  The  Baron  La 
Hontan  appears  to  have  been  the  Munchausen  of  the 
day.  It  is  as  impossible,  however,  to  write  unadul- 
terated falsehood  as  unadulterated  truth;  hence  wc; 
may  find  shadows  of  history  in  the  baron's  mythology. 

In  the  account  of  his  pretended  journey  up  the 


'^  Father  Ilcnnepin's  piety  was  greater  than  his  veracity.  Notwathstandiii;,' 
liis  vanity  and  love  of  exaggeration,  hia  Description  dehtLouiKiaw,  Paris,  KW-S, 
contains  niucli  correct  information,  but  his  Noiintk  dcroucerte U'uii  tnn  <ji-(ni'l 
]><ttl'<  xitnis daim  t'ain'  rit/iic  entre,  le  Xouveau  Mexiqiif,  et  la  Mcr  illacialf,  Uti'f cht. 
1US(7,  in  wiiich  he  professes  to  have  heen  tlie  first  to  descend  the  Mississippi 
tu  tlie  gulf  u£  Mexico,  was  uuniitigated  falsehood. 


LIES  OF  LA  HOXTAN'. 


580 


long  river'  in  1G88,  ho  speaks  of  meeting  four  slaves 
of  the  Mozeenilek  nation,  whom  he  at  first  mistook 
for  Si)aniarcls,  as  they  were  clothed  and  had  thick 
bushy  beards. 

Tlieir  country,  of  which  they  gave  a  description, 
illustrated  by  a  map  drawn  on  deerskin,  was  the 
farthest  north  and  west  then  known.  It  lay  beyond 
mountains  "six  leagues  broad,  and  so  high  one  must 
cast  an  infinity  of  windings  and  turnings  before  ho 
can  cross  them."  Continuing,  La  Hontan  says:  "  The 
four  slaves  of  that  country  informed  me  that  at  the 
distance  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  leagues  from  the 
j)lace  where  I  then  was,  their  principal  river  empties 
itself  into  a  salt  lake  of  three  hundred  leagues  of  cir- 
cumlcrence,  the  mouth  of  which  is  about  two  leagues 
broad;  that  the  lower  part  of  that  river  is  adorned 
with  six  noble  cities,  surrounded  with  stone  cemented 
with  fat  earth;  that  the  houses  of  these  cities  have 
no  roofs,  but  are  open  like  a  platform ...  that  the 
people  of  that  country  made  stuffs,  copper,  axes,  and 
several  other  manufactures."  Again:  "All  they  could 
say  was,  that  the  great  river  of  that  nation  runs  all 
along  westward,  and  that  the  salt  lake  into  which  it 
falls  is  three  hundred  leagues  in  circumference  and 
thirty  in  breadth,  its  mouth  stretching  a  great  way  to 
the  southward." 

The  people  on  the  lake  called  themselves  Tahug- 

'Z«  fTontan,  Voy.,  Let.,  xvi.  Obviously  the  story  of  Long  River  is  fiction, 
there  l)eing  no  sue''  stream  in  the  locality  named.  Xoverthclcss  there  is  truth 
in  it.  The  writer  may  or  may  not  have  maik'  tlie  journey  described  ;  certainly 
ho  did  not  see  all  he  professea  to  have  seen  ;  but  for  all  that  he  may  have  made 
the  excursion,  may  have  ascended  a  stream  which  in  his  narration  is  larger 
and  longer  than  in  fact.  Other  travellers  lieforc  and  since  have  indulged  in 
exaggeration.  However  this  may  have  been,  certain  it  is  that  sonu!  of  his 
reports  of  the  information  given  him  by  the  natives  bear  internal  evidence  of 
tlieir  truth.  Something  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  was  known,  ami  .sometliiiig 
of  the  great  river  flowing  to  the  west.  Infonnation,  to  some  extent  correct, 
tlie  baron  certainly  obtained  from  some  source,  which  could  have  been  no 
other  than  the  natives.  I^^a  Hontan  was  a  free  thinker  and  a  free  writer; 
hence  ho  was  traduced  and  his  works  by  many  were  discredited.  Mr  (Jrjui- 
ville  Stuart,  in  Montana,  Hint.  Soc  Contrih.,  i.  30:},  expresses  the  opinion  that 
'the  infoiTnation  coneeniing  Long  River  whicii  he  obtained  from  tlie  Indians 
referred  to  the  Missouri,  but  that  in  passing  through  the  many  intervening 
tribes  it  l)ecame  greatly  exaggerated.  See  further  Xorth  Am.  llevieiv,  Jan- 
uary 1839,  p.  97. 


m 


EARLIEST  OVERLAXT)  LXPLORATIOXS. 


lauks,  and  wore  l)car(ls  two  finjjfers'  breadth  in  lenj^tli. 
They  were  covered  with  f^anneiits  reachuij^  down  to 
the  Knee;  a  sharp-pointed  cap  covered  the  liead;  their 
hoots  readied  up  to  the  knee,  and  they  carried  a 
tijjped  cane  in  their  hands.* 

Are  there  any  of  my  readers  who  desire  yet  nioi-e 
ahsohitc  fiction,  they  may  find  it  in  the  El  Dorado  of 
IMathieu  Sil<^cau,  wlio  liad  been  with  La  Salle  and 
afterward  went  explorinL,^,  as  lie  says,  on  his  own 
account.  With  eleven  Frenchmen  and  two  natives, 
he  ascended  the  ]Mississippi  one  hundred  and  fifty 
leagues  fi'om  Fort  St  Louis  to  a  cataract  round  which 
they  carried  th<.;ir  canoes  and  proceedetl  forty  it.aj^ues 
further.  Tlie  party  now  beiTjan  a  hunt  which  lasted  a 
month,  during  which  they  encountered  another  river 
fourteen  leagues  distant  from  the  first  and  flowing 
soutli-south-west.  Carrying  thither  their  canoes,  they 
descended  tliis  stream  one  hundred  and  fifty  leagues, 
and  found  tliemselves  amongst  fortified  towns  governed 
by  a  king  claimin<r  descent  from  Montezuma.  CJ)ld 
^vas  there  in  greater  abundance  than  ever  it  had  l  .en 
found  in  jNIexico  or  Peru,  the  brick  of  the  '.:ing's 
ai)artmcnt  being  made  of  it,  and  the  floor  being  |)avetl 
M'ith  it.  They  saw  a  caravan  of  three  thousand  oxen 
lad(^n  with  gold  depart  on  a  trading  journey  to  a 
neighboring  nation.  The  Frenchmen  were  royally 
received  and  entertained;  any  woman  wlio  refused 
them  was  punished  by  death.  On  their  way  thither 
tliey  encountered  lions,  tigers,  and  leopards,  whii'li 
offered  them  no  harm.  Much  more  this  rank  im[)o.^ter 
told,  the  strangest  part  of  all  which  was  that  he 
should  find  fools  to  believe  him. 

*The  tlccrslvin  map  gives  river,  lake,  and  cities.  The  mountains  rcfornil 
to  wcru  assuredly  tlie  Rocky  Mountains ;  and  whether  tlie  nari-ativo  bu  true 
or  false,  this  is  the  first  mention  made  of  them.  Tliough  we  call  tluan  r.ow  a 
thousand  miles  broad  instead  of  six  leagues,  there  ai'e  water-dividint;  rid.'is 
fif  loss  widtli  than  that  last  named.  Tlie  river  referred  to  may  liave  Ix'i'U  t'le 
('olumhia  or  the  Colorado,  and  the  salt  lake  may  have  been  the  I'acilie  Oceiiii, 
the  (lulf  of  California,  or  Great  Salt  Lake  of  Utah.  The  houses,  elothes,  and 
Ivards  of  tho  nativo?  may  have  been  tlic  huts,  brecch-cloths,  and  down  of  tlio 
( )rei,'on  tri)>es  pluralized,  or  if  we  imagine  a  distant  reference  to  the  pueblo- 
towns  the  exaggeration  is  loss  gross. 


TIIK  WESTWARD  WAY  OF  FRKXC'IIMKN. 


801 


Ah  (>arly  as  1708,  half  a  cvntAiry  l)t.'totv  Franco  hail 
lost  licr  vast  Aiiicricaii  douiaiii,  wliicli  towartl  tlio 
noi'tli-west  was  then  of  hniitless  oi-  unlcnown  extent, 
attention  was  (Urecteil  toward  exploiations  westward 
across  the  Rocky  ^lountains.  Some  knowledjL^'o  of 
this  had  been  brought  to  the  merchants  of  Montreal 
by  their  ajjents  trathni'  in  that  direction,  wiiicli  in- 
formation  liad  been  oriijinally  obtained  from  the 
natives.  It  was  about  tliis  time  that  M.  Jeremie, 
first  Houtenant  and  afterward  t^overnor  of  Fort  Bour- 
bon, or  as  the  English  called  it  Fort  Factory,  at  the 
mouth  of  Hayes  River,  and  others  made  excursions 
westward. 

Among  the  more  forward  of  tlio  <'lergy  to  denounce 
the  pretended  claims  of  J^a  llontan  to  a  journey  u[) 
]jong  River  was  a  learned  priest  named  l^abe,  who  on 
the  loth  of  March  17 IG  wrote  from  Versailles  to 
l)e  risle,  geographer  to  the  Academy  of  Science  in 
Paris:  "They  tell  me  that  among  the  Scioux  of  the 
!Mississip})i  there  are  always  Frenchmen  trading;  that 
the  course  of  the  ]Mississi})[)i  is  from  north  to  west, 
and  from  west  to  south;  that  it  is  known  that  toward 
the  source  there  is  in  the  high  land  a  river  that  leads 
to  the  Western  Ocean.  .  .For  the  last  two  years  I  tor- 
mented exceedingly  the  governor-general,  M.  Randot, 
and  M.  Duche  to  endeavor  to  discover  this  ocean. 
If  I  succeed  as  I  hope  we  shall  have  tidings  before 
three.  3'ears,  and  I  shall  have  the  pleasure  and  the 
consolation  of  having  rendered  a  good  service  to  geog- 
raphy, to  religion,  and  to  the  state."  lKil)e's  cU'orts 
were  not  wholly  fruitless,  for  in  17  17,  with  a  view  of 
extending  westward  French  explorations,  lu;  succeeded 
in  having  reestablished  by  Robertel  de  Laudue  the 
post  erected  by  Du  Luth  in  1G78  at  the  head  of  Lake 
Superior. 

When  Crozat  in  1712  obtained  from  the  French 
king  the  monopoly  o{'  Louisiana  for  lifteen  years,  he 
looked  forward  not  only  to  the  discovery  of  mines  but 
to  a  lucrative  trade  with  Mexico,  in  both  of  which 


EARLIEST  OVERLAXD  EXPLORATIONS. 


he  was  disappointed.  Sieiir  Juchereau,  whom  Crozat 
sent  overland  to  Mexico  as  his  commercial  agent,  ou 
his  arrival  at  the  city  of  Mexico  was  seized  and  im- 
prisoned by  the  viceroy;  and  although  he  was  subso- 
(|uently  released,  and  kindly  treated,  and  besought  to 
renounce  his  allegiance  to  his  country  and  become  a 
Spaniard,  and  was  given  the  fair  Maria,  daughter  of 
Pedro  de  Velasco,  commander  of  Fort  Jean,  to  wife, 
with  one  thousand  piastres  as  a  wedding  present,  yet 
on  taking  a  reluctant  and  affectionate  leave  the  vice- 
roy's last  words  were:  "I  can  allow  no  trade  between 
Lousiana  and  Mexico."^  So  that  in  this  direction  the 
westward  way  of  the  Frenchman  was  blocked. 

To  Arthur  Dobbs  one  Joseph  la  France,  a  half- 
breed,  related  a  story,  told  him  at  Fort  Factory  by 
an  old  Home  Indian,  who  about  172G  went  as  ho 
affirmed  at  tlie  head  of  thirty  warriors  "to  make  wai- 
against  the  Attimospiquais,  Tete  Plat,  or  Plascotez 
de  Chiens,  a  nation  living  northward  on  the  Western 
Ocean  of  America."  Taking  with  them  t!ieir  families, 
they  liunted  and  fished  for  two  winters,  and  the  fol- 
lowing sunnner  "came  to  the  sea-side  on  the  Western 
Coast,"  where  were  "a  great  many  large  black  fish 
s[)outing  uj)  water  in  the  sea."  Constructing  some 
canoes,  tliey  left  their  families  on  a  little  island  easily 
reached  on  foot  when  tlie  tide  was  out,  and  coasted 
thereabout  tlireo  montlis  in  search  of  their  enemies, 
the  Flatheads,  passing  meanwhile  a  strait  where  the 
sea-coast  lay  almost  east  and  west.  Upon  the  bank  of 
a  river  they  found  a  large  ti)wn  of  their  enemies,  which 
with  whoop  and  wild  halloo  thev  attacked,  routin?'  the 
inhabitants.  But  when  the  villajrers  saw  how  fow 
were  their  assailants  they  returned  and  killed  fifteen, 
the  remainder  being  gbvd  to  escape  with  their  lives. 
Of  these,  while  attempting  to  return,  all  died  save  this 
one  old  man.  Thus  we  see  how  reports  reach  eastern 
settlers,  of  the  country  beyond  the  mountains. 

•'('fiiirkmij:'.'  Xuiivelle  France,  iv.  1"0;  North  Am.  /{eciew,  January  I;).'!!*, 
p.  105-0. 


Vi:REXDRYE'.:;  EFFORTS. 


503 


But  not  until  1731  was  any  signal  effort  made  hy 
Europeans  to  roach  the  Pacific  overland  from  Now 
Franco.  In  that  year  Pierre  Gauthier  do  Varonnos, 
siour  do  la  Yerondrye,  who  for  many  years  ])ast  had 
Iiold  commercial  intercourse  with  the  western  al)ori<jf- 
inal  nations,  Lft  Lake  Ne[)igon,  where  since  17'2S  lie 
had  heon  stati<-)ned,  and  visited  Quebec  to  consult  the 
goverii'nont  upon  the  subject  which  had  been  much 
in  his  vuind  of  late. 

Tlior  3  are  some  things  which  simple  energy  will  not 
accom)»lisli,  nor  yet  energy  united  with  ability.  En- 
thusiasm is  necessary,  bovh  in  the  conce})tion  and  in 
tho  achievoMont  of  great  doeds.  The  explorer  as  well 
as  tho  missionary  nuist  hive  in  him  somewhat  of  tho 
stulf  of  which  martyrs  a*  e  made;  something  to  lil't  him 
in  a  measure  out  of  hiuself,  al)ove  the  ordinary  })loas- 
uros  and  discomfort'  \.hich  ct)nstitute  no  small  j)or- 
tion  of  ovory  man'^*  life,  and  wl'.ich  will  enable  him  to 
saci-jiicu  cheerfully  aoc()r<liiig  to  the  fervor  of  his  hope 
and  the  worthmess  of  tho  object. 

In  the  matter  of  transmontane  exploration,  Veren- 
drvo  was  an  enthusiast,  lie  had  thou<>iit  of  it  lonuf, 
and  talked  <»f  it  long.  a?)d  fi'om  him  his  brother  and 
his  two  sons  Iiad  caught  tho  insjjiration.  Though  a 
fur-trader  in  the  wilderness  of  America,  ho  was  of 
j>:ontlo  blood  aud  much  elevation  of  character.  Tern- 
perate  in  f  )riuiug  [>lans,  he  was  bold  in  their  execution ; 
of  broad  views,  pent'trating  judgment,  and  intrepid 
eni'rgy,  it  iT(|uii'e.l  no  small  o'tstaclo  to  turn  h!ni  tVoni 
his  pur|)osc'.  ^Vnd  yet  his  scbcmes  wore  not  wholly 
free  from  meivonary  motives,  Eow  we're  in  tho.^o 
davs,  or  ai"e  e\cn  now.  He  was  not  a  I'oli'nonist,  and 
theri'foi'i- ma  I''  no  pretensions  to  pious  zeal;  he  was  a 
dt;aler  in  skin-;,  and  if  sc>ized  by  intelligent  as|»iiMtions 
sullieimt  to  incline  him  to  I'orvgo  a  ))orti'!!i  n\'  his 
pi"  )<its.  to  tak(!  unwairantabk'  risks,  or  even  oqieihl 
the'  half  of  his  fortune,  it  did  not  f  )llow  that  he  was 
indi'l'eront  to  the  remainder. 

Till'  gowrnoi-giMUTal  of  Xew  France  at  t'.iut  tiuivi 

Uwr.  X.  W.  UoAsr,  Vol.  I.    a 


m 


EARLIEST  OVERLAND  EXPLORATIONS. 


was  tiio  Mar«]uiK  <lc  Beaulianiais,  a  commodore  \n 
the  navy,  an  intelli.i»'cnt  man,  of  j^onorous  and  ambi- 
tious impulses,  and  one  who  liad  filled  many  important 
posts,  and  gained  much  distinction  elsewhere  tliau 
m  America.  When  informed  by  Verendiye  of  his 
project,  Beauharnais  was  i)y  no  means  inditiereiit  t:> 
the  lustre  that  such  an  exi)edition,  if  successful,  would 
j^ive  his  administration,  and  as  Verendrye  he^ixcd 
from  him  nothing,  he  felt  in  duty  bound  to  give  hiiu 
all  he  asked. 

Verendrye 's  purpose  was  to  form  a  trading  copart- 
ner}' with  certain  ]\[ontreal  mei'chants  wlio  should 
furiilsh  funds  with  which  to  procure  goods  fV-r  hai tir 
with  the  natives  and  equip  the  expedition.  To  avoid 
the  territory  of  the  Sioux  he  would  ascend  the  Assini- 
boine  and  Saskatchewan  rivers  instead  of  the  Mis- 
souri, which  otherwise  would  offer  su[>erior  attracti»)iis; 
thence  he  would  take  any  stream  he  should  find  flow- 
ing westward  and  follow  it  to  the  Pacilic. 

It  was  a  i»leasing  plan  to  one  who  knew  nothing 
of  what  he  was  undertaking.  Were  such  a  stream 
there,  and  slumM  he  fijid  it:  were  there  no  mountains 
to  cr'oss,  no  cold  to  endure,  no  mouths  to  i\'Aid,  no 
hostile  tribes  to  encounter,  he  might  estimate  the 
chances  of  success  more  accurately.  And  vet  Veri'ii- 
dr\e  was  experienced  in  forest  affairs,  and  thoroughly 
com|)etent  to  accomplish  any  possibility. 

Having  fo)'m(}d  his  ))artnerships  and  cquij)ped  his 
ex[)edition,  with  a  small  fle(,;t  of  canoes,  in  company 
with  a  missionary,  Pere  jMessawr,  ho  embarked  for 
Lake  SuDerior.  ()r<lers  had  been  given  him  by  the 
government  to  take  possession  in  the  king's  name  ol' 
such  countries  as  he  should  discover,  and  carefully 
to  examine  them  in  order  to  ascertain  the  best  route 
for  connecting  Caniida  and  Louisiana  with  the  Pacilic 
seaboard. 

As  Verendrye  had  kept  himself  free  to  act  as  his 
judgment  should  dictate,  he  now  determined  to  cany 
with  him  as  far  as  possible  toward  the  west  a  line  ol" 


LINE  OF  FORTS  ERECTED. 


595 


forts  which  should  enable  him  to  hold  permanent  pos- 
session of  any  country  he  might  discover.  From  Lake 
Superior,  therc^forc,  he  despatched  ])art  of  lii.s  force  to 
build  a  fort,  St  Pet  .'  at  Lac  La  Pluie. 

Then  proceeding  „i)  the  Lac  des  Bois,  ho  erected 
Fort  St  Charles,  but  did  not  com[»lete  it  until  the  i'ol- 
lowing  year.  In  1734  he  established  Fort  ^Maurepas 
on  the  Winnipeg  River.  Gradually  working  his  way 
westward,  he  examined  the  country  on  every  .side,  never 
failing  to  take  formal  j)ossession  whenever  he  planted 
a  fortress.     Thus  several  years  were  occupied. 

Extending  his  circuit,  Verendrye  cr(»ssed  lakes 
Dauphin  and  Des  Cignes,  and  ascended  the  Sas- 
katchewan to  its  fork,  lie  then  built  Fort  Dauphin 
at  the  head  of  Manitoba  Lake,  and  Fort  de  la  Kriii" 
at  the  foot.  He  built  Fort  Bourbon  at  the  head  of 
Winnii)cg  Lake,  and  Fort  Rouge  on  the  Assiniljoine 
at  its  confluence  with  Red  River. 

From  these  posts  Verendrye  sent  expeditions  under 
his  brother  and  his  sons  northward  and  westward. 
They  found  the  Rocky  Mountains,  found  them  far- 
ther west  than  they  had  supposed,  but  in  vain  they 
sought  there  the  South  Sea.  Their  efforts  were  not 
unattended  by  dangers.  On  one  island  in  tin;  Lac 
des  Bois  in  173G  the  youngest  son  of  Verendrye 
with  a  Jesuit  named  Anneau  and  twenty  men  were 
massacred  by  a  conjpany  of  Sioux." 

Striking  southward,  always  seeking  the  Pacific,  in 
1738  Verendrye  entered  the  ^randan  country,  build- 
ing in  October  of  this  year  Fort  La  Reinc  on  the  As- 
siniboine.  Proceeding  slowly  up  the  ^Fissouri,  he 
reached  the  Yellowstone  in  1742.  Ascending  the  As- 
siniboine  and  taking  the  ^[ouse  River  trail,  on  the  1st 
of  January  1743  Verendrye 's  eldest  son  jukI  brotlier 
found  themselve;,  face  to  face  with  tliose  monstr<»us 
craggy  upheavals  which  sixty  years  later  unsuccess- 
fully barred  i:he  progress  of  Lewis  and  Clarke  in  their 
eflbrts  to  penetrate  the  mysteries  beyond. 

•■'TIh'  nativoH  hiivu  ti  tradition  i)f  this  tragcily,  wliich  niuy  be  fuuu<t,  lui 
givcu  by  Ikkuuit,  iu  Minmnolu  HUt.  Svc,  Anuuls  IHJJ. 


E90 


EARLIEST  OVERLAND  EXPLORATIONS. 


There  was  little  wisdom,  after  all,  in  thus  attenipt- 
hv^  to  unite  exploration  with  traffic.  Pursue  traffic, 
and  exploration  attends;  exi)lore,  and  traffic  follows  at 
its  heels.  There  ai'c  laws  reijjulating  these  thini^s, 
whieli  he  who  risks  life  and  fortune  would  df>  well  to 
observe.  Yet  this  earnest  Frenchman  was  wise  and 
nohle  accordini^  to  his  day.  It  is  very  easy  for  us, 
knowing  the  beyond,  to  point  the  proper  way,  saying 
that  to  cx}»lore,  one  should  di'op  fort-building  and 
tra(hng,  and  with  a  company  of  tough  reliable  men 
])ress  rapidly  forward  to  the  end,  and  then  return. 
Whatever  risk  of  life  miijfht  have  attended  such  a 
movement,  the  expense  v/ould  have  been  less.  ]>ut 
all  was  as  a  wall  of  darkness  to  this  explorer,  one 
ste[)  into  which  might  plunge  him  to  the  foot  of  a 
precipice. 

As  it  was,Verondryo  spent  all  his  fortune  and  f  )rty 
thousand  livres  besides.  Then  he  returned  to  (Quebec 
an«^  asked  govei'innent  aid,  which  was  denied  him. 
The  trutli  is,  tliere  were  those  wlio  wi.slu  d  to  continue 
his  (>\plorations,  availing  themselves  of  liis  s[)ent  foi'- 
tune  and  twelve  years  of  efi'ort  without  return,  hoping 
to  reap  tlie  reward  rightly  his  due.  This  is  the  (sld 
story  in  ])ioneering,  whether  in  art,  industry,  lett<'rs, 
or (hscovery. 

Frowns  are  ])lentiful  enough  among  disappointed 
associates.  Maurepas  circulated  reports  unl'avoraMe 
to  Vcrendjye's  character,  and  the  latter  Avas  finally 
imhiced  to  remit  his  commissi(»n  to  Noyelle,  who  pur- 
posed to  continue  the  exploration  in  bis  own  namo. 
As  a  cheap  rewai'd  i'<n-  his  services  tt)  the  state  thus 
far,  t\\v  king  confen-ed  u]»on  A'eren<hye  the  order  of 
St  L<!uis.  iJeauliarnais,  however,  was  faithful  to  the 
ex])lorer,  as  was  the  governor's  successor, (hilissoniere: 
and  Veremhyi'  was  about  to  resume'  his  undertaking 
when  lie  fell  sick  and  died  December  (J,  174'.>."    AV-ren- 

'(Jraiivillo  Stiiiiit,  in  .Mniiiniiii,  ll'ml.  S<ir.  Coiitr'ih.,  i.  .'U(!.  surmises  flir  I.i -t 
Ciitiilili' (it  tlio  \'i  riiidryi.s  to  luivc  Iutu  Iruiu  Fort  J^;i  l.'t.iiic  cm  tlir  A  siiii- 
lioiii"',  up  .Motisi'  lliv  II  iunl  .'ui'i'ss  ti>  ;lu'  Mi-.-iinii  i,  «  liirli  In'  liiiuhi'd  jusi  In  !iiv>' 
vlicic  siiicu  waa  IjiiilL  i'lUt  Bcitliulil.     Tliciicc  they  a3C(.'UilLi.l  the  Mi.suini  w 


RESULTS  OF  VERE\DRYE-S  EFFORTS. 


597 


dryo's  son  and  brotlior  claimed  the  right,  and  very 
justly,  to  continue  the  discovery;  but  men  lii^h  in 
olKce  now  stepped  forward  and  in  the  name  »il'  l)rog- 
ress  prepared  to  tieece  the  state.  Forming  an  asso- 
ciation composed  of  Joncpiiere  the  new  governor, 
Breard  the  comptroller  of  marine.  Captain  Lamanpie 
de  Marin,  Lc  Gardeur  de  St  ]-*ierre,  and  otiiers,  the 
Intendant  Bigot  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  it,  and 
setting  all  other  claims  aside  prepared  to  avail  him- 
self of  A\'rendrye's  efforts. 

The  scheme  was  for  Marin  to  ascend  the  ^lissouri 
to  its  source,  cross  the  bari'iers  which  so  friglitfully 
presented  themselves  to  the  former  explorers,  and 
take!  the  tirst  stream  which  should  present  itself,  and 
lollow  it  to  the  Pacific.  St  Pierre  was  to  set  out  from 
Fort  de  la  Heine,  cross  the  mountains  farther  to  the 
north,  and  join  Marin  at  a  given  latitude  on  the  shoic 
of  the  Pacific.  This  project  was  entirely  feasibli', 
being  [)racticall3^  what  both  Mackenzie  and  Lewis  and 
Clarke,  though  at  different  dates,  and  without  acting 
conjointly,  successfully  accomplished  later. 

Put  mercenary  motives  interfered  and  cruslied  what 
otherwise  might  have  })roduced  the  gi-andest  results. 
Once  fairly  eml)arked,  with  the  public  treasury  to  di'aw 
U])()n,  these  [)olitical  ex[>lorers  paused  in  their  direct 
effort  to  traverse  the  continent,  and  eniployed  the  op- 
portunity for  their  personal  projit,  ])eltry -gathering  at 
the  eastei'n  base  of  the  Pocky  ^lountains,  where  in 
ir.VJ  they  erected  Fort  Jon(|uiere.  To  tlieir  ever- 
lasting disgrace  be  it  said  that  these  high  oilicials,  on 
the  wrecked  efforts  of  the  truly  noble  Verendryc,  by 
infamously  diverting  to  their  personal  and  pecuniary 


the  t'ato/i  of  tlio  inoiintaiiis  near  Ili'li'iia.  Montana,  tlio  1st  <if  .Tannniy  ]'J^'^, 
f.iiind  tlii'n  on  tlii'so  mountains,  \\liciHt' tiny  jMsscd  n]i  IVi'ii  or  Sniilli  l.'ivrr, 
irossi'il  to  the  lii'ad  of  tlif  Mnssi'lslull,  aii<l  tlirn  to  tlic  Ni  How  stone,  wliieli 
lIu'V  iTosseil  and  useonded  I'l-yoi-  Fork  ard  juissecl  throu;,^h  I'lyni'  (laji  to  the 
.""cinkins^  Ivivi  r,  erossin;,'  wliieli  they  continued  south  to  \Vind  liiver.  win  re 
tlie  natives  tohl  them  of  * ''-een  liiver  over  tiie  mountains,  .anil  of  tii,'  armed 
Iiands  of  i^lioux  vailin;;  i.l  the  pass  to  shiy  any  \v!io  shuuld  eimie  fioni  tlm 
l.ind  of  their  hereditary  foes  the  Slioshiaies.  ileiicu  the  explorers  tunieil  buck 
iiutl  leav.hed  llie  -Mi«;vjuii  in  .May  1714. 


393 


EARLIEST  OVERLAXD  EXPLORATIONS. 


piofit  tlie  state  aid  which  thoy  had  obtained  pro- 
I'essedly,  as  pubhc  servants,  for  the  advancement  of  a 
hiudable  purpose,  divided  large  spoil,  the  governor 
receiving  as  his  share  three  hundred  thousand  francs.** 
"Thus,"  says  M.  Garneau,  "ended  ignobly  a  project 
nobly  conceived,  but  made  almost  abortive  by  injustice 
and  sellishness." 


The  first  exploring  expedition  across  the  Rocky 
IMountains,  and  thence  to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  was 
neitlier  that  of  Alexander  Mackenzie  nor  yet  that  of 
Lewis  and  Clarke.  It  was  not  performed  by  an  armed 
band  under  the  auspices  of  a  powerful  corporation  or 
by  army  officers  guarded  by  a  posse  of  soldiers.  We 
are  n(»t  even  indebted  to  European  intelligence  or 
l^roujress  for  the  first  account  of  the  Orejjon  countrv. 
Prompted  by  curiosity,  the  stimulant  underlying  all 
advancement,  a  native  of  the  IMississippi  Valley, 
unassistetl  and  unattended,  found  the  |)ath  which 
Jefi'erson's  captains  sixty  years  later,  with  all  their 
government  aid,  encountered  such  laborious  difficulty 
in  following;  for  brains  work  under  red  skins  as  well 
as  under  white. 

While  en<!:aged  in  historical  and  ethnolofncal  in- 
vestigations  west  of  the  ]\Iississippi,  M.  Le  Page  du 
Pratz,  a  French  savant,  like  many  another  before 
and  since,  Ijccame  interested  in  the  question  of  the 
oriurin  of  the  Americans,  and  thoujxht  immediatelv  to 
solve  it."    To  tliis  end  wherever  he  went  he  inquiivd 

''Dofih.i'  Ifii'l'iriH'/i  Jhti/,  44;  Pierre  Marary,  in  Moniicitr  Univer^ct,  Sep- 
tcmlior  14  ami  Novemljcr  1,  \K~t  ;  Jourmtl  of  Trnrelx  /xr/oriiwd  in  l^.'fi 
III/  C/icrdHer  (le  Id  Vi  rciulriiP.  in  .tfurch  of  thf  Western  Siu,  aldr()>st  rl  tv  thi'. 
Mari/uin  (le  /ieaiihnni(iin ;  F.  X.  (tarnvtm,  L'flix'oirc  du  Cumvhi.  toin.  i.  HI), 
vii.  cap,  'J;  Smitk's  Hist.  Cdiindd;  AV(,v  Yurk  Uint.  M(i<j.,  18,")U;  t'onh-ih. 
Hist.  ."oc.  .l/o«/(o/tt,i.  301-10;  I'urkmaiCs  Old Itcijime, 'I'll ;  SeiU's  JJis.  Jiorki/ 
JfollilliliiiH  ill  li'^.i. 

"  M.  Lu  Piij;c  (III  Pmtz  gives  the  result  of  his  researches  in  liis  IliMitii-e  (/•' 
Id  Loiiixidne,  published  in  Paria  in  1758.    An  ahridgeJ  English  translation  .■.ii- 

1>"ai'C(l  in  Londuniu  17'>I5and  antjther  in  17<)4,  the  fonncr  Vicing  reprinted  in  1774. 
a  these  translations  the  text  is  liadlj'  nmtihited.  The  authur  resided  lil'U'i  ii 
years  in  Louisiana,  and  it  ia  from  hiiu  that  later  writers  derived  their  fidli'.st 
and  most  reliable  information  respeeting  the  Natchez  and  adjacent  peojilcs. 
Though  somewhat  dilluse,  like  most  writings  of  that  day,  nuich  practical  good 
Hcusf  is  displayi'il  in  tliese  jMigcs.  Tlie  wi'itci-  was  well  acquainted  witli  his 
Buliject,  and  the  work  may  be  considend  reliable. 


MONCACHT  APfi. 


590 


for  those  most  ftiiniliar  with  tradition,  that  thoy  iiiicflit 
toll  him  what  he  wished  to  know.  At  length  am<jn<jf 
the  Natchez  he  encountered  an  ancient  aborijjfinal, 
wiser  than  all  the  rest,  who  himself  had  thought  much 
of  the  beginning  of  things,  and  more  particukirly  of 
that  time-worn  puzzle  whence  he  and  all  other  men 
had  come.  He  belonged  to  the  nation  of  the  Yazoos, 
and  was  knt)wn  to  the  French  as  L'Inter[)iete,  because 
he  s{)oke  many  languages,  but  l)y  his  own  people  he 
was  called  Moncacht  Ape,  that  is  to  say,  He  who 
Kills  Trouble  and  Fatigue. 

This  savage  was  a  most  remarkable  man,  possessing 
a  most  remarkable  mind.  It  is  a  mistake  to  give 
civilization  all  the  brain-power  of  the  planet.  Not 
less  than  Europe,  America  had  her  arts,  her  letters, 
her  elo(|uence  and  diplomacy;  not  less  tlian  the  uni- 
versity, the  forest  has  its  lofty  contemplations,  its 
hunu'erinu^s  after  higher  intellij^ence,  its  battlin<>-s  with 
black  ignorance  and  mental  (jbscui'ations. 

Thou'jfh  strugijling  in  the  darkness,  his  love  for  the 
sciences  was  not  less  than  Plato's;  his  thirst  for  the 
enlightenments  of  travel  was  not  exceeded  by  that  of 
Herodotus.^'' 

How  shall  we  rate  a  redskin  who,  prompted  alone 
by  the  workings  of  inward  intelligence,  seeks  from 
tradition  to  know  what  has  been,  and  from  what  has 
been  to  dcstermine  what  shall  be?  to  this  end  asking 
iirst  his  neighbors  who  and  what  they  are,  then  tribes 
beyond,  until  in  his  eager  thirst  for  knowledw  he 
travels  from  the  Mississippi  first  to  the  Atlantic,  and 
then  across  the  mountains  to  the  verge  of  the  l^icilic. 

"When  I  saw  it,"  exclaims  this  American  ]\rarco 
Polo,  refening  to  his  first  view  of  the  ocean,  "I  was 
so  deliixhted  that  I  could  not  si)eak.  !My  eves  were 
too  small  for  my  soul's  ease.  The  wind  so  disturbed 
the  great  water,  that  I  thought  the  blows  it  gave 
would  beat  the  land  in  pieces." 

•"  'Jo  nc  puis  mioux  Ic  comparer  (in'i'i  ces  premiers  f!i-(''cn  qui  vnyacjcoiont 
priiiciiialeniciit  dans  TOricnt  pour  examiner  les  moeurs  et  Ics  coiUuiuca  ilcs 
diverfcca  uatioiis.'  Lc  Pwjt  du  J'lutz,  JiL<t.  d<:  (a  Lon'maia,  iii.  sti.  , 


coo 


ILVRLIEST  OVERLAND  EXPLORATIONS. 


The  dux  and  reflux  of  the  tide  [greatly  ])Uzz1(m1  liim. 
On  the  approadi  of  tlie  water  toward  his  ('ain})iii^-- 
placo  upon  the  beach  lie  fled  in  disnuiv,  tliinkiiiL;-  the 
Avorld  would  be  enj^ulfed.  Keassured,  he  returned; 
and  when  he  saw  the  water  retirinjj^,  s<»  long  and  so 
intently  did  he  rejjard  it  that  his  conn.aiiion  thought 
liini  crazed.  In  journeying  toward  the  north  he  o!)- 
served  tlie  da3'H  lengthened,  while  in  going  south  they 
shortened.  Asking  the  cause,  none  could  tell  him, 
until  finally  M.  Le  Page  du  Pratz  explained  the  matter 
by  the  aid  of  his  instrument.  Returning  from  the 
east,  his  longings  unsatisfied,  and  having  all  his  life 
heard  that  beyond  the  source  of  the  ^[issouri  was  the 
cradle  of  his  race,  he  was  hungry,  he  s.iid,  to  scu  with 
his  own  eyes  the  land  whence  came  his  first  fathers; 
lience  he  resolved  upon  a  journey  thither.  Not  later 
than  1745,  Moncacht  Ape  crossed  the  ^[ississippi 
and  spent  the  winter  with  the  Missouris,  who  inlrib- 
ited  ilt'j  banks  of  the  river  which  to-day  bears  their 
name,  near  its  junction  with  the  ]\Iississippi.  There 
he  learned  the  language  of  the  Kansas,  the  people 
above. 

Embarking  in  a  pirogue  the  following  spring,  he 
began  the  ascent  of  the  Missouri.  At  the  river  and 
country  of  the  Kansas  he  stopped  to  learn  something 
of  the  regions  beyond.  The  Kansas  sought  to  dis- 
courage him  from  so  ditBcult  and  i)erilous  a  jcuriu  v; 
but  when  they  saw  he  was  not  to  be  turned  from  his 
purpose  they  lent  him  every  assistance.  They  di- 
rected him  to  continue  his  course  uj)  the  great  river 
of  the  Missouri  for  one  moon,  when  he  could  reach 
certain  mountains  ex(;eedingly  high  and  beset  with 
dangers.  Then  he  should  turn  to  the  right  and  pro- 
ceed directly  north,  and  after  several  diiys'  march  he 
should  come  to  a  river  flowing  toward  the  west. 
This  was  called  the  Beautiful  River,  ami  it  flowed 
into  the  u'reat  Western  Ocean."    There  he  would  meet 


"  Under  tlio  name  Bi'Ile  Hiver,  in  latitude  45°,  nortli  of  the  Missouri  and 
west  of  the  Rocliy  Muuiitoius,  tliu  same  Htreaui  with  tributaries  all  tluwing 


ASCENT  OF  TRR  MISSOURI. 


COl 


a  poo]>lo  called  tlio  Otters,  who  could  inform  liiin  how 
to  (U'fsc'uiul  tho  liver  in  a  bout. 


I'l'csiiliodil  Noit 
(.11  ,U-      _ij 

mi;xique' 


Mai-  ov  Le  r.uiE  vu  1'uatz,  17"<7. 

wcstwaril  is  placoil  in  tlio  north-wcsit  ooriKT  of  tlic  Curtf  »/'■  fa  f.nnisirme 
V(>luii}i  Ffuiml-c  lit'  M.  Lo  I'au"!  <lii  I'lut/,  drawn  in  I'liiis  in  I7'>7,  <>i  uiiicli 
iiixive  it  is  wi'itton:  Mi'tio  l)ulle  IJiviere  vnt  lepresL'Utt-o  sans  noiii  il:in.H  la 
L'aite  c|iii  fiit  (loiiiU'c  par  iin  Sauvagu  a  M.  Uu  la  llmitau.'  1  /ijivo  liui'uwitli  a 
f'ac-ntmUe  oi  that  bcctiuu  uf  tliu  map. 


C02 


EARLIEST  OVERLAND  EXPLORATI(»fS. 


"I  ascondcd  tlio  ^lissoiiri  for  one  month,"  continuos 
!Moiicac'lit  Ape,  **and  although  I  had  goih^  so  far  I 
did  not  turn  to  the  right  as  thoy  had  di  ectod  inv, 
hceauso  for  some  days  past  I  had  seen  nuiny  moun- 
tains wliich  I  dare  not  cross  for  fear  of  l)hsterini;  mv 
feet."  While  hesitathig,  not  knowing  what  to  do,  lie 
presently  saw  a  smoke,  and  thinking  possihly  it  might 
arise  from  a  camp  of  the  Otters,  he  presented  himself 
and  to  his  joy  found  that  it  was  so,  the  camp  consist- 
ing of  si)me  thirty  men  and  women  bound  eastward 
bulfalo-huntinu:. 

Their  language  Moncacht  Ape  did  not  understand, 
hut  he  himself  understcjod  by  signs.  The  Otters  were 
greatly  sur[)rised  with  him,  and  they  tarried  there 
three  days.  Fortunately  for  the  traveller  it  mean- 
while happened  that  one  of  the  women  complained  of 
illness,  aiid  her  husband,  in  a  most  un-Indian  manner, 
offered  to  take  her  back  to  their  village.  Moncacht 
Ape  accompanied  them,  and  thus  secured  safe  guid- 
ance over  the  worst  part  of  his  route. 

"Wc!  ascended  the  Missouri,"  he  goes  on  to  say, 
"for  nine  short  days,  when  we  turned  directly  to  the 
north  and  marched  five  days,  at  the  end  of  which  time 
we  came  upon  a  river  of  beautiful  clear  water,  called 
for  this  I'eason  the  Beautiful  liivcr." 

Fatigued  and  travel-stained,  the  man  and  woman 
plunged  innnediatcly  into  the  cool  tempting  streani, 
and  signed  their  fellow-traveller  to  follow.  With 
])hilosopliic  caution  he  replied  that  he  needed  bathing 
badly  enough,  but  that  ho  was  afraid  of  crocodiles. 
When  informed  that  such  monsters  did  not  infest 
these  northern  waters,  he  bathed  with  ))leasure  and 
l)rotit.  Along  the  bank  of  the  Beautiful  River  they 
marched  the  remainder  of  the  day,  when  they  came 
to  a  creek  where  the  hunting  party  had  cached  their 
canoes.  Taking  one  from  the  place  of  concealment, 
the  travellers  embai'ked,  and  reached  the  villa;xe  of  the 
Otters  that  same  night. 

The    fortnight   our    philosopher   spent   with    this 


ADVEXTURKS  ON  THE  RIVER. 


003 


friendly  cou})lo  was  quite  suHicieiit  for  liiin  to  learn 
somewhat  of  their  lanuua<re;  an<l  now  that  he  had 
eonie  anion<;  the  old  men  who  loved  to  teach  he  soon 
knew  it  well.  After  nvtinj^  tliere  some  days  lie  siL,^- 
nilled  his  intention  to  de[)art.  His  new-found  IViends 
urjj^ed  him  to  ju'oloni>-  his  stay,  hut  his  i)rojeet  hurned 
within  him  and  oceuoieil  his  thou'^hts  alwav. 

As  some  of  the  Otters  were  <;ointj;  to  smoke  tlie 
calumet  witli  a  kindred  trihi  directly  on  his  I'outo, 
ISIoncacht  Ape  accompanied  them,  floating'  delight- 
fully with  the  stream  for  eighteen  days,  stop[)ing  now 
and  then  to  hunt.  Landing  with  the  Otters  at  the 
village  of  tlieir  friends,  ^loncaeht  A})e  was  persuaded 
to  go  no  farther  that  season,  because  the  heat  was 
great,  the  grass  high,  and  snakes  to  the  lumter  dan- 
gerous. Moreover,  it  was  necessary  he  should  learn 
the  language  of  tlie  people  helow^"  for  it  so  hapj)ened, ' 
ho  says,  "that  witli  tliis  knowledge!  I  sliould  he  al)le 
to  understand  all  tlie  natit)ns  whieh  I  should  iind,  even 
to  the  Great  Water  which  is  to  the  west." 

From  the  counsels  of  the  old  men  of  this  nation 
jMoncacht  Ape  derived  great  benefit,  and  lie  loved 
them,  for  their  heart  was  as  their  mouiii  spake. 
When  ready  to  depart  they  placed  him  in  ac  iiioe  well 
stored  with  pemican  and  everything  necessary  for  liis 
comfort,  and  sent  him  liappily  on  his  way.  "I  soon 
arrived,"  contimies  the  ti'aveller,  "at  a  small  village 
whose  people  were  astonished  to  sec  me  come  alone. 
This  nation  wear  the  hair  long,  and  regard  all  wlio 
wear  it  short  as  slaves,  cutting  it  in  order  thus  to  dis- 
tinguish them.  The  chief  of  this  nation,  wlio  found 
me  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  called  to  me  brusquely, 
'Who  are  you;  whence  do  you  come;  and  Vvliat  seek 
you  here  with  your  sjiort  hair:''  I  answered  lilni,  '  I 
am  !Moncacht  A]>e;  I  come  from  the  nation  of  tlio 
Otters;  I  seek  infoi-mation,  and  I  come  to  you  that 
you  may  give  it  me.  !My  hair  is  short  tliat  it  may  not 
embarrass  me,  but  my  heart  is  good.  I  ask  no  food; 
I  have  still  far  to  go ;  my  right  arm  and  my  bow  arc 


004 


EAKLIE'^T  OVERLAND  i:XI'LORATIOXS. 


nlwnvM  (';|iia]  to  my  iiccissitics.  In  tlu'  winter  T  am 
thi'  l)rai'  and  liu  (l;»i-i:iant;  in  the  sunnncr  I  am  the 
eauli',  vwv  on  tilt!  win*''  to  satisfy  my  curiositv.  Slioiil.l 
you  tear  one  who  comes  ah)ne  and  in  the  day'"' 

^rumhUnLC  that  thouiih  he  came  IVom  the  nation  of 
tlie  Otters  he  was  not  one  of  tliem,  and  \Vf;n<lerin;^^ 
how  lie  should  know  the  lani^uaLje  of  a  people  he  had 
never  setni,  the  cross  chief  hade  the  stran_n"er  rest  ii' 
lie  would;  hut  our  ai-rant  scholar  now  i-osi;,  slightly 
raiii[»ant,  and  would  havi-  no  sour  hosp'tality.  Tui'ii- 
illlLj  n|ton  his  heel  he  ^I'owls:  "When  hears  meet  t'iey 
I'uh  noses;  hut  men  speak  rudely."  Tlu-n  raisin'^-  his 
Voice  as  he  was  ahout  to  shove  oft'  ho  exdaiiiK-d:  **  I 
was  changed  hy  Salt  Tears  to  see  the  ]>!<••  ]|oehuck." 

Scarcelv  were  spoken  these  ma<ric  words  when  out 
from  his  tent  Inu-ried  an  old  man  so  hlind  as  to  he  led. 
]  le  was  till!  IJi^'  Itoehuck,  and  father  of  the  cross  chi(  f, 
and  he  spoke  to  the  stran^vr  as  to  his  ov»ii  child. 
8i'i/.li!<jf  him  hy  the  han<l  he  took  him  to  his  tent  and 
orderi'd  thither  all  his  etfects  from  the  boat,  and  ke[)t 
liim  tlure  two  days,  telling'  him  how  to  conduct  him- 
self with  I'avor  toward  the  people  helow.  When 
ready  to  depart  he  pressed  upon  the  traveller  iVesh 
food,  and  amouL;'  otlu'r  thing's  some  meal  prepared 
from  a  small  urain  smaller  than  the  French  pea,  which 
jNToncacht  A[)e  was  very  ^lad  to  ^et,  as  no  mai/.e  was 
found  in  that  countrv,  and  he  had  had  only  ]>ulv>rized 
dried  meat  to  carry  in  his  hoat.  In  })artmg,  the  old 
man  assured  the  stransj^er  that  to  be  well  received  by 
all  the  nations  thence  to  the  Great  Water,  he  had  Init 
to  say  that  the  ]>ig  Koubuck  was  his  friend.  And  so 
he  found  it  to  be.*- 

'-  M.  Lo  T'anc  (111  I'ratz  licro  questions  M<iticaclit  Ayt6  closely  rctravilins 
his  route,  iiml  the  Litter  went  eaiefnlly  o\it  the  j;i-ounil  a','ain.  Theilieat 
AVatei-  uoulil  lie  nnthiii,L;  else  tliaii  tlie  Western  Oeeaii,  liiit  this  lleautiiul 
liiver  liad  neviT  ln'fine,  lieeii  tleserilH'il  to  a  European  by  iin  eye-MJtness. 
A','ain  lie  was  told  tliat  his  course  was  northwanl  from  the  Missouri  nation  to 
tlio  Kansas,  iVoni  the  Kansas  nation  ii,)  the  Missouri  north-west  to  the  H^'auti- 
fiil  Hiver,  wiiieh  ho  struck  in  jioin^'  directly  north  from  the  Missouri,  and  the 
e:iiirse  of  tile  lieaiitifnl  Kiver  was  norlh-west  to  the  lircat  Water.  Tlw  lli^ 
liuiliiiclv  had  assured  him  tiiat  tlie  Missouri  ami  tlie  IJcautif"!  Kiver  I'.ov.cd 
for  aoiuc  (iistuuee  puraliul  to  each  other.     Thia  ol  coui'bo  waa  uu  crn-v,  uti  well 


AT  THE  SKA- SHORE. 


At  caoh  of  tlio  nntioiis  Ixlnw,  ]\r<)!ir*aclit  A])u  tar- 


ried l)iit  (Hie  (lav 


tliat   lie    slmrdv  caiiit.'    to   tlu 


l;ist,    a    people    oiu!    day's  joiiniey    rroiii    the    (»re;it 
Water,  and  ahout  a  leai^tie  distant  from  the  i)eautit"nl 


iiiver.  who  wen-  liK 


liii.^;-  tl 


leiiisilvcs  III  tlU!  \V()()( 


til 


ds  i 


l-olU 


Avliite  hearded  iiieii'"'  who  eaiii 


e  evfiv   year  lit  a  l)a 


•k 


lor  a  yellow  stiiikiiiijf  M'ood,  and  to  steal  the  vouii'^ 
women  I'or  slaves.  J}y  this  jicoplc  the  trayeller  was 
at  once  received  as  a  ehiet'  hy  his  own  family,  ''because 
they  thoULjht  with  reason  that  one  who  had  seen 
Avhite  men  an<l  many  nations  should  have  more  mind 
tlian  one  who  had  never  been  from  home  and  had  seen 
none  but  wd  im.'n." 

'I'hesc  bearded  distui'bers  of  theii' peace,  the  natives 
further  informed  him,  went  always  clothed,  no  matter 


h 


th 


ith 


tl 


low  warm  tlie  weather;  their  weapons  also  made  a 
j;reat  noise  and  sent  forth  fire,  and  they  came  from 
where  the  sim  sets." 

Seeinij^  that  it  was  the  yellow  wood  which  seemed 
to  briiiL''  them  there,  tollowiiiti'  the  counsel  of  the  okl 
men,  the  {)eople  were  fast  destroyini;*  that  odorous 
attraction,  so  that  they  hopi'il  in  time  they  shouhl  bo 
no  more  molested. 

Exceedingly  i-urious  to  see  these  M'liite-beai-ded 
men  who  were  neither  l]ii!j;lis]i,  I'^vnch,  nor  Spanish, 
jMoncacht  Ape  entered  heartily  into  a  plan  to  attack 
those  who  should  next  come.     It  was  now  about  the 


ns  tlic  (lirc'ctiim  from  tlio  ^fissoni'i  to  tlio  f'oliiinliia,  nnil  tlio  gencnil  fourso  of 
the  lattor  to  tin.'  sea.  lUit  in  viow  of  tlio  ri!u'.L;iiliii,"s.s  of  tlu'  country,  tliu  wiinl- 
iii;^H  of  moiiiitaiu  ]iasscs,  aii'l  the  tw  i.<liiiL'<  of  strcanis,  wr  can  nuilily  <  \tii  o 
tiliylit  ilisfii'iiaiiciiM  as  to  (lirctliou  hy  one  without  chart  or  coiupasrf,  and  tho 
first  to  travursf  this  ivgioii  ami  ri'tmn  to  tell  of  it. 

'■•'On  nil!  (lit  i|\io  t'ls  homiiKs  r-ioiiiit  hlancs,  qu'ils  avoiciit  niic  liarlpc 
lonj^niMit  iioiiu  (|ui  k'Ur  tomlioit  siir  la  ]i'iitiiiu" ;  (|u"ils  jiaroissoii'iit  gros  lit 
ooui'ta,  la  t.'tu  gi-o^sc  ct  c-oiivi-'rti'  irr'toH'c  :  ijiTils  I'toifiit  toiijouis  lialiillc.s,  iiii'iiio 
dans  l(;s  [this  j^toskcs  diali'tu's;  (jiic  lini-s  hal)its  toinhniciit  ins:|ir,iu  luiliou 
<k'8  jamhcs,  (|ui  otoii'iit  coiiviTtt's  ain.-i  (jiic  Ics  jiiL'ds  d'ctoirL'  loti.i^'i^  oil  jaiini;.' 
Lf  I'K'Ji'  ilii  J'riitz,  //lit.  ill'  la  Ldiiixiniii',  iii.  1  l(i. 

"  M.  J^e  l'a,L,'c  dii  I'i'atz  i)i-oiiouiici's  tin'  iiitrmlurs  Japanese;  others  think  it 
quite  as  likely  tliey  were  Kilssiaiis.  Whatever  is  said  of  tlK.'iii  must  of  eoiii-so 
lie  taken  v.ith  ;;Ho\\aiiee.  Tlie  deseiijitioii  of  tlii'ir  eolor,  luard,  an  1  dre.-j, 
together  \vi ill  their  annual  visits.  mi'.;ht  jioint  toward  I\a:n(:iiulka,  or  .lii|>aii. 
]iut  us  a  matt';r  of  faet  the  lliissians  liad  at  this  time  visited  the  coust  but 
uuoe.  uud  tlieu  not  below  lutituitu  Mi". 


m 


EARLIEST  OVERLAXl^  HXPLOR^iTIONS,. 


time  of  their  annual  arrival.  All  the  fainil'K'S  in  tlio 
vicinity  of  their  lantlin,ijj-])lace  had  retiiod  from  tho 
coast  lost  their  youn<^  women  should  be  oa[)tured. 
Our  hero  had  smelt  <^ampf)\vder  aufl  was  not  afraid. 

Leavini.^  their  camp  near  the  ]^eautiful  Kiver  tlio 
warriois  journeyed  live  days  to  a  [)oint  on  the  coast 
wliere  were  two  ;j^reat  rocks,  between  which  emptied 
into  the  sea  a  shallow  stream  on  whose  l)anks  grev*' 
the  yellow  wood.  It  was  between  the  two  locks 
that  the  foreigners  ran  their  vessel  when  the}'  came 
ashore. 

Seventeen  davs  the  warriors  now  waited,  the  arrival 
of  their  piev.  All  had  been  arrangid  in  council  for 
t!u'  attack,  l^resently  they  espied  the  vessel  in  the 
distance,  and  hiding  themselves  they  watched  an 
ojiporfnnity  fouc'  <lays  more.  At  lengt'i  two  boats 
coiit:iinii:g  thiity  men  ]>ut  off  from  the  shij)  and  eii- 
ten-d  th"  little  strcant  between  tlso  rocks.  When  the 
t;tra!igers  wert;  we-ll  scattered  gathering  wood  and 
taking  in  watci',  the  natives  fell  upon  them  laid  killed 
eleven,  the  ri'st  escaping. 

Having  siaughtei-ed  tlie  strangers  like  a  savage, 
jMoncacht  Ape  examined  their  <h'ess  and  physiipie 
like  a  scientist.  The  Ixxlies  were  thick,  short,  and 
Very  white;  the  head  was  heavy,  the  hair  short,  and 
instead,  of   hat.'    thev  wore  cloth   wound    round  the 

ft/ 

liead.     The  <htss  was  neither  of  wool  nor  bai'k,  but 
of  a  sc.ft  stulf  like  the  old  cotton  shirts  of  Kui'opeans 
That  which  covered  the  bg  and  foot  was  of  one  piec'e. 
Only  two  of  the  dead  had  iire-arms,  with  powder  M\d 
balk 

Joining  some  northern  nations  who  had  come  t<) 
assist  at  the  slaying  ol'  tlie  strangers,  Moncu-ht  Ape 
continued  hi;,  iournev  along  the  coast  till  he  reached 
their  village,  when  tht^  old  Uien  of  the  place  (lis 
suaded  him  from  proceeding  farther,  saying  that  th  > 
c  )untry  beyond  was  cold,  barre/,  and  tenantles  . 
Thereibre  he  returned  to  his  own  people  by  the  rouie 

'^Xut  uulikc  tliu  c'luthiui'  uf  tLu  Alciita. 


15 


JONATHAN  CARVER. 


607 


lie  v/ont,  having  been  absent  on  this  western  tour  five 
years." 

Tt  was  not  h)ng  after  the  journey  of  Monracht  Apd 
that  Jonathan  Carver,  captain  in  the  IJritisli  provin- 
cial army,  made  his  exph)ration  of  tlie  interior  of 
North  Aiuerica."  Setting  out  from  Boston  in  Juno 
17GG,  he  [>rocee(le(l  to  Fort  Michilimackinae,  whence 
he  niadt-  excursions  round  the  lieadwaters  of  the 
^[ississippi,  reaching  as  liis  farthest  west  a  point  on 
St  l*ierre  or  Minnesota  liiver,  sixty  mih^'s  iVom  the 
Falls  of  St  Anthony.  Tiiere  he  met  a  people  whicli  lie 
<lesignates  as  the  Xaudowessie  nation,  but  who  wci-e 
in  truth  the  Dacotahs,  with  wliom  he  remained  st'vcn 
months  studying  thiir  language  and  learning  of  them 
something  of  the  counti-y  to  the  westward.  Of  tlie 
surroimding  region  tlicy  drew  for  him  plans  with  *-nix\ 
on  the  inner  biich  bark,  whicli,  though  rude.  Carver 
found  on  veritication  to  be  in  the  main  corrtict. 

'"After  f|Ucstioiiinfl;  th(!  narrator  closely,  M.  Lc  Pnc^c  <lu  Pratz  asserts  Iiini 
iM'lii'f  ill  tilt'  tnitii  of  till!  tiUivy  ;  and  imU'cil  1  sci/  no  ri  ason  to  iloulit  it.  Tlii) 
liiountiiins,  till'  liver,  and  tlio  sea  are  tliere  to-day  as  Moiuaelit  Aju'  diserii(ed 
them;  and  let  it  l>e  reiiicnihereil,  no  other  jierson,  wiiite  or  red.  !:o  t'.ir  as 
known,  had  ever  liefoie  jiert'ormed  tlii.-i  journey  lietweeii  the  Missisitippi  iind 
the  I'aeilio  Ocean  liy  way  of  the  Colnnihia  JJiver.  'Je  liou  sens  qnt^  Je  <()iiiiu 
A  eet  lionniie,' eoneludes  the  autlior,  //int.  ite  fa  LnniniiiiK.  iii.  KiT  ><.  'i|iii 
iiavoit  iii  lie  iioiivoit  avoir  aiieiin  inteivt  a  inen  iniiiost.r,  iin'  lit  ajofiter  t'oi  ,'k 
tout  ee  im'il  liie  dit ;  &  je  lie  pills  me  ])ersiiadei'  autre  chose,  siiion  iin'il  alia  s;ir 
les  liiiid.s  iiiemes  de  la  .Sler  du  Slid,  doiit  la  i)j)ili(^  la  plus  Se]iteiitrionale  |>eiit 
Be  iioliiriier,  nI  Ton  vent  llier  de  rOuest.  J.a  l>ellt!  Itiviere  (lu'il  a  deseeinluo 
est  lui  (!(  ■  v'e  considi'ralile,  (|iie  Ton  ii'aur.n,  point  de  peine  a  di'c.mvrer,  lorsiiii'- 
uiK  lois  on  .era  jiarveim  aux  sources  du  Missouri ;  iS:  je  ne  doiite  jioint  (pi'iino 
8einl)ial-1e  expi'ilition,  si  elle  ctoit  entii'prise,  lie'  lix/it  enti>i  I'lneiit  iios  iijre.s 
«i;r  eette  paitie  do  rAmeiii|Ue  Septentrionale  &  sur  la  faiiien;>(  Mcide  I'thiest 
•  lout  o!i  park'  taut  dans  la  Louisiane,  &  doiit  il  paroit  ipie  1  mi  lesire  la  ileeoii- 
Verte  avec  aideiir. ' 

''(.'arver  was  liorn  in  Connecticut  in  173'2,  and  died  i;i  iifndon  in  IT'^O. 
Owinj^  to  the  iiiterfereiii'e  of  goveriimeiit,  the  jmlilieation  of  his  licmk  wa.i 
delayed  ten  years:  ami  although  the  work  ran  tlii'><u;,di  several  editions  ;ind 
BeiUied  t')  throw  some  li;,'lit  ii[>oii  the  (piestion  of  a  liorth-wcsi  passa:.'e,  the 
BUtlior  dt:;ived  little  luiielit  from  it,  an<l  ilied  in  poverty  al'tir  liaviii:,' rendered 
imjiortant  services  to  his  eoiintry.  Tlie  inlorm.ition  wlii'li  il  pretends  to 
contain  is  not  of  the  most  lelialjle  eharaeter.  His  journey  was  luithcr  didi- 
cult  nor  im|)ort;int;  his  deserijitioii  of  tli«'  iiati\es  was  tai^eii  from  La  Hontaii 
mill  lleiiiU'iiin,  and  his  dissertation  on  the  orij,dii  of  tlu^  Aineiieans  from 
Charlevoix.  'It  is  jirohable,'  remarks  Mr  W.  i'.  San<le>-s,  Mimltiiiii.,  //i.<i. 
S'ir.  ('oii/rili.,  i.  .'Wl,  '  that  iVom  the  discoveries  of  Wrendiye  and  his  party, 
Captain  .ronathan  ( 'arver  derived  the  information  vliiih  enaMed  liim  to  ]iut 
for*,h  the  pretcutioua  but  mueeurutc  knowledge  of  tJiu  uouices  of  the  four 
great  rivers.' 


COS 


KAIIFJEST  OVKllLANI)  KXI'LOR ATKINS. 


Witli  singular  intclliijft'iK'i'  tliey  pointed  to  tlio 
Iloi-kv  Mountain  i-c^iion  diicctlv  to  tlk'ii'  wi!st  as  the 
liiu'liest  land  upon  tlu'  continent,  iVoni  the  fact  tli;it 
thence  flowed  j;ieat  rivcMs  in  every  direction.*^  Thcic 
were  the  ^Tississippi,  (  arver  said,  the  Itiver  Hourhon, 
wliich  we  shoJild  now  call  tiie  Saskatchewan,  the 
Oiej^on,  or  Itiver  of  the  West,  and  the  St  Lawi'ence. 
Suh.^titute  tor  the  latter  tlic  Coloi-ado,  which  makes 
the  (tliscrvation  all  thi'  nioi'e  striking",  and  the  state- 
ment is  cssentinlly  corr<'ct.'"     I  ajtpend  (';ii'ver's  m.ij>. 


;  I  ,"1 


"*Siiii'i'  wli'ili  tiiiu'  L'NplofciN  mill  Hi'it  litiHU  liiivi'  cilKil  jitti'iitioii  in  tie 
fii't  ii  Kcorc  of  tiiiii t  at  liiiHl.  cicli  iijOiaii'nlly  ha  a  (iiv,t  liliKirvrr,  wlu'ii  ilm 
t4avai!<'s  IiikI  naiil  as  iiuu'li  n  IiuikIii'iI  yc.'O'-^  lictiiit'  llicm, 

'■'Tliis  is  till'  r.i'  t  i:iriiiiiiii  w  •  lia\.'  1  1  llii^  w.nl  t  ;,i  -mi.  ( 'arver  lucnti  nn 
it  lirsl  ill  liis  iiiti'iiilui'tioii,  p.  i\..  as  a]>|plic  '  t'l  tin-  < 'uliiiiiliia,  'tir.t  t'.il!.*  i.i'n 
till'  raiilic  ( )i'(aii  at  tlit'  n1  rails  nl  Aiiiaii.'  ( )ii  |>.  T'i  tli.'  Mtaltnuiit  and  wniil  nrn 
araiii  ri'iicatnl,  aiiil  nu  en  •  cf  tin'  niaj".  in  latilii'li'  17  ami  loin^itinlc  !.;»  wi.t 
fioni  l.uniinn  is  p!ari  cj  ;  la!.r,  HlioDliii'.'  Ii-nui  v.  Iiii  li  .■;;•.•  twu  ;  Ina  t  Mtl\':uiu>,  iind 
tlio  wuiiU  ■  liuuiUol  Uiiijaii."    hci)  hiol,  Ui;,  i.  17,  tluj  ucnt;*. 


TITK  sniXIXG  MOUNTAINS. 


ooa 


Furtlior  tliaii  tliis,  tlio  Dacotiihs  toll  Carver  of 
ccrtuin  Shiniiii^  Mountains,  whidi  wi-rc  pai't  of  a  ran'^^j 
Itfi^'innini^  at  Mcxict)  and  continiiinLf  northward  cast 
of  (.'alit'ornia,  and  dividini^  the  waters  which  flow  into 
the  jxult'  of  Mexico  from  those  which  flow  into  the 
eiilf  of  California.-'"  On  one  <»f  Carver's  nuips  we  find 
laid  di>wn  in  ahoiit  latitude  4.')'  a  niinhty  sticani  whicli 
for  five  hundred  uules  from  its  mouth  is  twice  as  wid»; 
as  the  Mississij)|)i  in  a  like  location,  and  with  dotted 
hanks  and  continuation,  siL^nilyin;^  that  its  l>rea«lth  an<l 
limits  wtsro  unknown.  It  is  lahelled  in  lari^e  htteis 
Hiver  of  tlu'  WVst,  and  at  its  mouth  is  mentioned  that 
it  was  discov(!red  hy  At^uilar.  South  of  it  i-<  \c\v 
Alhion;  to  the  north  th  ;  stiaits  of  Aniaii,  a  limitless 
Western  seaandthe  AFc  untain  of  JJrinht  Stones,  which 
1  "lazed  with  vaiieijfated  crystals  of  such  exceedin;^ 
l>riliian(^v  as  to  dazzle  luiiolders,  thoU'di  \trv  far  west 
of  the  continental  ridj^o  m  which  were  plucetl  tho 
ShiniiijL;"  Mountains. 

Other  won<lers  thei'o  were  in  these  undiscovered 
lands  no  less  marvi'llous  than  the  soa-serji«nts,  mer- 
maids, and  monsters  on  undiscovered  ocean  thi'own  in 
l>y  map-makei's  to  fill  hlaidv  sj)aces.    lloun«l  the  head- 


waters of  tlu!  Missouri,   if 


\\r  may 


Im'I 


leve 


( 


;irver 


jUrew  male  and  female  mandiakes,  that  is  to  say,  a  spe- 
cies of  root  resemhliiiLf  human  heinij^s  of  hutli  sexes. 
Jiut  after  America  has  heen  «»hliL;id  to  make  I'oom  for 
l^acon's  Atlantis,  and  (jlullivei-  has  founded  here  his 
l.iyi;dom  of  Hrol)digna;jf,  we  should  not  he  disturheil 
hy  trifles. 

])oul)tless  the  Shininj^  ^fountains  of  tlie  T)acotahs 
Were  those  white  domes  risiuLT  IVom  eintrald  f'ori'sts 


I 


It  woiilil  licit  ilo  fii  caii'v  til"'  l{c>it\v  Midiiilaiii'*  t'Hi  fill- to  tlic  north  r«)  jiH 


t'l  lilcifk  till'  Aiiiiiii  Siriiil 


liifi  st.iti  il,  tlioni.'!i  til"-  ^'roiiiid  f">r  it  i-t 


not  liiviii,  »!■  ■!  '  tiny  ii|i|M'iir  t'"  ciul  in  alxnit  forty  scmii  <>r  tortyci)ilit  lU-nni-!! 
of  north  '        .nlc,  w  l!(r"'ii  niiiiil»'i'  "if  rixii-Marisf,  uini  inipty  tli"  iiiwlvts,  .itlnr 


into  thf 


ith  Sfii,  into  lliiilson's  llnv, 


ito  tl 


IC   Mllfll-* 


that 


•niniMiin.'itu 


lutwft-n  tlicsf  twoMi-as.     AnioiiL,'  thi'sf  nniiintaini.  tlms.-  that  In-  to  Ih"-  wi't 


"if  till'   Ifivcr  St    I'ii'rrc 


allril   till'  Sliinim,'   Mountain'^,  fitint  txu  inliniUi 


iiunilxr  of  chryntiii  stoni'.-t  of  an  Miiia/.iu;^  »i/c,  w  ith  «  hi<  h  tin-y 


ml  wliirli,  u  lull  the  HUH  hliiinn  full  ii|iiiii  tlicni,  Hituikli- 
Very  givat  "liwtiini'i'.'  t'lunr'H  Tfun/K.  |J1, 
.  Uin.  N.  W.  CoAKT,  VuL,  I.    :n» 


to  bt- 


"•0\  111  (I, 

Dc-cn  ul  u 


J) 


!g|Q) 


EARLIEST  OVERLAND  EXPLORATIONS. 


Avliicli  greet  tlio  woarv  travelli'i-'s  eye  while  yet.  ftir 
awjiy  over  tlie  hillowy  jdain,  wliicli  jj^reet  the  mariiio's 
earnest  j^aze  wliile  yet  the  sliore-liiie  is  iiivisihle ;  I'nr  we 
an;  told  that  the  pliosphoreseeiit  waves  <>t'  thr  Pncitir 
at  iiiuht  are  lustrous  uiKlerthe  reliectioii  of  their  ylisl- 
ejiini^  snows. 

To  make  the  tale  coin})lete,  Carver  ini|)ro<^'Tiate(l 
M'ith  ,L(ol(l  the  Shininuf  ^loiintains  of  the  JJaeotahs; 
and  lu'i-e  aj^ain  he  was  nearer  right  than  ])erhaj)s  Ik; 
himself  susjtcctcd.  So  jilentiful  was  gold  among  the 
])eo|)leof  the  Shining  A[ountains,  he  had  hecn  assurt'd, 
that  th(\v  madi'  their  commonest  utensils  <tf  it.-*  (JoM 
was  there,  true  rnoughjmt.  dec'i)  hidden  in  the  gorges 
and  difiicult  to  find.  Jx'fore  gold,  the  soft  wnrm  cov- 
<'ring  of  heasts  which  skipped  ujutn  i\\v  surface  was 
destined  to  he  the  attraction.  The  natives  in  that 
vicinity  W(>re  white,  as  befitted  their  celestial   su!- 


cs 


roundnigs.^-" 

(Oliver's  object  in  making  his  e\[)lorations,  hesid 
Ktudying  the  character  and  customs  of  the  iii'tives, 
was  to  ti'averse  tlu^  continent  and  ascertain  its  hreadth 
between  the  forty-thir<l  and  forty-sixtli  parallels, 
after  which  he  intended  "to  have  j)roposed  lo  gov- 
ermnent  to  establish  a  ])ost  in  soine  of  those  jiai'i-^ 
about  the  Straits  of  Annian,  which  having  ])vvn  first 
discovered  by  Sir  Fraix'is  Drake  of  course  belong  to 
the  i'jiiglish."  Such  n  course  v/ould  facilitate  trade 
and.settleUK'nt,  and  hasten  the  discovei'v  of  a  passage 
bi'tween  Hudson  Kay  and  the  Pacilic  Ocean.  Twice 
did  he  make  the  etfoi't  and  twice  liis  plans  proved 
a 
not  reach  him;  his  second   i>roj«'ct,  toiined  in    1771 

-' '  I'riibalily   i"   futuii^  iij;i!».' t'iirvcr    writi-s  of    the  Sliiiiin;,'  Mi'Uiitiiin 
Trunin,  !•_'•_',  Mlu'y  iiny  )»•  foiiiiil  fn  contain  more  ri(  lifs  in  lliiii-  Imwi'l^  tlia 


b(»rtivi'.      In  his  Hrst  attempt  ])romised  supjiHes  did 


tliosit  ot'  Inilostiin  mill  Malaluii', 
•  Jninca;  nor  will  I  o\c(jit  cvi'ii 


or  that  all'  |ir( 
the   1 


(hicril  on  tile  (li>hhii  ('oast  i  i 


cniMaii 


Mi 


Iravf   uoiil.s  lor  oim 


iht 


I'll 


lavc  ln'ci;  MipcaKiii''  o 


pf  the  Moiiniiiins  of  (he  Moon  HO  f:ir 


«M  ai'tiial  kiio\vli'ili;e  or  ovfii  jirohahility  wan  toiui'iiu'il ;  ami  ,\it   this  rov  r 


was  not  far  wioii'r. 


•'-'On   the  whole  the  narrativi"  of  Moncaeht  Aiie  is  to  my  iiiiiiil  fi 


Holier  nnil  eoii.sisteiit,  ami  eontaiiiM 


mill  h 


ir  llioie 
isri'rtaiiKil  tiutli,  than  any- 


thin;,'  Carver  w  rote  of  niatterrt  lieyoinl  the  iiiuiuitaum. 


rnomsTTKTi,  ro%T>,  rrT!i=(Tjrv. 


Gil 


in  cniijunction  with  Ividianl  Vriiitwoiflu  a  wonltliy 
imc'IuIkt  of  parlijiUR'iit,  was  IViistiatcd  by  the  Imakiiiij 
out  of  the  war  for  iiulqion<k'iU'e.  Tht  Ihitish  j^ov- 
t fiimoiit  saiK'tioiK'd  the  latter  |»hin,  whii-h  w;is  to 
aseeiid  tlie  Missouri  atid  <l«s<'eii(l  the  Cohuuhia  witli 
fifty  men,  and  aftt'r  buikUny  a  fort  to  i)roseeute  dis- 
co very  <jn  the  Pacific. 

Besides  the  natives  there  wore  the  fnr-huDt-.rs  .uid 
sevcnvd  Frencii  writers  fri»ni  whom  Carvei-  oittaim-d 
information,  and  whose  aecounfs,  in  oith-rto  make  his 
own  ;n)[)ear  more  important,  ho  did  not  fail  (o  dis- 
])ara_;jfe.  On  a  number  of  the  majs  jlrawn  about  I7.')() 
we  lind  the  comin<(  Columbia  desioiiated  as  ITio 
A^uilar,  IJio  Tlu>gayo,  and  (Ireat  Ivivi-r  of  the  west, 
j'.lso  tile  fictitious  .Vnian  Strait,  and  other  myths 
V.  hence  Carver  derivetl  iiis  ima!'inin«'s. 


For  the  first  overla!i<l  jou.'ney  by  a  F.uiopean  from 
the  northern  interior  of  Xo»'th  Anieri.-a  to  any  sea- 
shore other  than  the  (-•astern,  we  mus*  look  to  the 
Hudson's  J Jay  Company.  In  174j  a  reward  of  twenty 
tliousand  j)ou!ids  was  otfeied  by  ])ailiament  for  the 
discovery  by  any  ihitish  sliip  ol"  a  passaije  bituceii 
Hudson  Bay  a;id  the  l*acilic  Ocean.  This  olter  wa.s 
renewed  in  177(1. 

.Vftcr  a  century-sleep  by  the  l-^-oZell  Sea,  feal'ful 
lest  otiiers  should  be  before  them  ill  (he  search  for  a 
northern  passa^je  which  they  did  not  v.ish  to  (ind,  yet 
satisfied  of  the  iioii-e\isteiice  of  a  na\  ij^alilf  rhaiiiu  1, 
in  I  7(»'.)  the  dli'ectoiy  (It  Npatched  SamiH  I  llearin'oii 
a  tour  of  discovery.  l)ii('ctiii,if  his  comsc  north  wc-^t 
from  Prince  of  W  ales  !''ort,oii  ( "hurchill  K'iver.hf  made 


it  his  mission  as 


wt  II,   in  determining-  the  (|Uestiou 


of  a  north  west  passa;.^e,  t()  search  for  a  rich  deposit  (»f 
copper  said  by  the  natives  t(»  be  upon  the  iiaiik  of  the 
far-off  Metal  liiver.  .Vt'ter  pi-oc.  edino'  two  himdrcd 
miles,  lleanie  was  deserted  b\  his  '■uidoaiid  forced  t<» 


It  turn.      Farlv  the  next   v 


ear  Ji  s«  coin 


1  att. 


empt   was 


made,  which   was  likewise  attended  with   ill  siiceeHs. 


i'l 


I"' 


mA 


EARLIEST  OVERLAND  EXPLORATIONS. 


In  Dccoiubcr  1770  Heiirne  sot  out  for  the  third  tiiiu', 
and  the  following'  year  discovorod  the  Groat  Slavo  and 
othor  lakes,  as  well  as  the  Copperniino  River,  and 
crossed  what  ho  called  the  Stony  Mountains  to  the 
Northern  Ocean.^^ 


It  was  17HG  hoforo  the  first  traders  from  Canada 
stood  on  the  banks  of  l*eace  River.  Then  little  forts 
sjirani^  up,  ohc  Metropolitan  Fort  being  Chipewyan, 
i'onndod  in  1788,  which  was  the  year  in  wliich  was 
{d)andon(;d  the  establishment  on  Elk  or  Atlial)asca 
Itiver  built  bv  Frobisher  and  Pond  ten  vears  previous. 
And  it  was  yet  later  when,  in  1802,  James  I\iisley 
with  two  companies  left  St  Louis  on  a  huntin_Lj  ex- 
cursion, and  after  throe  years'  wandorini's  and  losses 
reached  Santa  Fe,  l)eing  the  first  American  to  cross 
tlic  phiins  to  Xe\v  ^lexico. 

In  177(i  i)adres  Dominguoz  and  Escalanto  J)oir- 
f  rated  I'rom  New  ^lexico  to  Utah  Lake  in  the  Great 
JJasin." 

Alter  Hoarno's  journey  wore  the  expeditions  of 
Alexander  Mackenzie  in  178I)-0.'l,  and  of  Lewis  and 
Clarke  in  1804-0,  of  wliich  1  fully  treat  heroai'ter. 

Some  time  lu'fore  the  journey  u[>  the  Missouri  of 
l^owis  and  Clarke,  Mr  Fidli  r  had  made  explorations 
iii  that  <|uai'ter,  the  results  of  \vlii(h  were  <Irawn  on 
Arrowsiiiith's  map.  The  ;4eo'_;raphy  thus  laid  down 
subsoijut  nt  explori-rs  very  natuially  found  incorrect, 
the  knowledge  of.,  eounti-y.  like  the  knowledge  of  any- 
thing else,  being  something  whith  oannot  be  achieved 
at  oiici^,  but  must  be  V'ft  to  (level" ip  itself  from  small 
begimiings.-'     I  will  Uiontion  here  but  two  others  of 

•■' llfiirnf'H  jounwl  wa«  not  priiit»?<l  until  ITOo,  tlit-  Hiulson's  Wuy  Coin- 
onny  lifiiig  in  iid  liacu-  ti>  iimkc  Uiiown  tbi-  iiiitiirc  of  tluit  tcnitmy.  rinhaUly 
i  vvuulil  not  liiivf  rlii'h  a|i|H:ai'cil  liail  nut  L:i  IVmiiMi',  win >  when  lie  I'aptiiriil 
1  (ii't  AUuiny  found  iliurc  tlu^  niaiiUHci'i|it  of  lluuruo.  stipulated  for  it.s  pul>lica- 
tmi. 

'^^ iynmhii]Uf~  mill  Kx^rfinnft,  /iic.riii;  II umlml'ii ,  Kxxid  J'nl.,  i.  .'till,  and 
JWilir  It.  n.  I},,,t..  xi.  ±1 

•■■'Set'  Liiri-tdiiil  <'larl.-  <  7'mi'<'.s,  l^ti.  I  Mr  .\rToW8niith's  map  is  laid 
tliTvwn  n\  the  Hooky  Moiiintaiii  ran.r  unc  :  r^mini'iil  niouiitjiiii  ntar  latitiidv' 
4  >    -allc'd  Thu  Tootii.     ' 'suil  tu  iw  so  uiii.riifJ  iruiii  tlic  Uucuvutiud  uf  a  Mi' 


riKE  AND  LONfJ. 


SIS 


the  most  notable  early  expeditions  cast  of  the  llocky 
^Fountains,  whieh  were  those  of  Zebulon  Montj^oniery 
Pike  iu  1805-7  and  of  Stephen  H.  I.oncrin  IHIO-'JO. 
Pike  was  a  lieutenant  in  the  United  States  ariuv, 
sent  by  his  s^overnnit  iit  to  ex[)lore  the  sources  of  tho 
^lississippi  and  estal)lish  friendly  relations  with  tlu 
nations  whose;  territory  had  lately  come  un<ler  tho 
domination  of  the  republic.  Einbarkin<]f  with  twenty 
men  from  his  encampment  near  St  Louis  on  the  Dth 
of  August  1H05,  in  a  keel-boat  seventy  feet  in  length, 
he  ascended  the  Mississip[)i  to  its  source,  hoisti'd  tho 
l^^nited  States  flag,  and  returned  after  an  al)si'nce  of 
nearly  nine  months.  The  following  year  he  peiieti-ated 
tlie  interior  of  liouisiana  on  a  sinjilar  mission.  Anive  I 
in  February  1H()7  at  tlie  llio  (Jrand(\  which  he  sup- 
}>oscd  to  be  lied  Iliver,  he  was  aiicsted  by  a  body  of 
Spanish  cavalry  and  taken  to  Chihuahua,  whence  lio 


was  sent  Jionu 


Th 


tea 


k  b 


ig  1 


)earLnir  nis  name,  w 


hicli 


rises  from  the  gold-tields  of  central  Colorado,  was  lirsfc 
seen  by  him  in  1S0(). 

The  'csults  of  Pike's  expeditions  were  imjjortant. 
IJefore  tliis  the  sources  of  the  Mississipj)i  were  not  un- 
known, but  the  riv(>r  remained  undisc(»vered  exee])t  at 
certain  t'ur-trading  points.  Jts  uj)[)er  course  had  never 
been  continuously  traced.  He  tii'st  reported  and 
mapped  the  up])t'r-   Arkansas,  the    Kansas,   and    the 


sources  o 


f  Platte  Kiver 


()n(>  can  haidly  ri'ali/.e,  that  \\\  tht'  beginning  of  llio 
])resent  centui'v  t'.ii'  interioi-  of  the  North  American 


continvMit,  now  so  Tamiliar  to  ib 


w 


less  k 


noun  to 


tl 


U'  woi 


rid  tlian  is  to-dav  the  lieait  of  Afri<-a.      It   is 


ti'ue  t!iat  French  fm-  trad<  i-s  had  penetrated  these 
parts,  no  one  knew  whither,  for  they  kept  their  own 
secrets  and  cairii'd  tluni  to  the  -^rave.  We  miglit  in- 
di'cd  except  l)n  Pratz,  who  in  his  work  nii  liouisiana 


on 


thiTw  more  lluiit  u[)on  the  geography  of  this  regi 
than  had  any  one  pi'ior  t<;  the  obsi-rvations  oj"  Pike. 
]n  retinu  foi-  liis  imi)ortaiit  services  l^ieutenant  Pike 
was    made    geniral    and    appointed    to    a    command 


.    i'ali 


m 


EARLiri.ST  OVrr.LAXn  EXPLORATIOXS. 


oj^aiiist  Canada,  Imt  lost  Ills  life  in  an  ex|>l!)si()n  wliirli 
accidentally  Mi'W  u[>  the  i'ort  which  ]\c  ()ccuj)i(xl.  Full 
of  I'ortitudo  and  hinnanity  in  liis  scviTal  cxjjcditions, 
Lieutenant  I*ike  won  the  h(;arts  of  ids  men  .  ;  regard- 
iiiLj  their  noniforts  and  shaiiniLj  their  hardships.  ][v 
was  fai"  too  brave  and  hi^h-ininded  an  oflicer  to  treat 
with  uid'airnoss  or  cruelty  tlu'  natives  with  whom  he 
came  in  contact.  He  could  not  do  a  mean  or  inhuman 
act.  With  jtride  the  American  historian  may  hand 
liis  unMottecl  lecoid  to  j)osteritv. 

^Fajor  J^ong  of  the  United  States  army,  hy  order 
of  his  government  left  l^ittsburg  in  A[)ril  lSi'.»,  l:i 
C'Xi)lore  1)V  steamboat  the  navi<>able  waters  of  tlic 
!Mississi]»iii  and  the  ^[issoui'i,  and  to  examine  th.' 
region  betwecni  the  ^Fississijjjii  and  the  ]loekv  ^louii- 
tains  for  the  j)Ur[»ose  of  obtaining  a  moi'e  thorough 
now  ledge   of   the  country 


h 


.Jeff 


ersons  mstructtoi 


IS 


to  Ca}>tain  Ticwis  wei'e  I'econnnendtjd  to  ^lajor  I^ong. 
^J'lie  expeihtion  fell  in  with  many  of  the  ti'adeis 
of  the  ^lissoui'i  l''ur  ('oni|!any,  then  an  institution  nl' 
tliat  region.  iNlakiiig  their  way  up  the  Missouri  and 
canniing  for  thi'  winter  near  J''ort  Lisa,  five  miles 
bi'low  Council  JUnlfs,  tlu'  <'\iteditionists  there  nu't 
^Messrs  JMlcher,  l-'onteiielle,  AVoods,  (ieroni,  and  Im- 
niel,  all  of  the  Missouri  Company.  Alajor  Long  was 
resti'icted  in  lil.i  movements  by  straitened  national 
i!nan<'es,  jnul  after  wintering  his  com[)any  at  (Nmncil 
]  Mulls,  fui'ther  iirogi'ess  up  the  riyer  was  arrested  by 
order  of  tlu!  seciH-tai-y  of  war.  At  the  same  time. 
liowi'Vei',  was  authorized  a  lan<l  excursion  from  that 


)o 


int  to   the  source  of  the   ri\-er   ] Matte,  which  was 


made,  their  steamboat,  the   W'csf 


<'i'ii  j'jiit/iiK'cr,  mean- 
V.  liile  dej)arting  down  the  ri\-er.  I'^romthe  baseof  tlie 
]iocky  ]\[ountains  which  Maior  ljon<''  reached  a*^  the 
source  of  the  south  branch  on  the  ]^aramie  IMains, 
Ins  i)arty  prociiiided  southward  to  the  Arkansas  anil 
thence  to  the  ^lississij)pi. 

Minor   ex|»ediiions    might   be  nientioned,  such   as 
that  of  Dunbar  and  Hunter  up  the  Washita  Jiiver,  a 


REFEREXCnS. 


G15 


rojK.rtof  wlilcli  was  ('oinnninii'ated  to  foiiLTrcss  liytljo 
|)ivsicK'iit  ill  1S0(»;  J.  ('.  JJrowii's  siirviv  <»!'  a  load 
iroiii  l'\)i't  Osa;^(.!  to  Tuos  in  IHii.')  7;  Ivii-liardsoii's 
Burvov  between  l^ittle  Koek  and  Fort  (jlil>son  in  IH-JCi, 
and  others;  but  we  must  luisten  on  to  tlnn^s  wliieli 
led  more  directly  toward  our  great  Xortliwest  beyond 
the  mountains.'-" 


-"I'iko's  lu'couiitof  Iii><  cxiicilitiims'wns  priiitfil  in  I'liil.'iil('l|ilii:iiii  ISIO.   As 
ill  most  works  of  lln-  Uiiid,  imich  ridding  i.s  luH'c.sMiii'y  in  onlii'  tn  (.liinin  ;i  >iii;itl 


iiiiiiiuiit  of  not  vi'i'v  viiliiaMc  iiifoiMmlioii.  'I'lu'  au'coiint  «if  Lmii.;'*  <  \|ii'illtii'll 
v:i?>  i'()in|iil<'il  liy  Kdwiu  •Ifiincs  anil  ]irint('il  in  two  voliinichi  in  I'liilailt  Ipiii.i, 
ISJ.'J.  For  turtlitT  icft'ienrc  to  niattci's  ticatcil  in  tlii.s  rli.iiiti  r  may  Ih'  mm- 
tioni'd  ,1////.  iliH  I'll//..  x\i.  '2''A;  Knni.'i'  ///^^  O/-,.  MS.,  l()(i  7;  lliilinnlsdu'.^ 
J'oiiir  J'liiUiim,  Vll-~,\  Tiil'ii-'i  Hi>l.  J)!."!-!!!:,  I4;t-7l»;  A'o///'.<  /lis/.  l),.An„\,  ii. 
'  (/  '•,(/.,  1  to,  l-tC,  -Jli;),  -JSIt,  ;!■_'_';  /rr;,,;/'.^  A^/ofhi,  :ir,; 


\r, 


,  n  I  iifluir  .1 


O/ 


Mom  tli'ti  i'lil/i  1/  Misit.,  ii.  M4;   '/'iri<.H'  <  h\  (Jiif'f.,  4;  l''(il(iiiii  r'x  Mia-i. 
luLssini;  lint.  N.Am.,  l!);j-'_M.S;   //;«,,<' A'.--.  «>,•.,  .•{!>,■)  ;{7(i;   /'(/ 


d  (li 


fi.iiiiiii  .^  JtfifDr, 


l'  ti'roi'  W'l  f,  41.'!;  Am.  Hcii'mli r,  \.  '27">-IM  I ;   Li  ii\.h  mi'l  Cldrhv'.^   Traril<, 


S7   I4(!;  Alln 


J)i'  J!i,ir:^  Iwl.  /{i:^.,  iii.  r)l(i;    I'dfUIr  I!.  I!.   Hijiurl.,  xi. 


'1\\A\\    Aid.  Slatv  J'o/K'i-.t,  xiii.  .'tl   '_',  (iS-l);  Jt/.,  s|ii'Lially  ntVirin;^  to  (Airvi'i 


XVlll. 


rrJI,  fdl;     ir 


/lis/. 


vi.  L>Ji»-7i>;    Wnifn 


M! 


I'OU- 


tiininj,'  tlncacls  that  K'ad  over  tin*  Kocky  ^lonntiiins;    'J'liil.rr'n    //is/.  Or. 


;!)  7;  (liinlriio/  l/te  \\'<.rfil,  17 -tS;  \,l,s'  /!.;/.,  vi.,  ix.;  .l/,v.-  I' 


'■f<'i; 


V.'4 


Shurc,  Aiiril  1S7S.  In  /'ui-i/ir  I,'.  Ii.  /'t /inr/s,  xi.  17,  is  ^'ivvn  a  inaitnf  N'oitli 
.\iui;i'ic;i  drawn  in  l7!l.->.  Jn  tlie  United  Stiitt.s  j,'i'ni'r;il  l;ind  oliico  wa.H 
lilccl  tilt!  "Jl.st  of  January  ISKS  ji  niaiiusiiii>t  liy  Jvi'ctor  and  IJoIhtiIimu 
fiiowin','  tlin  wi'.stiTn  iiaitof  tiio  continent  between  latitude!!  .'{■>' a!id  ."fJ'.  'I'lio 
nioiiutain  ian;;e3  ato  exceedingly  erratic,  and  exceptini^  tlio  liypotlietii  al 
ii\-e;'.s  (if  San  ISnenuventui'ii  and  'J'iiniianoj^os  or  Mou-us,  all  tiie  ei roM  of  it.^ 
("arver,  AiTow«Miitli,  I'ike,  J.ewi.-i  and  Claikc,  and  IIiiinhoMt, 

■fi,  J'liila- 


il'eilece.-fsors, 


M'eni  to  liavc  l)oen  faithfully  eojiicd.     liiiliifs  Mn/i  af  Xurf/t  Ann  i 
il[iliia  IsJS,  .shows  till!  Ta]ie1ettc  flowing  fiom  the  north-west  and  enii>tyiii> 


into  till)  Coluniliiii  at  its 


lllllen 


W 


•tto  111 


ee  wi 
1th 


th  Sii 
st,  tl 


i; 


owm;.,'  in  tioni  the  south-east,  tlio  livers  .MoiiLjosand  1  iiiii>ano;,'ii.s 


the  Miilti 
dTi 


loiiiali  I 


Loth  l)e;,'iimiii.:^  at  Lalie  Tiiiinaiioi^'os  and  di.icliarj.'iii;,'  into  the  I'acilie,  the 
furiniT  just  iielow  ( 'aipc  Orforil  and  tlio  latter  lK'lowl'a|ie  .Mcndoiiiio.  'I'lu! 
lUiinaveiitiira  rises  near  this  lieaihvatei.-i  of  Snake  llivcr,  (lows  into  Lake 
il  thence  proceeds  to  the  hav  of  Sir  I'lancis  Diakc,  where  stands  tlio 


iladi 
)'residio  of  ,San   [''rancisi-o 


tl 


u!  >,'ri)w 


th  of 


L(eo<4rapi 


Jl.  A.   Hollies,  I'll/,  ihiil   Siif/liinst  f'mist.  tr 
il   know  leil'_'e  und  lixi!S  the  ilati'S  \v  hen  errors  wcio 

iient  liia|)  of  iS.'tO 


iiitiodiiied  and  «  iped  out  from  the  cli:irts.  On  t!ie  i;o\ 
the  Koeky  .Mountains  are  also  called  the  (hv;.;on  Mountains.  / '.  ,y.  (Im'.  l/n 
,.'.'ilh  Coii'i.,  .1(1  SV,«. ,  //.  It'  jit.,  A'o.  S,',i),  p.  -JH.  In  Wln'cler's  (/"../.  Surnj 
I'l-ii'irisn  /,'i jmrf,  1S7-.  is  il  map  showing  United  States  exploring  route.-)  from 
thut  uf  Lewis  and  Clurke  to  dute. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

PASSES    AND     ROUTES. 

HiSTOniCAL  CoNSEQrKNCES  OF  TIIK  POSITION  OK  THE  CoRDILLEIlAS— PlIVSIC  \r, 
(lEOOKArilY    OF    TIIK    MolNTAI.N    KeuIOX    OF    THE    WrsT — TlIK    IJiiCKV 

MorNTAix  Passes  iietween  the  Akctic  Ocean  and  the  Foktymstu 
Pauallkt,— Passes  TiiKortiii  the  Coast  Hanoe — TnitorGii  the  i;iirK\ 

MorXTAI.NS     llETWEEN     LATITUDES     40°    AND    .I'i"— PaTHS    ACUOSS     Till: 

PL.\TiiAU— The  SiEKKA  Nevada— San  Beknauuino  Mountains— Tin; 
C'oi.oKAiio  Region  —RoirrES  TiiKouuH  Mexico  -The  Siekka  Madke  - 
The  Eastern  Range — The  Isthmus  and  Central  American  Passes  - 
Historical  and  Ethnooiuphic  Significance  of  the  Routes  iiic.m 
the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific — The  Northwest  Passage  -The  Xdirrii 
Amekiian  Situation — Routes  to  Asia  Ktunoukaphically  Consih- 
ERED— Historical  Conclusions. 


The  various  paths  by  which  successive  eniignititnis 
overland  readied  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  were  (U- 
teriiiiiied,  as  a  matter  of  course,  ahuost  altojjfcthor  l)y 
the  physical  features  of  the  intervening  barrier.  Au 
examination  of  the  character  of  the  several  passes 
seems  therefore  ai)propriate. 

Tliat  the  Spaniards  first  explored  the  western  coast, 
and  first  settled  in  the  heart  of  the  continental  chain, 
resulted  from  the  fact  that  in  the  latitudes  earliest 
occupied  by  tiiem  the  Atlantic  approached  the  base 
of  the  highland;  while  to  the  westward,  the  J?a(ifi<% 
op[»osite  the  passes  by  which  they  penetrated  the 
r.nine,  was  either  not  remote  or  else  actually  washed 
its  base. 

Xor  was  proximity  the  <mly  factor  in  the  emigration. 
Tn  the  north,  where  the  Pacific  slope  was  settled  l>y 
ICnglish,  French,  and  (lermans,  the  trend  and  rela- 
tions of  the  river  valleys   were    no  less  signiiieant. 

(tlO) 


1 


1 1' 


RANTiKS  AXT>  RIVKHS. 


Of 


Tli(>  iiiiitv  of  till'  m't-at  valley  lu'liiiul  the  liaui-t'iitiaii 
chain,  the  St  JjU\vivnc('-()liio-Mississi|>|»i  vailcv,  tho 
ki'V  ()(' which  was  the  Hudson  Kiver,  eiittin^^  the  way 
throiiLCh  that  chain,  c'(nn[>elle(l  these  ct)lonists  ti)  aditpt 
a  coinnion  lan<rua;;e. 

The  first  explorations  and  settlements  of  Caiiadiann 
on  the  Pacific  coast  were  due  not  morel v  to  thu 
shorter  distance  from  Hudson  Hay,  Imt  to  the  fact 
that  ji  j^roat  river,  the  Xelson-Saskatchewan,  na\  ii^^a- 
l)k!  hy  canoes  an<l  hatteaux,  and  in  more  recent  times 
l>y  steamer  for  the  j^ieater  part  of  its  leni^th,  flowed 
in  a  direct  course  from  the  Jlocky  Mountains  to  tho 
haven  fre({Uented  by  the  Atlantic  vessels  at  York 
Factory  on  Hudson  I^ay.  Its  headwaters  interlaced 
with  those  of  another  great  liver,  the  JVace-Mac- 
kenzie,  which  cleft  its  way  through  the  entire  luxky 
Moimtain  chain  hy  a  navigable  })ass  only  sixteen  hun- 
dred feet  above  the  sea. 

It  may  be  observed  that  tho  entire  mountain  region 
of  the  west,  from  the  lloeky  ^lountains  to  tlu'  J'acilic, 
is  one  general  system,  the  continuation  of  the  An- 
dean system  of  South  America.  Widening  gradually 
in  northern  Mexico,  Utah,  and  British  Columbia  iu 
accordance  with  the  general  widening  of  the  continent, 
it  yet  remains  indissolubly  united  by  its  lofty  inter- 
vening plateau,  while  the  general  altitude  and  th(5 
com[)lexity  of  the  iuilividual  paiallel  or  angling  rangi'S 
increase  in  proporticju  to  the  width,  the  loftiest  snowy 
moui»tains  being  found  in  latitude  :»8  4.")',  tlaiddngthc 
highest  portion  of  the  plateaii. 

W^hen  the  Si)aniards  crossed  in  l.^l.^-HO  and  the 
Califoi'nians  in  184!)  by  tlu;  Chagres-l*anam:i  J'ass, 
in  latitude  i)' 10',  the  altitude  of  the  range  was  oidy 
two  hundred  and  sixty-two  feet,  and  it  was  a  sinijde 
I'angt!  made  up  of  pai-allel  ridges  only  forty-eight  miles 
across.  Where  the  Hudson's  Bay  Cyom[>any's  [Kople 
crossed  in  1847  by  the  Peel  and  Porcupine  rivi-rs,  in 
Lititude  ()7.']0',  which  })ass  leads  from  the  Mack'en/ie 
to  the  Yukon  Valley,  tliei-e  was  a  portage  of  but  lilty 


li 


M 


I      11 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


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1.25 


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r  *-  IIIIM 

|||||m 

U    III  1.6 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


33  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y    14580 

i71.';^  172->503 


^ 


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V 


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O^ 


618 


PASSES  AND  ROUTES. 


iDiles  over  a  rouo-h  broken  table-land  of  inconsiderable 
altitude/  Here  the  Rocky  Mountain,  or  eastern 
flanking  range,  subsided  with  the  contracted  plateau 
into  the  slope  of  the  gradual  slope  of  the  Yukon  Val- 
ley toward  the  Bering  Sea  level,  while  the  western 
flanking  range,  still  mair.taining  its  individualit}",  dis- 
appeared beneath  the  Aleutian  Sea.  In  latitudes  38" 
to  42°  the  widtli  of  this  mountain  system  is  one  thou- 
sand miles;  in  latitude  G0°  it  is  less  than  five  hundred 
miles;  in  Mexico  from  one  hundred  to  three  hundred 
miles. 

The  name  cordillera  came  gradually  into  use  as 
"a  comprehensive  term  for  the  vast  complex  of  ranges 
west  of  the  104tli  meridian,  which  are  so  connected 
together  as  to  demand  a.name  which  shall  include  them 
all.'"^  Hence  the  cordilleran  region,  or  the  cordilleran 
plateau,  embracing  as  it  does  a  territory  so  vast  in 
area,  unique  in  situation,  and  known  to  history  only 
since  1848,  must  be  understood  as  describing  a  g)'and 
physical  feature  of  the  continent,  as  strongly  idiosyn- 
cratic and  marked  in  its  influence  upon  the  history  of 
the  Pacific  coast  as  the  mining  industries  character- 
istic of  the  latter  region. 

Passing  over  for  the  present  that  series  of  Central 
American  routes  across  iho  irdillera  whose  inconsid- 
erable elevation  has  rec  iiended  them  for  lines  of 
interoceanic  canals,  and  ot  which  that  of  Tehuantepec 
in  southern  Mexico  is  the  farthest  north,  we  find  in 
Arizona  and  New  ]\Iexico,  near  the  Mexican  frontier, 
the  next  great  depression,  and  the  lowest  pass  within 
the  boundaries  of  the  Unitc;d  States.  Here  in  early 
times  the  Spaniards  of  New  Mexico  traversed  tlie 
cordillera,  locally  termed  the  Sierra  Madre,  to  the 
headwaters  of  the  Gila  in  Arizona,  and  of  the  Yaqui 
in  Mexico,  without  attainhig  a  greater  altitude  than 
four  thousand  feet.    This  is  the  most  northerly  of  the 


'  Soc  nil  account  of  the  cstablishmont  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  at 
Fort  Y'tikon,  l)y  McMiirray,  in  />ii/r.s  Alanhi. 

'Wliitney,  in  U'atlctr'ti  litutidtkul  Allan,  IS'i'i,  1. 


GOVERXIXG  C0XDITI0^;3. 


619 


passes  which  is  not  more  or  less  obstructed  by  winter 
snows.  To  find  anotlier  as  low  we  have  to  journey 
northward  beyond  latitude  49°.  Mackenzie,  the  first 
English  explorer  to  the  Pacific,  found  and  traversed 
m  1793  the  lowest  of  them  all,  except  such  as  are 
within  one  hundred  miles  of  the  Arctic  Ocean,  namely 
that  of  the  Peace  Hiver,  already  mentioned. 


-"■  X"      /- 

w-        Jt.rr^- 

tiJ    -     -            -    -•                  Ji: .• 

t----:--                       /    _                                  ~A 

»-/^                       / 

"":--,      - 

P^^        r^ 

W  '-J     ■?*.''      > 

e-^    ^      ■   / 

5^;     -  ^  r~^^     : 

m^- 

is>-  _  -  /        -X.-^ 

e;  -          /-                -V' 

--  ■ 

=s -:--'.        /_ 

L  :•                    / 

-** 

mjs\    :-   '^'^ 

w0m^,l 

liOUTES   NOKTU   OJ'    LATITUDE   49°. 

Returninsf  now  toward  the  south,  we  will  survev  in 

detail  the  passes  of  thccordillera,  remarking  tlie  ruling 

conditions  which  affected  the  migrations  westward, 

whether  for  tiaffic  or  for  settlement.     Of  the  motivis 

for  discoverinsx  a  north-west  i)assage,  and  the  exiilora- 

.  ~  •  1  •       •  II 

tions  of  routes  tor  commercial  communication  overlaivl 

by  canoe,  by  wagon,  or  by  railway,  mention  is  matle 

in  other  parts  of  this  work.^ 

*lHst.  Cal.;  Hid.  Xorthivent  Coast,  passim;  Ilinl.  Oregon;  Iliat.  Brit.  Co- 

•Minbiu. 


620 


PASSES  AND  ROUTES. 


Porcupine,  or  Peel  River  Pass,  in  latitude  G7°  30', 
within  the  Arctic  circle,  and  but  one  hundred  miles 
from  the  Arctic  Ocean,  was  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany's northern  highway  to  the  Yukon,  leading  from 
Fort  ]\IcPherson,  on  the  Peel  River  branch  of  the 
Mackenzie,  to  La  Pierre  House,  on  the  Porcu[)ino 
branch  of  the  Yukon.  Hearing  from  the  natives  of 
this  short  and  easy  route  to  the  great  river  of  the  far 
north-west,  McMurray,  a  factor  of  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company,  followed  it  in  1847  and  built  Fort  Yukon. 
The  goods  designed  for  Fort  Yukon  reached  Fort 
McPherson  by  descending  the  Mackenzie  nearly  to  its 
mouth  and  then  ascending  Peel  River.  Thence  they 
were  conveyed  in  winter  a  distance  of  fifty  miles  on 
sledges  to  La  Pierre  House,  and  embarked  on  the 
Porcupine -Yukon  the  following  season.*  Liard  River, 
a  branch  of  the  Slacken  zie,  penetrates  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains in  latitude  59",  but  tliis  pass  does  not  appear  to 
have  been  used  by  the  fur-traders  to  any  great  extent. 

"Peace  River  Pass,  in  latitude  5G°,  was  visited  by 
some  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  traders  i)revious 
t.)  1792,  for  Mackenzie  remarks  that  Mr  Finlay  had 
boon  making  arranc^ements  for  erectins:  a  fort  not  far 
from  the  pass.  Horetzky  in  1872,  and  Selwyn  and 
]\[acoun  in  1875,  also  explored  this  pass,  Horetzky 
placing  its  altitude  at  sixteen  hundred  feet. 

Pine  River  Pass,  in  latitude  55°  30';  was  examined 
for  railroad  purposes  by  Hunter  in  1877,  and  Smoky 
River  Pass,  in  latitude  54°  30',  by  Jarvis  in  1870. 

Yollowhead,  or  Tete  Jaune  Pass,  known  also  as  the 
Leathei',  and  Jasper  Pass,  is  situated  in  latitude  53'. 
Its  first  appellation  came  from  an  old  tow -headed 
Indian  who  lived  there,  and  its  other  titles  from  the 
leather  traffic  carried  on  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany between  Jasper  House,  the  Saskatchewan  post 
of  Edmonton,  and  the  Fraser  and  Thompson  posts  of 
forts  George  and  Kamloop. 

This   traffic  began   probably  about  the   time  the 

*DaW8  Alaska,  U2, 


YELLOWHEAD  AND  ATHABASCA  PASSES. 


621 


Hudson's  Bay  Company's  head-quarters  on  the  Pa- 
cific were  transferred  from  the  Cohnnbia  to  Van- 
couver Island,  when  tlieir  accustomed  route  across 
the  Rocky  Mountains  via  Kootenais  Pass  was  also 
abandoned  for  one  more  direct. 

A  large  party  of  Canadians  traversed  Yellowhoad 
Pass  en  route  for  Cariboo  about  18G2,  and  character- 
ized it  as  a  natural  roadway.  It  was  also  fully  ex- 
plored and  described  by  Milton  and  Cheadle/  and 
afterward  by  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway  surveyors. 
During  the  Cariboo  gold  oxcitement,  and  later,  all  the 
overland  travel  from  Canada  entered  British  Columbia 
by  this  route.  For  some  unex[)lained  reason,  how- 
ever, Palliser  failed  to  examine  this  pass  during  his 
three  years  of  exploration  for  a  road  through  the 
Rocky  Mountains  in  1857-9,  though  he  scrutinized 
all  the  passes  soutli  of  it  as  far  as  the  forty-ninth 
parallel,  and  reported  adversely  as  to  the  practica- 
bility of  building  a  road  through  any  pass  in  British 
territory."  Yellowhead  Pass  is  the  key  to  British  Co- 
lumbia, being  situated  at  the  apex  of  the  Columbia- 
Fraser  triangle,  and  within  easy  reach  of  both  river 
valleys.     Its  altitude  is  thirty-four  hundred  feet.' 

Athabasca  Pass,  in  latitude  52°  25',  was  first  ex- 
plored by  David  Thompson  in  1810,  when  lie  was 
des[)atched  to  the  Pacific  by  the  Northwest  Company 
with  a  view  to  anticipate  Astor  in  the  fur-trade.  It 
leads  from  the  source  of  the  Athabasca  alonof  Whirl- 
pool  River  to  the  Big  Bend  of  the  Columbia  at  Boat 
Encampment.  This  was  the  original  route  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company  to  the  mouth  of  the  Colum- 
bia, and  was  travelled  by  them  from  1810  to  the  time 
of  Simpson's  second  journey  in  1840.  The  old  Cana- 
dian cart  trail  from  Winnipeg,  as  laid  down  on  the 

^XorfhweM  Pa»sage  hif  Laud.     See  also  liromi's  Essay. 

*  Palliser  fell  in  with  the  Poundary  Oiiiip  at  C'olvillc,  where  he  was  well 
received,  and  was  led  to  believe  tliut  an  astronomical  boundary  lino  was  a 
great  mistake. 

'  Speaking  of  it  in  18.")9,  Palliser  says :  'It  has  never  been  used  except  an  a 
portage'  between  tile  Athabasca  and  Fraser  rivers,  there  beuig  no  land  route 
connected  with  it. 


622 


PASSES  AND  ROUTES. 


Pacific  Railway  general  map,*  after  reaching  Edmon- 
ton, in  latitude  53^  10',  continues  south-east  toward 
Kootenai  Pass  as  far  as  the  Old  Bow  fork  on  Bow 
River,  a  branch  of  the  South  Saskatchewan,  opposite 
the  Kananaski  Pass,  and  leading  to  and  through  that 
pass  in  latitude  50°  50'. 

By  a  detour  the  old  trail  continued  toward  the 
south-east  along  the  base  of  the  mountains  to  the 
boundary  or  South  Kootenai  Pass,  where  another 
cart  trail  from  Winnipeg  reached  the  base  of  the 
mountains  by  a  direct  route  following  the  forty-ninth 
parallel.  Leaving  Winnipeg  by  the  cart  trail,  there 
was  but  one  road  up  the  valley  of  the  Assiniboine  till 
that  stream  turned  to  the  noi'th.  The  boundary  or 
Wood  Mountain  trail  then  left  it,  continuing  its  course 
to  the  westwai'd,  while  the  Edmonton  trail  deflected 
with  the  river  in  a  northerly  and  north -wester-ly 
direction,  and  crossing  tlie  water-shed,  followed  the 
valley  of  the  Saskatchewan  to  Edmokiton. 

This  Saskatchewan  road,  as  it  may  be  termed, 
derives  great  importance  from  the  fact  that  it  led 
along  one  of  the  principal  water  highways  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company,  that  of  the  great  Nelson- 
Saskatchewan,  which  flowing  through  the  northern 
end  of  Lake  Winnipeg,  had  its  eastern  terminus  in 
Hudson  Bay,  while  from  its  western  extremity  at 
Edmonton  was  ready  conununication  with  the  country 
beyond  tlie  mountains  by  scv^eral  difterent  passes. 

J3unn,  speaking  of  the  Athabasca  Pass  in  1844, 
sa3's  it  was  tlie  most  frequented  of  all  the  passes 
through  the  Rocky  ]\Iountains,  and  was  used  by  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company  as  being  comparatively  easy. 
]]lakiston  remarks  in  1859:  "Until  the  last  few  years 
it  was  used  regularly  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Compp,ny 
for  the  conveyance  of  a  few  furs,  as  well  as  despatches 
and  servants,  from  the  east  side  to  the  Pacific  by 
way  of  the  Columbia  RiAcr,  and  from  the  Boat  En- 
campment is  navigable  for  small  craft."    There  was  at 

^FlemiiKj'n  lirporf,  in  Canadian  Pacljic  llailwtiy,  1877. 


KOOTEXAIS  PASS, 


C23 


that  time  no  laml  rt)utc  to  the  wostwartl  in  connection 
with  this  pass. 

The  Athabasca  and  Ycllowhead  passes  are  identical 
as  fiir  as  Henry  House.  The  former  then  continues 
s(^uth,  between  two  of  the  hijjfhest  mountains  in  Brit- 
ish  Columbia,  Mount  Brown  and  Mount  Hooker,  both 
estimated  at  about  sixteen  thousand  feet,  but  neither 
actually  measured. 

From  Henry  House  the  Yellowhead  Pass  has  a  west- 
erly direction,  following  a  l;)ranch  of  tlie  Athabasca  to 
the  extreme  source  of  the  Fraser  in  Cowdung  Lake. 

Howse  Pass,  in  latitude  5V  45',  leadiuf^  south  fro' a 
the  source  of  the  North  Saskatchewan  to  the  Blac  :- 
berry  branch  of  tlie  Upper  Columl)ia,  was  explored 
l)y  Mr  Moberly  in  1871  for  a  railway  route,  and  at 
first  favorably  considered,  its  elevation  lieing  forty-five 
hundred  feet,  but  was  subsequently  abandoned  on  ac- 
count of  the  sinuosities  of  its  approaches  and  greater 
altitude  than  the  Yellowhead  Pass. 

The  Kicking'  Horse  Pass,  in  latitude  51"  25',  was  so 
called  by  Mr  Hector,  who  examined  it  in  1858  in 
connection  with  Palliser's  expedition."  He  found  that 
it  led  from  the  source  of  Bow  River  south-west  to  the 
Kicking  Horse  branch  of  the  Upper  C(jhnnbia.  The 
expedition  also  traversed  the  Vermilion,  ivananaski, 
and  the  north  and  south  Kootenai  passi^s.  Of  these 
Hector  explored  the  Vermihon,  whicli  proved  densely 
wooded  and  much  obstructed  by  fallen  tind)er,  l)ut 
having  the  advantafjo  of  a  gradual  descent  on  both 
sides  of  the  water-shed,  was  deemed  romarlcably  well 
adapted  for  a  wagon  road.  This  pass  is  in  latitude 
51  10',  and  leads  from  a  small  branch  near  the  source 
of  Bow  River  south-west,  witli  many  windings,  to  the 
Vermilion  branch  of  the  Kootenai  River.  ^Nlean- 
wliile  Palmer  went  tlirough  the  Kananaski  Pass  on 
his  route  to  the  westward,  and  returned  to  tlie  east- 
ern side  by  the  North  Kootenai  Pass. 

•  Mr  Hector  while  in  this  neighborhood  was  severely  hurt  by  the  kick  of 
a  liorsu. 


624 


PASSES  AND  ROUTES. 


Kananaski  Pass,  in  latitude  50°  40',  loads  fi-oin  one 
of  the  branches  of  Bow  liiver  south-west  to  a  branch 
of  the  Kootenai.  The  Indians  informed  Palli.ser  that 
this  was  "the  place  where  Kananaski  was  stoned  but 
not  killed."  Simpson  and  James  Sinclair  with  a 
jiarty  of  fifty  Red  River  emigrants  passed  through 
it  to  Oregon  in  1841,  It  was  commonly  used  for 
the  purpose  of  following  the  valley  of  the  Kootenai 
into  United  States  territory.  On  its  eastern  ascent 
Blakiston  came  upon  the  remains  of  Sinclair's  aban- 
doned wacrons.^" 

The  North  Kootenai  Pass,  in  latitude  49°  25  ,  leads 
from  the  Belly  River  branch  of  the  South  Saskatch- 
ewan south-west,  past  the  sources  of  the  Flathead, 
to  the  Wigwam  branch  of  the  Elk  and  Kootenai 
rivers. 

South  Kootenai  or  Boundary  Pass  crosses  the 
continental  water-shed  a  few  miles  north  of  the  forty- 
ninth  })arallel,  from  the  Waterton  branch  of  Belly 
River,  in  a  south-westerly  direction  to  the  valley  of 
Flathead  River,  and  thence  over  another  summit  to 
the  head  of  Tobacco  River,  a  branch  of  the  Kootenai. 

Among  these  passes  through  the  eastern  flanking 
ridge  or  flange  of  the  cordilleran  plateau  in  Britisli 
territory, that  of  Peace  River  is  the  first  in  importance, 
from  the  fact  that  the  great  river  of  the  eastern  slope 
of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  in  this  latitude,  also  drains 
half  of  the  plateau  west  of  the  axis  of  the  range ;  the 
real  continental  water-shed  at  this  point  being  only  one 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  the  axis  of  the  western 
tlanking  ridge  or  flanfje,  and  within  one  hundred  and 
ninety  miles  of  the  sea,  at  the  mouth  of  Skeena  River. 
By  the  Finlay  branch  of  Peace  River  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company  had  an  old  travelled  route  to  the  Babine 
branch  of  Skeena  River,  passing  through  the  Omineca 
gold  region,  and  crossing  the  water-shed  noir  the 
Bulkley  House,  on  Tatla  Lake. 

Scarcely  second  in  physical  and  strategic  impoitance 

^'^McDunaliVs  Brit.  Col.,  239-40. 


IX  tHE  ALASKAN  RANGES. 

is  tlic  Ycllowhcad  Pass,  on  accf)iiiit  of  tlic  peculiar 
C'oiitiguratioii  of  tlio  Pacific  slope  in  British  C()luinl)ia; 
in  consequence  of  which  it  was  early  ascertained  by 
the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway  surveys,  and  l>y  connuon 
consent  admitted  to  be  the  ruling  point  governing  the 
railway  location  to  the  strait  of  Fuca.  Chief  trader 
Jolni  McLeod  as  early  as  1823  learned  from  the 
'Shinpor'  Indians  of  Thompson  liiver,  who  sometimes 
went  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  that  in  this  re- 
gion there  was  "a  pass  leading  through  both  ranges."" 
The  following  principal  canoe  portages  and  I'ur- 
trading  routes  upon  the  plateau  itself,  used  by  tlie 
Hudson's  Bay  Company,  may  next  be  indicated, 
namely,  the  route  connecting  the  McLeod  branch  of 
Peace  River  with  the  Eraser,  in  latitude  54^  oO', 
travelled  by  Mackenzie  in  1793;  and  also  the  Gisconie 
Portage,  in  the  same  vicinity,  mentioned  by  ^Mackenzie, 
and  subsequently  adopted  as  the  usual  route.  Next, 
the  lake  and  river  chain,  occupying  the  centre  of  the 
plateau,  and  trending  in  the  same  general  direction 
from  the  Fraser  to  Lake  Frances  and  Fort  Pelly 
Banks,  on  the  headwaters  of  the  Yukon,  in  latitude 
G2^  And  lastly,  the  trail  and  portage  from  Deasc 
House,  on  the  Liard  branch  of  the  IMackenzie,  leading 
to  the  Stikeen  River,  not  far  from  the  Cassiar  mines. 

Once  more,  bemnning  at  the  northern  end  of  tlic 
\vestern  flankin<]f  ranixe  or  flange  of  the  cordilleran 
plateau,  as  we  have  done  on  the  eastern,  it  is  to  be  ob- 
served that  the  passes  south  of  Mount  St  Elias  formed 
the  roads  from  the  Russian  American  sea-coast  to  the 
British  American  interior  even  as  far  south  as  the 
fifty-tifth  parallel,  a  distance  of  five  degrees  of  latitude. 

To  the  north  of  ]\[ount  St  Elias,  or  the  sixtieth 
parallel,  there  was  but  one  broad  channel  of  travel 
and  traffic  this  side  of  the  Arctic  Ocean,  that  of  the 


^^.lohn  MrLpoiVa  Tioport  on  Tndhin  Tribes,  quoted  in  jV.  JfcLpod'.-i  Pfuce 
Hhrr,  no.  Tlio  Cariljuo-Selkirk  and  the  llocky  Mountain  ranges  arc  hero 
referred  to. 

UisT.  N.  W.  CoAsr,  Vol.  I.    40 


PASSES  AND  ROUTES. 


great  Yukon  river  and  valley,  in  latitude  65°,  first 
explored  ])y  Glilseuof  in  1835.  From  the  facility  of 
connnunication  by  water  along  this  river  to  Lake 
Frances,  near  its  source  in  latitude  01°  30',  it  is  evi- 
dent that  the  northern  interior  plateau  has  Ijcen  in 
constant  connnunication  with  the  coasts  of  Bering 
Sea.  By  tlie  pass  of  the  Yukon  through  the  Aleutian 
lango,  in  latitude  G4°,  canoe  navigation  was  found  so 
little  obstructed  that  in  1849-51  Mr  Campbell,  the 
Hudson's  Ba}^  Company's  factor  at  Fort  Selkirk,  in 
latitude  G3°,  had  his  goods  brought  around  and  up  the 
Yukon  fiom  the  Mackenzie  via  Porcupine  lli\'er 
Pass.  In  this  pass  of  the  Aleutian  range  "the  river 
is  narrow  and  dark,  running  with  great  imj^etuosity, 
though  without  rapids,  for  many  miles."'^  In  its 
course  of  two  thousand  miles  the  descent  of  the 
Yukon  from  an  altitude  of  two  thousand  feet  is  made 
witli  great  regularity. 

Touching  the  features  of  the  north-western  end  of 
the  cordilleran  plateau,  as  a  means  of  communication 
with  Asia,  the  operations  of  the  Russian  American 
extension  of  the  Western  Union  Telegraph  Company 
under  Bulkley  in  18GG  are  significant,  he  having 
been  forced  on  and  confined  to  the  easy  plateau 
within  the  extremely  rugged  mountains  of  the  west- 
ern flange. 

The  western  flange  of  the  plateau  has  been  called 
by  various  names.  In  the  north  it  is  known  as  the 
Coast  or  Cascade  Range,  being  the  equivalent  of 
the  Cascade  jMountains  of  Oiegon  and  of  the  Sierra 
Nevada  of  California. 

In  Mexico  the  eastern  and  western  flanges  are 
both,  at  different  points,  denominated  the  Sierra 
^ladre,  without  much  regard  to  identity  or  system, 
though  that  name  is  most  commonly  applied  to  the 
western  flange. 

Fiom  Mount  St  Elias  to  California  all  the  princi- 
pal rivers  of  the  coast  rise  east  of  the  flange,  on  tin) 

^Wall's  Alaska,  507-8. 


THE  COAST  RANGE. 


M7 


platoau,  cuttinc,'  through  the  Casctulo  j\Ioiintaiiis,  and 
t'onning  passes  along  which  aro  ancR'nt  and  thne-worii 
Indian  trails  that  have  been  followed  and  generally 
improved  by  the  uiareh  (jf  civilization.  l*iincij)al 
among  these  are  the  Stikocn,  in  latitude  58";  the 
Xasse,  in  50';  the  Skeena,  in  55  ;  the  Salmon,  in  54^; 
the  liellacoola,  in  53  ;  the  Hornatheo,  in  51°  30';  the 
Fraser,  in  49°  30';  the  Skagit,  in  48°  30';  the  Colum- 
bia, in  40°;  the  Klamath,  42';  and  the  Pitt,  or  Upper 
Sacramento  River,  in  latitude  41°.  Ip  Mexico  the 
two  ty[)ieal  large  rivers  are  the  Santiago  and  the 
Zacatula,  the  former  in  latitude  21°  30'  and  the  latter 
three  deixrecs  farther  south.  In  the  Colorado  reijcion, 
though  the  western  flange  is  broken,  the  Colorado 
itself  has  linked  the  inhabitants  oH  Utah  and  Arizona 
with  the  south  and  west. 

While  the  course  of  the  smaller  streams,  including 
their  passage  through  the  flange,  is  generally  south- 
westerly and  at  right  angles  to  the  latter,  that  <jf  the 
rivers  of  the  first  class  diifers  in  a  strange  and  unifoi-ni 
manner,  the  Yukon,  Fraser,  Columbia,  Santiago,  and 
Zacatula  persisting  in  curving  to  tlie  right,  due  west. 
The  four  great  rivers  of  the  west  have  besides  to 
Hiake  long  detours  to  the  north  or  south  in  the  course 
of  their  descent  from  the  plateau. 

Proportionate  to  the  size  of  the  streams  is  the 
altitude  above  the  sea  of  their  respective  passes  or 
erosions  into  the  axis  of  the  western  flange;  varying 
from  less  than  ten  to  three  or  four  hundred  feet. 
INIost  of  the  plateau-coast  rivers  have  been  navigated 
pi-ecariously  by  canoes,  with  occasional  portages,  in  a 
traffic  which  for  the  time  lacked  a  safer  or  a  better 
road.  Trading  houses  and  towns  were  called  into 
existence  on  the  imier  edge  of  the  Pacific  flange, 
whence  trails  or  roads  were  found  to  have  led  from 
time  immemorial  to  the  more  favored  valleys  of  the 
plateau,  inhabited  by  the  populous  tribes.  Since  the 
advent  of  the  white  men  they  have  led  to  the  first 
known  mining  regions.     "It  is  useless  to  disguise," 


g:3 


PASSES  AND  KOUTES, 


sjivs  Butlt'i',  "tlint  the  Fraser  afFords  the  solo  oiit!(  t 
from  tluit  portion  of  the  llocky  ^Mountains  Iviii:;- 
botweon  tlic  boundary  lino  and  the  fifty-third  ])arallcl 
of  latitude;  and  that  tho  Frasor  liiver  vallciy  is  one 
so  peculiarly  formed  that  it  would  seem  as  thout^h 
some  superhuman  sword  had  at  a  sint^le  stroke  cut 
thi'ounh  the  labyrinth  of  mountains  for  a  distance  of 
three  hundred  miles. "^^ 


South  of  the  forty-ninth  parallel,  on  the  eastern  or 
Ilocky  ^Fountain  Hanij^e  of  the  plateau,  after  leaviu^,^ 
I^HUidary  Pass  M-e  iind  in  latitude  48^  tlie  Flathead 
Pass.  It  leads  from  a  branch  of  the  ^lari'a  Iviver, 
a  tributary  of  the  jMissouri,  westward  to  Flathead 
Lake,  which  is  merely  an  expansion  of  the  Flathead 
branch  of  Clarke  or  Bitter  lioot  fork  of  the  Columbia. 
Flathead  Pass  forms  the  shortest  route  from  the  main 
Missouri  to  the  main  Columbia.  It  was  mentioned 
by  Dunn  among  several  others  as  being  well  known 
to  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  servants  in  184:5.^' 

Lewis  and  Clarke  Pass,  in  47°  5',  and  Cadotte  Pass 
are  close  together  and  virtually  the  same.  J3y  a 
small  branch  they  lead  from  the  main  Missouri  south- 
west, on  two  different  sides  of  a  hill,  to  tho  Blackfoot 
branch  of  Clarke  foi'k.  It  was  first  explored  by  Clarke 
on  his  way  east  froiv  the  Lewis  and  Clarke  expedi- 
tion in  1800.  Mull?  a  Pass,  in  latitude  40'  30',  near 
Helena,  Montana,  leads  from  the  Little  Prickly 
branch  of  the  JMissouri  south-west  to  the  Hellgate 
tributary  of  Clarke  fork.  Mullan  constructed  a  wagon 
road  through  it  from  the  navigable  waters  of  the 
INIissouri  at  Fort  ]3enton  to  those  of  the  Columbia  at 
Walla  Walla  in  1858-02.  The  Hellgate  Pass  is  near 
it, a  little  farther  south;  while  Deer  Lodge  Pass,  also 
in  the  same  vicinity,  leads  from  the  extreme  source  of 
the  same  stream,  in  latitude  40°,  to  Divide  Creek  and 
Fish  Creek,  tributaries  of  the  Jefferson  fork  of  tho 
Missouri. 

•    "  Wna  Korlh  Land,  352. 
^^DuHii's  Or.,  348. 


IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


629 


Passes  between  Latitude  49'  anu  32°, 


630 


PASSES  AND  ROUTES. 


From  the  South  Platte  River  at  Julesburg,  now 
tapped  ')y  the  Union  Pacific  Railway,  there  is  an  <jkl 
military  road  which  follows  the  Oregon  emigrant  route 
along  the  North  Platte  north-west  to  Fort  Laramie, 
where  it  branches  off  and  continues  along  the  base  of 
the  mountains  to  forts  Fetterman,  Reno,  and  Kearney, 
and  to  Fort  Smith,  in  the  Yellowstone  basin.  It 
ascends  the  Yellowstone  and  crosses  over  to  Bozenum, 
and  the  mountain  ])ark  of  tlie  Missouri,  by  the  Roze- 
man  or  Yellowstone  Pass  throuixh  the  broken  eastern 
flange  of  the  ))lateau,  in  latitude  45°  45',  connecting 
by  way  of  Gallatin,  in  the  Upper  ]\Iissouri  Valley, 
with  j\Iullan  Pass,  at  Helena,  beyond  the  continental 
water-shed. 

Big  Hole  Mountain  Pass,  in  latitude  45°  38',  leading 
from  the  Bi<«"  Hole  or  Wisdom  branch  of  the  Missouri 
north-west  to  the  extreme  source  of  the  Bitter  Root 
or  Clarke  fork  of  the  Columbia,  was  the  n)utc 
travelled  by  Lewis  on  his  back-track  from  Oregon  in 
180G,  and  was  the  pass  he  may  be  said  to  have  been 
looking  for  on  his  way  west.  It  is  the  natural  route 
from  the  extreme  source  of  the  Missouri  to  the  extreme 
source  of  tlie  Columbia,  though  not  the  most  direct 
nor  the  best. 

Seeking  a  direct  route,  Clarke  led  his  party  west 
across  the  water-shed  from  the  Horse  Plain  branch  of 
the  Jefferson  or  Beaver  Head  fork  of  the  Missouri, 
by  the  Lemhi  Indian  trail,  in  latitude  44°  45',  into 
the  Salmon  River  brancli  of  the  valley  of  tlie 
Columbia.  Xot  until  Idaho  and  Montana  were  ex- 
plored and  settled  by  the  prospectors  from  California 
in  18G0-2,  was  there  even  a  local  im[)ortance  at- 
tached to  a  passage  to  this  portion  of  the  water-shed, 
and  it  remained  for  the  completion  of  the  overland 
railway  in  18G9  to  bring  into  })rominence  this  and 
other  conmiunications  between  the  parks  of  Montana 
and  the  south. 

The  r(Xi(l  to  the  railway,  leading.from  Helena  up 
Beaver  Head  Valley  via  Bannock,  goes  through  the 


THE  OREGON  EMIGRATIONS. 


631 


same  pass  to  Lemhi ;  thence  it  ascends  Salmon  River 
Valley  through  Cotes  Defile,  in  latitude  44'  L'O',  and 
thence  continues  to  Fort  Hall  and  to  Corinne  via 
Bannock  River  and  Malade  River  Pass,  thus  pene- 
trating the  Utah  basin. 

A  more  direct  route  between  the  same  ultimate 
points  leaves  the  Beaver  Head  at  the  junction  of 
Horse  Plain  and  Red  Rock  creeks,  and  ascends  the 
latter  to  the  south-oast,  reaching  Snake  River  Valley 
by  a  single  pass  through  the  water-shed,  in  latitutle 
44"  30',  leading  to  the  head  of  Dry  Creek  near  Pleas- 
ant Valley,  and  thence  to  Fort  Hall;  another  loop  of 
the  same  road  taking  in  Virginia  City,  Montana,  and 
connecting  at  the  pass. 

It  was  by  this  Pleasant  Valley  Pass  that  ]\Iontana 
received  the  larger  part  of  her  mining  population, 
maiidy  from  California.  It  was  by  Hcllgate  River 
that  the  Oregon  and  Idaho  miners  mostly  recrossed 
tlio  water-shed,  throuijh  the  Mullan,  Hellgate,  and 
Deer  Lodge  passes,  to  the  eastern  slope  paries  of  the 
broken  Rocky  Mountain  flange  at  the  head  of  the 
Missouri. 

The  Oregon  emigrations  between  1842  and  1849  fol- 
lowed tlie  North  Platte  to  Fort  Laramie,  and  entered 
the  Laramie  park  or  plain  by  the  pass  of  that  stream 
through  the  Black  Hills,  in  latitude  42'  30'.  Tlie 
North  Platte  changes  its  name  to  the  Sweetwater, 
opposite  the  Sweetwater  Mountains,  the  latter  sepa- 
rating it  and  the  old  Oregon  trail  from  the  Biidgii- 
Pass,  Holladav  stage  i-oad,  or  Union  Pacific  Railroad 
route  to  the  south  of  it. 

South  Pass,  in  latitude  42°  2G',  leads  from  tlio 
Sweetwater  branch  of  the  North  Platte  west  to  the 
Big  Sandy  branch  of  Green  River,  the  main  Colo- 
rado, attaining  an  altitude  of  7481)  feet.  ])i)nnevil!o 
was  probably  the  first  to  draw  the  attention  of  the 
civilized  world  to  the  merits  of  this  pass  tlirougli 
the  Rocky  ^lountains,  having  obtained  his  ini'orma- 
tion  originally  from  the   French  or  Canadian  tra[)- 


PASSES  AND  ROUTES. 


pers  of  St  Louis,  and  having  explored  it  personally 
in  1832.'" 

At  this  point  we  find  the  eastern  flange  of  the  cor- 
ililleras  bent  and  broken  to  such  a  degree  that  the  flat- 
bedded  tertiary  lake  formations,  called  parks,  within 
the  parallel  ridges  of  the  liocky  IMountains  form  the 
most  elevated  portions  of  the  plateau,  and  along  with 
the  underlying  conformable  cretaceous  beds  furnish 
the  characteristic  scenery  of  the  old  Oregon  and  Cal- 
ifornia emigrant  road  which  unites  the  Atlantic  and 
l^acific  water-sheds  by  a  nearly  level  road  7000  feet 
above  the  sea. 

From  here  to  Fort  Hall  the  Oresfon  emio^rant  road 
crossed  the  headwaters  of  the  Colorado  over  level 
country  and  reached  the  upper  waters  of  Snake  River 
by  a  short  journey  through  the  somewhat  hilly  coun- 
try funned  by  the  northern  extension  and  breakinuf 
down  of  the  Wahsatch  ^Mountains,  of  older  rock. 
Leaving  Green  Kiver  behind,  the  road  followed  up 
the  Piney  Creek  and  struck  westward  through  T]iom[»- 
son  Pass,  in  the  hills  just  mentioned,  to  the  Salt  lliver 
branch  of  Snake  lliver. 

Fremont  in  1842-3,  Stansbur}''  in  1840, and  Ilayden, 
King,  and  Wheeler's  surveys  since  1872,  survej'ed  and 
mapped  not  only  the  old  Oregon  road,  but  the  entii-e 
region  north  and  south  of  its  intersection  of  the  Pocky 
jNlountain  region  over  several  degrees  of  latitude. 

The  emigrant  })ass  through  the  ]31ue  Mountains  of 
eastern  ()reg(«i,  in  latitude  45°  20',  was  more  formi- 
dable both  in  the  matter  of  abruptness  and  in  being 
obstructed  l)y  forest  growth.  It  ascended  the  (jii'and 
Ponde  tril)utary  of  Snake  Piver  i'rom  (Irand  Ponde 
^'alley  north-wcst  to  one  of  the  branches  of  the  Uma- 


'■'Biimicvillo'H  ndvcuturcs  from  Soutli  Pass  as  .a  centre  l)cc;an  in  18r.2,  aii'l 
wen.'  piihlislic'd  l)y  Irving  in  l84;i,  llo  was  the  lirst  to  rccogni/o  (ireen  Kivcr 
as  itlenticul  witli  the  (.'olorado,  and  tlie  Ih'st  to  diseovev  the  character  of  the 
'c'tali  liasiu,'  its  l)eing  witliont  outlet  to  the  sea.  Dunn,  Or.,  .■)4S,  said  in 
1S4;(  that  a  pass  'wiiicli  is  very  important  lies  between  Lony's  Mountains  and 
the  Wind  lliver  Mountains.' 


STAGE  AND  RAILWAY. 


633 


tilla  River,  and  was  followed  and  delineated  as  far  as 
the  Dalles  by  Fremont  in  1843. 

Bridger  Pass,  in  latitude  41°  3G',  was  south  of  the 
Sweetwater  Mountains,  and  like  the  old  Sweetwater 
road  ran  parallel  thereto  in  an  east  and  west  eourse, 
leading  from  the  elbow  of  the  North  Platte  north- 
west over  Laramie  plains  and  the  continental  water- 
shed to  the  Bitter  Creek  branch  of  Green  liiver.  In 
this  tertiary  region  of  the  Laramie  Plains  and  of 
Green  River,  Holladay's  overland  stages,  and  subse- 
quently the  Union  Pacific  Railway,  crossetl  the  con- 
tinental water-shed  many  miles  west  of  the  axis  of  the 
eastern  flange. 

Holladay's  stage  road,  constructed  for  the  purpose 
of  car-rying  the  United  States  mails  at  a  rapid  rate 
by  a  contii>uous  night  and  day  travel  to  California, 
after  the  state  attained  its  full  importance  in  1850-GO, 
entered  the  Rocky  Mountains  from  St  Vrain  Foi-t, 
near  Denver,  througli  the  Antelope  Pass  in  the  Black 
Hills,  a  defile  cut  by  the  Cache  i\  Poudre  tributary 
of  the  South  Platte,  and  then  proceeded  west  across 
the  Laramie  park,  or  plains,  t(j  Bi'idger  Pass. 

Wlien  the  railway  arm}'  reached  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains in  the  autumn  of  18G7,  the  rails  were  laid  along 
the  Lodge  Pole  branch,  intermediately  between  the 
Xorth  and  South  Platte,  as  I'ar  as  Cheyenne,  whence 
the  engineers  struck  due  west  througli  the  Black  Hills 
by  a  direct  route  through  one  of  the  Cheyenne  i)asses. 
Emerging  on  the  Laramie  Plains,  between  the  emi- 
grant road  and  the  overland  stage  route,  the  railway 
f  ;ll()wed  the  course  of  the  latter,  traversing  the  same 
tertiai-y  lake  region  over  the  continental  water-shed 
near  liridger  Pass,  and  over  the  main  tributary  of  the 
Colorado  near  the  Green  River  feny.  Instead  of 
crossing  the  Wahsatch  with  the  Oregon  emigrant 
road,  liowever,  in  a  north-westerly  direction  from  the 
Colorado  to  the  Columbia  basin,  both  the  overland 
stage  road  and  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad  at  tliis 
point  kept  to  the  south  or  left  hand,  striking  boldly 


'iiiiii 


634 


PASSES  AND  ROUTES. 


into  the  heart  of  the  Wahsatch  Range  toward  Wcbcr 


Weber  Pass,  through  the  Wahsatch  Mountains,  in 
latitude  41°  18',  leads  from  the  muddy  fork  of  the 
Green-Colorado  River  near  Fort  Bridger  south-west 
past  the  headwater's  of  Bear  River  to  the  head  of 
Weber  River,  and  along  that  stream  into  the  (xrcat 
Salt  Lake  basin  at  Ogden.  The  western  part  of  the 
Wahsatch  range  is  cut  by  Weber  River  very  nearly 
to  the  level  of  the  Salt  Lake  basin,  or  the  avcraixe 
level  of  the  plateau  in  this  latitude;  and  is  made  up, 
like  the  main  ridge  of  what  we  have  called  the  Rocky 
INIountain,  or  eastern  flange  of  the  plateau — with  its 
correlative  parallels,  the  Cariboo,  Selkirk,  and  Bitter 
Root  ranges  to  the  north,  and  the  San  Juan,  the 
Mimbres,  and  the  Sierra  Madre  of  Mexico  to  the 
south — of  older  rocks,  antedating  the  existence  of 
the  plateau  itself. 

The  California  emigrant  road  of  1843-9  was 
originally  identical  with  the  Oregon  trail  to  Fort 
Hall,  whence  the  California-bound  followed  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Goose  Creek  Mountains,  and  of  the  Goose 
Ci'cek  and  Raft  River  branches  of  Snake  River  to 
the  I'im  of  the  Utah  Salt  Lake  basin,  and  by  an  easy 
though  desert  road,  to  the  source  of  the  Humboldt, 
near  Humboldt  Wells.  Jesse  Apjjlegate  in  1840 
guided  Thornton's  party  over  this  route  to  the  Hum- 
boldt, then  known  as  the  Ap[)legate  cut-off  to  Oregon; 
and  Joel  Palmer  in  1849  conducted  the  newly  ap- 
pointed collector  of  the  port  of  San  Francisco  over 
the  same  route,  taking  in  Fort  Hall. 

When  the  Mormons  settled  Salt  Lake  Valley  in 
1847, Weber  Pass  was  first  sought  out,  since  it  led  from 
South  Pass  to  Salt  Lake  by  a  Uiore  direct  route  than 
the  old  trapper  trail  via  Fort  Hall  had  done;  and  the 
California-bound  emigrants  that  tarried  at  Salt  Jjaki; 
next  sought  the  traverse  from  the  Malade  V^alley 
along  the  rim  of  the  basin,  striking  the  old  California 
road  from  Fort  Hall  at  the  source  of  Raft  River, 


SOUTH  PASS. 


635 


and  continuinf^  along  it  up  that  stream  and  over  the 
Humboldt  divide. 


The  South  Pass  tertiary  lakes  having  levelled  the 
road-beds,  graded  the  appi'oaches  to  the  plateau  from 
the  east,  and  served  by  })ack-trail,  by  ox-wagon,  and 
by  railroad,  from  first  to  last,  nearly  all  the  overland 
population  to  the  Pacific  States,  it  is  proper  to  con- 
sider in  this  connection  several  other  of  the  ruling 
j^oints  that  here  governed  the  movements  of  the  great 
emigrations. 

All  the  earlier  fur-trading  and  exploring  expedi- 
tions beyond  the  Rocky  ]\Iountains  as  far  south  as 
this  latitude  were  governed  by  the  conditions  of  river 
na^'igation  by  canoe.  Peace  Kiver  and  the  Saskatch- 
ewan as  well  as  the  Yukon  and  the  Missouri,  with 
their  peculiar  fitness  for  canoe  navigation,  deter- 
mined the  location  of  posts  from  which  the  trade  of 
great  areas  of  plateau  region  could  be  reached  and 
controlled.  Owino;  to  the  difficulties  of  canoe  navi'j^a- 
tion  on  the  western  slope,  however,  none  but  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company  emi)loyed  it,  or  made  port- 
a<xes  to  any  extent.  Points  of  communication  called 
into  existence  by  these  canoe  passes  or  j^ortages 
were  forts  Edmonton,  Dunvegan,  and  McLeod  (»n  the 
eastern  slope;  and  forts  George,  James,  Alexander, 
Fraser,  Babine,  Connelly,  and  Sliepherd  on  the 
plateau  of  British  Columbia;  with  Dease,  Frances, 
Selkirk,  and  Yukon  in  the  extreme  north.  In  Oreijon 
the  Dalles,  Colville,  and  Okanagan;  all  these  with 
the  points  at  the  head  of  canoe  navigation  from  the 
Paciiic  on  all  tlie  streams  flowing  westward,  whether 
small  or  large,  became  the  termini  of  the  land  routes 
running  in  every  direction. 

On  the  land  routes  within  the  limits  governing  their 
objective  points,  grass  and  water  for  the  acconnnoda- 
tion  of  stock  became  the  ruling  consideration  in  the 
main,  though  the  absence  or  character  of  the  forests 
had  their  weight  also  in  determining  the  movements 


PASSES  AND  ROUTES. 


of  tlio  inassos.  The  Now  Mexico  and  Arizona,  or 
southern  Pacific  route,  accordingly  failed  to  attract 
many  emigrants.  Among  those  who  went  througli 
South  Pass  to  Oregon  only  a  few  could  be  indu(Jod  to 
follow  the  Applegate  cut-otf  by  the  Nevada  salt  basins 
over  dreary  deserts  for  four  hundred  miles. 

South  Pass  possessed  the  important  advantage  over 
all  other  passes  through  the  Ilocky  Mountains  north 
of  New  Mexico  of  being  unobstructed  by  timber.  A 
wide  bolt  of  open  country  was  found  by  the  trajipers 
to  extend  throuu'h  the  range  elsewhere  wooded  here- 
about. 

South  Pass  had  other  strategic  advantages  favora- 
ble to  the  emigration  that  flowed  through  it,  namely, 
the  three  great  rivers  of  the  western  states  centred 
near  it,  in  the  Wind  River  Mountains,  the  Snake 
leading  to  Oregon,  the  Colorado  and  the  valleys  of 
Utah  leading  south,  while  the  Humboldt  had  cut  a 
road  for  the  emigrants  across  the  plateau  from  the 
Ilocky  ]\Iountains  to  the  Sierra  Nevada.  In  this 
ros])ect  it  presents  features  similar  to  those  of  the 
Yellowhead  Pass,  M'lierc  the  Columbia,  the  Fraser, 
the  Saskatchpwan-Nelson,  and  the  Athabasca -Mac- 
kenzie head  nearly  together. 

Stansbury's  expedition  to  Great  Salt  Lake  in  1849- 
50  delineated  and  mapped  all  the  routes  and  ap- 
})roaches  to  that  region  from  the  east.  Gore  Pass,  in 
latitude  40\  is  on  a  more  direct  route  between  Denver, 
on  the  South  Platte,  and  Salt  Lake  City,  by  way  of 
^Middle  Park,  White,  and  L^intah  rivers,  and  along  the 
south  side  of  the  Uintah  jNIountains  to  Utah  Lake. 
The  pass  proi)er  leads  from  the  Golden  City  triljutary 
of  the  South  Platte  to  the  head  of  the  Bunkara  branch 
of  the  Colorado,  in  the  Middle  Park,  thence  it  crosses 
two  western  spurs  of  the  mountains  to  the  head  of 
Ijear  liiver,  and  thence  to  the  liead  of  White  River, 
following  the  latter  down  to  Green  River. ^"^ 

'"This  iippears  to  have  been  the  route  followed  by  some  of  Famliam'a 
compaiiiona  on  their  way  to  Oregon  iu  1839. 


aJ 
w 


L( 


NEW  MEXICO  AXD  ARIZONA. 


C37 


The  Sangrc  do  Cristo  Pass,  in  latitude  o7°  3(5', 
loads  by  tlio  road  from  Bout  Fort,  on  the  Arkansas, 
along  the  Huerfano  branch  of  the  Arkansas  soutli- 
west  to  the  headwaters  of  the  Rio  Grande  at  Fort 
Garland,  in  San  Luis  Valley.  From  this  point  there 
are  two  different  routes  to  the  Colorado  lii\'er  basin 
by  the  passes  leading  from  the  Rio  Grande:  one  run- 
ning nortli-west  ovx'r  the  San  Juan  Mountains  by  the 
Coochetopa  Pass  to  Grand  River,  surveyed  by  Cox 
in  1858;  another  after  descending  San  Luis  Valley  a 
short  distance  toward  Taos  and  Santa  FcV'  connected 
at  Abiquiu,  near  Taos,  with  the  old  Santa  Fe  and 
Los  Angeles  trail. 

The  old  Santa  Fe  and  Los  Angeles  trail  ran  from 
Santa  Fe  north-west,  following  up  the  Chama  brancli 
of  the  Rio  Grande,  and  crossed  the  water-shed  near 
the  Calinas  Mountains,  in  latitude  30"  30',  in  a  nortli- 
wosterly  direction  to  the  Navajo  tributary  of  tl»e  San 
Juan  branch  of  the  Colorado;  thence  continuing  in  a 
westerly  direction  across  the  Colorado,  near  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Grand,  it  crossed  the  Wahsatch  ^Mountains 
at  Wahsatch  Pass,  in  latitude  38"  45',  near  Fillmore; 
thence  it  continued  south-west  to  the  Rio  A^irgen,  over 
the  Colorado  desert,  and  through  the  San  Bernardino 
Mountains  by  the  Cajon  Pass  to  Los  Angeles.  From 
Santa  Fe  to  the  Colorado  it  was  travelled  and  sur- 
veyed by  Macomb  in  1859;  and  from  Caliibrnia  to 
Utah  Fremont  followed  and  mapped  it  in  18-44. 

From  ^Missouri  Santa  Fe  was  approached  by  a 
wagon  road  which  left  the  ^Missouri  at  Independence, 
near  the  junction  of  tlie  Kansas,  and  striking  south- 
west 'Tossed  tlie  Arkansas,  I'cacliing  the  base  of  the 
Rocky  j\[ountains  at  Fort  L'nlon,  in  latitude  3(1  ; 
thence  curving  around  the  bills,  it  crossed  the  head- 
waters of  the  Pecos  and  passed  over  the  axis  of  tlie 
eastern  flange,  a  sharp  little  tlivide,  in  latitude  33  '28', 
into  the  valley  of  the  upper  Rio  Grande  at  Santa  Fe. 

From  Bent  Fort,  farther  up  the  Arkansas,  Fort 

"Whitman  aud  Lovejoy'a  route  in  1842-3.  Lovejoy'n  Portland,  MS.,  21-3. 


CSS 


PASSES  AND  ROUTES. 


Union,  on  the  Santa  Fe  road,  was  reached  by  a  road 
over  Raton  Pass,  in  the  spurs  of  the  Rocky  ^loun- 
tains. 

Soutlj  of  Santa  F(5  the  lowness  of  the  eastern  flange 
in  the  Pecos  Mountains  leaves  New  Mexico  all  open 
toward  the  east;  and  it  is  entered  by  numerous  trails 
and  roads  from  all  directions.  Going  west,  however, 
i'rom  the  valley  of  the  Rio  Grande,  in  New  ]\Iexico, 
there  are  but  two  principal  roads  in  Arizona,  lea(hng 
respectively  into  the  valley  of  the  Little  Colorado  and 
that  of  tlie  Gila. 

The  Zuni,  or  Little  Colorado  Pass,  in  latitude  35^ 
is  in  the  Zuni  Mountains,  one  of  the  westerly  })aral- 
lels  of  tlie  Rocky  Mountains,  similar,  in  its  relations, 
to  the  Wahsatch  Range,  though  shorter,  lower,  and 
more  broken.  The  Zuni  road  leads  from  Santa  Fe  to 
Alburquei-que,  thence  by  the  San  Jose  branch  of  the 
Rio  Grande  west  to  the  Zuni  branch  of  the  Colorado, 
continuing  down  the  latter  past  the  Zuni  village,  till 
the  river  turns  north-west,  when  it  leaves  it  and  strikes 
south-west  to  Prescott.^^ 

The  Gila  road  by  Apache  Pass,  in  latitude  32°  30', 
crosses  the  continental  water-shed  at  the  Mimbres 
Mountains,  a  local  name  for  another  of  the  short 
broken  parallels  of  the  eastern  flange,  near  Mowry 
City.  This  was  tlie  old  overland  mail  route,  which 
led  from  Preston,  on  the  Red  River,  by  way  of  Fort 
Belknap,  on  the  Brazos  River,  across  the  Texan 
table-lands,  called  the  Llano  Estacado,  to  the  valley 
of  the  Pecos  i^**  thence  traversing  the  Guadalupe  Pass, 
west  of  the  Pecos,  in  latitude  32°,  and  entering  the 
valley  of  the  Rio  Grande. 

It  crossed  that  stream  at  Mesilla,  and  thence  led 
west  through  barren  hills,  passing  the  water-shed,  as 
stated,  at  a  lower  altitude  above  the  sea  than  any 
other  of  the  routes  pursued  by  the  emigrants  to  Cali- 


'*Thi8  road  was  followed  and  surveyed  by  Beckwourth  iu  ISiO,  and  by 
Sitgreaves  in  1852. 


% 


Sun-cycd  by  Marcy  in  1849,  and  by  Pope  in  1854. 


SPANISH  TRAILS. 


C39 


fi^rnia,  being  nearly  three  thousand  feet  lower  than 
South  Pass.  Here  the  southern  emigrant  road  de- 
scunded  at  once  into  the  Mexican  salt  lake  basin  of  the 
Rio  Minibres;  thence  continuing  west  over  the  Colo- 
rado plateau,  it  traversed  the  southern  affluents  of  the 
(jfila,  crossed  the  Chiricagui  ^lountains,  on  the  plateau, 
1)}'  Kailroad  Pass,  and  penetrating  the  other  parallel 
ranjxes,  reached  Tucson  near  the  western  flanijfe;  this 
was  the  main  artery  of  travel  from  the  east  into  this 
territorv. 

It  was  connected  at  the  Mimbres  Pass  with  a 
direct  road  leading  north  from  that  point  to  Santa 
Fe,  and  was  mapped  west  of  the  pass  by  the  Mexican 
Boundary  Commission,  and  by  Lieutenant  Parke  in 
1854. 

A  remarkable  feature  of  the  drainage  of  the  east- 
ern flange  and  its  parallels  in  New  Mexico  at  once 
affected  the  communications  and  settlement  of  this 
country.  The  Rio  Grande  intersects  the  broken- 
down  eastern  flange  in  the  Pecos-Coahuila  Mountains, 
in  latitude  29'  30',  and  its  valley  extends  nortlnvard 
in  the  form  of  a  narrow  basin  into  the  heai't  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  half  of  the  distance  from  its  em- 
bouchure in  the  gulf  of  Mexico  to  the  forty- ninth 
parallel. 

The  Mexicans  accordingly  were  early  in  possession 
of  the  country  near  the  sources  of  the  Arkanas,  and 
were  settled  there  in  sufficient  force  to  overwhelm 
the  United  States  exploiing  party  under  Major  Pike 
in  180G.  Pike  was  carried  a  prisoner  to  Chihuahua 
for  trespassing  on  Mexican  soil,  and  all  his  topo- 
graphical sketches  were  confiscated.  McLeod's  Santa 
Fe  expedition,  consisting  of  six  companies  of  forty 
men  each,  met  a  similar  fate  in  1841.  Father  Esca- 
lante,  the  discoverer  of  Utah  Lake,  set  out  from 
Santa  Fe  in  1776;  and  the  mythical  Rio  Buenaven- 
tura of  the  Spaniards,  flowing  into  the  Western 
Ocean,  was  perhaps  reported  to  them  by  some  In- 
dians who  had  seen  the  Columbia,  thougli  it  was  con- 


640 


PASS?:S  AND  ROUTES. 


fused  with  the  Hiiniboldt.  Tlie  desert  and  rn<i|'!nred 
eliaracter  of  tlie  ]>lateau  alone  prevented  the  Siian- 
iards  from  advaneinjj^  hy  the  okl  Santa  Fc  and  I^os 
Ani^elus  trail  along  the  Utali  and  Salt  Lake  Valley, 
to  the  valley  of  the  Snake-Colund)ia.  While  the  heart 
of  the  lioeky  Mountains  became  settled  as  eai'ly  as 
Ohio,  tlie  want  of  a  natural  road  to  the  north-west 
checketl  emigration  from  this  direction  entirely. 

Ilavinnr  observed  the  influence  exerted  bv  the 
natural  features  of  the  eastern  flange  of  the  plateau 
on  the  emiijfrations  which  attained  it  from  the  north 
Atlanti(;,  it  is  next  in  order  to  consider  the  method 
of  their  descent  t/»  the  Paciflc.  In  their  eight  hundred 
or  one  thousand  miles  of  travel  with  oxen  and  horses 
at  an  average  altitude  of  4000  or  5000  feet  above  tlu^ 
sea  the  guides  and  scouts  flxed  their  vision  on  points 
where  water  and  grass  were  to  be  found,  these  being 
beyond  all  other  considerations  attached  to  a  practi- 
cable route. 

On  the  road  leading  to  Oregon  there  w^ero  well 
wooded  mountains  in  view,  at  a  distance  of  from 
lifty  to  seventy  miles,  nearly  all  the  way  from  their 
entrance  to  the  liocky  Mountains  till  they  reached 
the  coast  valleys.  The  road  itself  was  in  open  coun- 
try, merely  skirting  the  forests  of  the  Black  Hills, 
the  Wintl  River  Mountains,  the  Wahsatch,  antl 
the  Goose  Creek  Mountains,  till  the  Blue  Moun- 
tains were  reached.  Grassy  meadows  were  found  in 
abundance  in  the  well  watered  basin  of  the  Snake. 
It  was  not  until  the  necessity  arose  for  a  direct  route 
to  the  isolated  valley  of  California  that  the  desert 
stretches  surrounding  the  basin  of  the  Huml)oldt 
were  attemi)ted.  But  experience  soon  taught  the 
emigrants  that  even  here  they  miixlit  venture  with 
safety  as  long  as  springs  of  water  could  be  found. 
Following  the  guiding  hand  of  nature,  trajipers  and 
emigrants  first  made  the  descent  in  a  north-west 
direction  along  with  the  natural  drainage  to  the  sea, 


THE  UTAH  BASIN. 


041 


passiniif  throni^li  the  western  Hange  on  rafts  bearing 
their  families  and  wagons. 

Iluniholdt  River  was  nevertlielcss  destined  to  ])lay 
an  important  part  in  the  i)eopling  of  the  cordilleran 
region,  occuj)ying  as  it  does  a  significant  position  in 
the  structure  of  the  plateau.  Flowing  west,  at  right 
angles  to  the  longitudinal  extent  of  the  plateau,  it  is 
found  where  the  plateau  is  broadest  as  well  as  highest, 
and  midway  between  the  two  great  rivers  flowing 
respectively  north-west  and  south-west,  itself  without 
outlet  to  the  sea.  Placed  in  the  basin  of  that  river 
known  to  S})anisli  geograi)hy  as  the  Rio  Buenaven- 
tura, that  river  which  so  belied  its  title,  it  formed  the 
central  feature  of  what  Bonneville,  and  after  him 
Fremont,  termed  the  Great  Utah  Basin,  tlu)Ugh  it 
was  not  in  the  Utah  basin  proper,  and  the  major  part 
of  the  great  ])lateau  of  which  it  forms  part  was  not 
in  the  draina<jfeless  region  of  the  salt  basins  at  all. 
This  was  the  place  where  destiny  had  foreshatlowed 
an  outlet  to  the  sea,  a  road  from  the  strategic  pass  of 
the  eastern  flange.  That  road  was  thus  continueil  by 
the  hand  of  nature  across  the  plateau,  and  it  was 
necessary  tnat  it  should  pass  also  thi'ough  the  western 
flange  for  the  accommodation  of  the  dwellers  in  the 
isolated  valley  by  the  (jrolden  Gate. 

As  if  other  than  ordinary  inducements  had  been  in- 
sufficient to  draw  the  adventurous  to  cope  with  the 
grand  ol)stacle  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  nature  had  en- 
dowed the  mountains  with  bonanzas  of  silver  and  gold, 
and  rewarded  the  successful  ex})lorcrs,  miners,  and 
builders  of  railroads  and  cities  with  a  romantic  fame 
more  fascinating  to  posterity  than  were  the  wondeiful 
seven  cities  of  Cibola  to  the  world  i)rior  to  the  great 
emigration  to  the  Pacific. 

When  the  existence  of  rich  deposits  of  silver  on 
this  portion  of  the  })lateau  became  a  well  ascei'tained 
fact,  it  also  became  clearly  demonstrated  that  the 
natural  difficulties  of  the  central  railroad  route  into 
California  would  have  to  be,  and  could  be,  overcome 

UisT.  N.  W.  CoABT,  Vol.  I.    41 


PASSES  AND  ROUTES. 


ITuniboldt  Hivortlioroforo  inovcd  ii  curious  exception 
to  the  n'reat  law  oonceniiiig  rivers  uiitl  the  movements 
of  poj)uhitionM,  first  jjointed  out  by  the  renowned 
])ioneei'  of  tlie  pliysical  features  of  the  j)Uiteau  after 
whom  that  river  was  named."" 

The  ]lund)oldt  separates  two  different  jjfoological 
formations,  that  of  the  elevated  voleanic  jilateau  of 
!N[ount  Shasta  and  the  Modoc  lakes,  extendinjjj  north 
over  a  large  porti<jn  of  the  Cohunhia  hasin  within  the 
western  flange,  from  the  corrugated  north  and  south 
trentling  ridges  of  the  state  of  Nevada,  between  the 
Hund)ol<lt  and  the  Colorado  respectively,  tlie  volcanic 
and    the    metamorphic    sedimentary  regions    of   the 
drainless  basin  of  the  plateau.    In  the  valleys  between 
these  ridges  there  are  the  same  natural  roads  of  the 
fresh-water  tertiary  lake  basins  leading  to  the  south. 
Toward  the  north  and  north-west  the  comparatively 
level  region  of  the  Modoc  lakes  was  as  early  as  184<> 
discovered  by  Jesse  Aj)plegate  and  taken  advantage 
of  by  the  Oregon  emigrants  in  what  was  known  as  the 
Applegate  or  southern  route,  and  for  years  tliere  was 
more  or  less  travel  into  Oregon  by  way  of  the  Hum- 
boldt and  the  Shasta  corner  of  the  cordilleran  plateau. 
In  latitude  41°  42'  the  ])lateau  reaches  fai'thest  to  the 
west  and  nearest  to  the  sea  in  the  veiy  divide  that 
was  souglit  out  by  Applegate's  ])arty  of  roadmakers.^* 
This  southern  route  to  Oregon  joins  the  ])resent  Cal- 
ifornia and  Oregon  stage  road  a  few  miles  north  of 
Pilot  I^)ck,  near  the  boundary  line,  on  the  hill  between 
Klamatli  and  Kogue  Kiver  valleys,  the  western  fiango 
being  still  represented  by  tl)'^  ridges  continuing  north- 
west to  t^  e  ocean  at  Capo  Blanco,  in  the  main  direc- 
tion of  tl  >  Sierra  Nevada,  and  shaping  the  bends  of 
the  Klan    th  and  Rotjue  rivers  in  the  mining  reunion 
of  Houthe.      Oregon,  though  really  leaving  the  latter 
on  the  sea    ird  slo})e  of  the  plateau  and  continuing  in 

'■'"In  Cnfimos.  ilie  in.itter  lieing  further  discussed  with  especial  reference 
to  the  ('i)hiinl)ir    >y  C.  C.  Coffin  in  Thr  Path  o/Ein/ihr. 

^'  ili'iitiniieii  by  Thornton  as  arri\ing  at  Fort  Hall  and  inducing  his  party 
to  undertake  the  southcru  route. 


THE  CASCADE  AXD  NEVADA  RANGES. 


043 


nil  altered  coiirso,  in  the  Cascade  ^Mountains,  to  tlio 
north.  Strictly  spcakiii*,',  the  Sierra  Nevada  subsides 
toward  the  north  at  IMtt  River, and  the  Cascade  lianjifo 
subsides  toward  the  south  at  the  pa  scs  of  the  upper 
Klaujath  lliver  into  an  anjj^lo  ot'the  corcUlleran  plateau 
on  which  the  great  volcanic  peak  of  Sliasta  toweis,  a 
worthy  monument  of  the  fjrandeur  of  both.  While 
takinj,'  advantage  of  this,  Applegate  found  at  the  sanjo 
time  a  more  lightly  timbered  belt  to  the  northward, 
avoi(hng  thereby  the  main  obstacles  of  the  Cascade 
Mountains. 

Bonneville's  expedition  to  the  Rocky  Mountains  in 
18:52  was  the  n^^'it  after  Mackenzie's,  and  Lewis  and 
Clarke's,  to  cope  with  the  difficulties  of  finding  a  road 
through  the  western  flange.  It  was  the  first  to  under- 
take it  in  the  latitude  of  California,  and  without  the 
usual  following  of  configuiations.  In  183.3  Walker, 
j^onnevillc's  assistant,  with  a  part}'  of  forty  men  and 
supplies  for  a  year,  left  Salt  Lake  and  followed  the 
Hunil)()ldt  down  to  its  sink,  whence  they  struck 
across  the  Sierra  Nevada,  with  twenty-three  days  of 
entanglement  among  the  passes  and  defiles  of  the 
sierra,  by  a  route  not  definitely  known,  but  probal)ly 
by  Carson  Lake,  Walker  lake  and  river,  and  by  the 
^[erced  to  the  San  Joaquin  Valley.  Sutter  informed 
Wilkes  eight  years  later,  when  at  his  fort,  that  a 
route  across  the  Sierra  Nevada  was  folhjwed  by  a 
party  "directly  east  of  this  place,  but  they  wer(3 
twenty  days  in  getting  here,  and  found  the  country 
so  thickly  w'ooded  that  they  were  obliged  to  cut  their 
way,"  recommending  therefore  in  preference  the  Pitt 
River  Pass.'^- 

Johnson  Pass  took  a  position  of  historical  impor- 
tance third  in  the  order  of  exploration  and  emigra- 
tion, subordinate  to  the  Columbia  and  the  Fraser, 
from  the  north  Atlantic.  It  was  evidently  an  old 
pass  frequented  by  the  natives,  as  Fremont  remarked 
while  he  was  struggling  through  the  snow  on  the 

■^■Wia-ea'Xar.,v. 


644 


PASSES  AND  ROUTES. 


oastorn  awiviit  that  a  party  of  natives  on  snow-slioos 
passed  them,  a)  route  to  the  western  side  of  the 
mountains  to  fish.^'' 

As  the  emigrations  by  the  old  Spanish  trail  fi'oni 
Santa  Fe  to  Los  An^jeles,  and  the  American  enuLrra- 
tion  by  the  southern  overland  mail  route  were  of 
little  importance  numerically  in  comparison  with  those 
of  the  northern  routes  across  the  })lateau,  the  roail 
beini>'  desert  and  ditticult,  and  its  terminus  on  the 
Pacific  beinij^  <»»ly  <^ii  the  seaward  slope  of  southern 
C'alifoinia,  fenced  off  m(»reover  from  the  rest  of  tlie 
coast  by  intervening  mountains,  we  may  consider  its 
passes  thi'oug'h  the  western  flange  as  of  local  bearing 
only,  and  ])ertaining  rather  to  the  movements  of 
p()j)ulations  from  the  south-east  to  the  north-west,  and 
along  or  from  the  coast  itself. 

Resumiuijf  now  our  general  vicAV  alons;  the  west- 
crn  flange  from  where  we  left  off  at  the  Canachan 
bonndaiy,  and  having  noted  the  ruling  points  which 
directed  the  movements  of  the  emigrations  to  the 
sevei'al  leading  passes  thnnigh  the  western  range  al- 
ready mentioned,  we  will  now  observe  the  relative  im- 
portance and  significance  of  the  whole  series  of  passes 
as  far  south  as  the  gulf  of  California,  and  the  ])art 
they  have  ]>layed  as  routes  for  emigration  eastwai'd 
from  the  Pacific  coast,  as  well  as  the  jiosition  and  the 
junction  of  the  passes  between  the  coast  or  coast  and 
interior  valleys,  affecting  tlie  low  coast  country  alone. 

l^ctween  the  Praser  and  the  Columbia  are  the 
Skagit  Pass,  in  latitude  48°  If/,  tlie  river  of  tliat 
name  having  cut  tlirough  the  range  to  the  edge  of 
the  })lateau  opposite  Puca  Strait,  and  opposite  tlie 
upper  Columbia  and  Bitter  Root  rivers,  the  lattor 
being  on  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  Company's 
route  through  JMullan  Pass,  and  the  only  available 
railroad  route  througli  the  eastern  flange  north  of  the 
Union  Pacific  Railroad;  the  Snoqualniie  Pass,  in  lati- 

'^'■>Fi\mont'is  Exploration,  1843,  234. 


ALONG  THE  COLUMBIA. 


C45 


tiulo  47°  20',  leadiniif  from  the  Yakima  north-v;ost  into 
the  Snohomisli  Vnlloy;  the  Nutcliez  aiul  the  Cowhtz 
])as,seH  to  the  iioi'th  and  south  of  Mount  Rainier;  all 
of  which  are  old  and  constantly  travelled  routes  of  the 
natives  between  the  ])lateau  of  the  Columbia  and 
PuLjet  Sound.  The  only  aj^proach  to  Puget  Sound 
from  the  east  of  any  historical  importance,  however, 
besides  that  of  the  Eraser,  has  been  tlie  ])ass  of  the 
Columbia,  in  connection  with  the  valli^y  of  the  Cowlitz, 
leading  north  I'rom  the  (^)luml)ia  over  a  level  country. 
])V  the  latter, western  Washington  received  its  ))ioneer 


scttlei's  from  Oresiou,  and    the  V 


uicouv 
onnec 


er  ^lediter- 


raneau  itself  has  had  its  ])rincij)al  connection  with  the 
populous  coast  valleys  of  the  south. 

Columbia  River  l*ass,  in  latitude  4.")^  40',  two  and  a 
third  degrees  farther  south  than  the  Ritter  Jioot 
A'alley's  I'mei'gence  from  tlie  Rocky  ]\[ount;.ins,  has 
furnished  a  natui'al  I'oad  from  Soutli  l*ass  to  the 
coast,  as  well  as  from  the;  coast  to  the  plateau  em- 
bracing the  whole  of  the  Columbia  basin;  but  it  is 
out  of  the  i-ange  of  Fuca  Strait  as  an  outlet  fbi-  the 
valley  of  tin  Uiain  or  up})er  Columbia,  including  the 
transcontinental  route  by  Bitter  Root  A'^alley,  It 
has  been  the;  road  for  emigration  fr'om  the  south-east 
to  the  north-west,  and  from  the  south-west  to  the 
mining  and  plateau  region  north-east  of  it,  and  rice 
rnsa,  being  opposite  the  Ritter  Root  INIountains 
toward  thi>  east. 

South  of  the  Columbia  the  first  and  the  earliest  of 
the  ]>asses  used  by  white  men  through  the  Cascade 
AFouutains  was  the  Indi'in  trail  over  the  southern 
Hank  of  Mount  Hood,  near  which  was  afterward 
made  the  Harlow  road,  in  latitude  45"  Of)'.  It  leads 
from  tlu)  Tyich  Piairit;  branch  of  Des  Chutes  River, 
wesl,  to  the  north  fork  of  tlu'  Clackamas  bi'anch  (»f 
Willamette  l^ivc!'.  The  ascent  from  tlie  |)lati'au  was 
foun<l  comi)aratively  easy,  being  lightly  timbei-ed; 
but  the  densely  timbered  sununit  and  western  slope 


1 


)reseuted  to  I'almer,  Rector,  and  Rarlow  in  184'J-G 


G46 


PASSES  AND  ROUTES. 


the  first  serious  obstacle  that  the  Oregon  enilsfrants 


o 


liad  encountered  in  road-making.  Their  trains  were 
abandoned  at  the  summit,  and  the  emii^rants  them- 
selves  had  to  be  rescued  by  a  relief  party  from  the 
Willamette.  This  was  but  two  years  later  than  Fre- 
mont's narrow  escape  from  starvation  in  the  Sierra 
Nevada;  but  the  Oregonians  in  the  following  spring 
completed  their  wagon  load  across  the  range,  and 
improved  it  into  a  toll  road;  and  it  remained  for  many 
years  the  principal  road  across  the  Cascade  ]\Ioun- 
tains,  while  Fremont's  route  was  not  made  into  a 
])assal)le  wagon  road  until  after  the  g(jld-discovery 
in  1849,  nor  into  a  ij-ood  road  until  after  the  silver- 
discovery  m  18(30. 

From  the  fact  that  the  Columbia  River  Pass  was 
essentially  a  water  highway  obstructed  by  portages, 
the  Barlow  road  became  a  necessity  for  the  move- 
ment of  herds  in  the  settlement  of  western  as  well  as 
of  eastern  Oregon  later. 

To  the  south  the  Willamette  River  Pass,  in  lati- 
tude 43°  2G',  leads  from  the  head  of  Willamette  Val- 
ley, near  Eugene,  along  the  upper  Willamette  River, 
south-west  into  the  Cascade  Mountains,  crossing  the 
southern  flank  of  Diamond  Peak  to  the  edge  of  the 
})lateau  at  Klamath  Marsh. 

Mackenzie  Fork  furnishes  a  similar  road  and  pass 
in  latitude  44°  12',  leading  east  to  the  Metelius  branch 
of  the  Des  Chutes  River. 

Rogue  River  Pass,  crossing  the  western  flange  in 
latitude  42°  30',  leads  from  the  head  of  Rogue  River 
A'alley  north-east  to  Klamath  Lake.  Through  the 
last  three !  ] Kisses  emigratlv)u  has  moved  eastward. 

The  ])ass  through  the  western  flange  by  the  Apple- 
gatt>  cut-oil',  or  southern  route  into  Oregon,  in  latitude 
42"  10',  which  has  already  been  mentioned  by  reason  of 
its  liistorical  and  physical  significance, leads  iVom  Lowi^r 
Klamath  Lake  west  over  the  southern  end  of  the  Cas- 
cade ^fountains  to  the  head  of  Stuart  Creek,  a  branch 
of  Rogue  River,  on  the  California  and  Oregon  road. 


OREGON  AND  CALIFORNIA. 


647 


From  OrcGfon  to  California  and  vice  verm  the  routes 
of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  tra})pers,  ouidcd  by 
former  Indian  trails,  appear  to  have  been  followed  in 
the  main  by  the  roadmakcrs  of  more  recent  date. 
Applegate  and  his  party  from  Oreij^on  bound  to  Fort 
Hall  in  184G  followed  the  old  California  trail  as  far 
south  as  Pilot  Rock,  in  their  Hankinjj^  movement 
around  the  Cascade  Mountains,  as  already  described. 

In  the  later  movement  u[)ou  California  with  wagons, 
General  Palmer  and  his  party  of  Oregonians  in  I  848 
continued  in  Applegate's  trail  by  the  Klamath  lakes 
to  Goose  Lake,  making  a  large  portion  of  tlie  distance 
to  California  on  the  [tlateau,  and  finally  descended  to 
the  valley  by  the  Quincy  and  Oroville  route,  being 
the  first  wagons  over  that  road. 

The  Oregonians  who  accompanied  Marshall  to  Cal- 
ifornia, and  there  made  the  gold-discovery,  were  not 
governed  by  considerations  of  wagoning,  and  simply 
retraced  the  trail  of  the  California  and  Oregon  herd- 
ers with  ])ack  animals.  Two  old  routes  by  tlie  Xoblo 
and  Scoit  Mountain  passes  went  northward  east  and 
west  of  Mount  Shasta  respectively,  and  reunited  at 
Yreka  near  the  present  boundary  line;  the  former 
followed  Pitt  River  to  the  plateau.  The  latter  was 
probably  the  older  and  has  the  .ppearance  of  having 
been  originally  explored  from  the  north.  Leaving  the 
extreme  head  of  the  Sacramento  Valley  near  Shasta 
City,  it  ascended  French  (iulch  and  Trinity  Jiiver; 
and  crossing  Scott  !N[ountain  by  its  pass,  in  latitude 
41"  20',  descended  Scott  River  to  the  Shasta  A'allty 
plateau  at  Yreka.  Our  earliest  record  of  the;  opeia- 
tions  of  the  Hudson's  ]3ay  Company  in  California  are 
identified  with  this  localitv  connnon  to  both  I'outes. 

Scott  ]\[ouiitain  Pass  may  be  considered  as  a  })asa 
through  the  axis  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  if  not  tlirough 
the  western  ilange,  as  it  intersects  tlie  older  I'ocks 
peculiar  to  the  sierra,  antl  the  altitude  of  the  j  tlateau 
IS  attained  through  the  Klamath  River  Pass  between 
Pilot  Rock  and  Scott  River,  in  latitude  41  JO',  where 


1. 


CyiS 


PASSES  AND  ROUTES. 


tlio  conntry  north  and  cast  more  propcily  represents 
tli((  position  of  the  broken  Han<^e.  Tlio  old  Oreujon 
and  California  trail  between  Scott  Mountain  and  Pilot 
Kock  liei-e  traverses  the  western  edge  of  tlie  ])lateau 
for  seventy-live  miles.  liids^es  are  crossed  from  tbo 
Khunath  at  Yreka  to  the  Ko<^ue  River  at  Jaekson- 
vilU';  and  from  Kogue  Kiver  the  Rogue  River  Moun- 
tains are  crossed  to  the  Umpqua  River,  at  Canonville, 
above  Roseburg;  and  lastly  the  Cakq>ooya  Mountains, 
by  tlie  ])ass  loading  fi-om  a  branch  of  the  Umpcjua  to 
the  <-oast  fork  of  the  Willamette  at  Eugene. 

The  Pitt  River  I'oute  to  Oregon  ascended  the  Fall 
River  branch  of  Pitt  Rivei'  to  Port  Crook,  and  con- 
tinu(><l  along  tbe  eastern  base  of  Mount  Shasta  to 
Yn-ka.  To  attain  Pall  River,  however,  which  is  on 
the  plateau,  it  was  necessary  to  tirst  cross  the  Sierra 
Nevada  by  Noble  Pass,  in  latitude  40'  ,'50',  leading 
from  Fort  Reading  easterly  up  Rattle  Cret^k  and 
over  the  north  flank  of  Lassen  Peak  to  the  head  of 
]Iat  Ci'cek,  and  thence  north-west  as  far  as  Yreka. 
In  latei-  years  a  road  was  made  from  Fort  Reading 
ascending  the  Cow  C*reek  branch  of  the  Sacramento 
by  a  more  direct  route  to  Fort  Crook,  crossing  the 
Siei'ra  Nevada  at  a  lower  altitude,  in  latitude  40  45', 
near  Pitt  River.  Ry  the  latter  route,  which  was  for 
many  yeai-s  the  stage  and  mail  route  to  Yreka  and 
.Iticksonville,  the  cordilleran  plateau  was  used  for  a 
distance  of  one  hundred  and  forty  miles.  Fremont 
ex|)lored  Pitt  River  from  Sacramento  Yalley  to 
Klamath   l^ake  in   184(5. 

Hy  the  Lassen  road  along  the  upper  Pitt  ]^iver 
thei\>  was  another  route  from  Califoi-nia  to  Oregon, 
which  followed  the  ])hiteau  along  the  inner  side  of 
the  ilange  I'rom  Chico  and  Noble  passes,  by  Klamatl^ 
lakt-'s  to  the  vallev  of  JX's  Chutes  River,  and  along 
that  stream  to  the  Cohunbia,  being  a  natural  road  to 
the  north. 

.Vll  the  passes  through  the  Sierra  Nevada  were  in 
one  respect  more  favorable  to  exploration  and  emigra- 


THE  SIERRA  XEVADA. 


649 


tion  Avith  wagons  than  tlioso  of  the  Cai^^cade  ^NFoun- 
taius;  thoy  woiv  more  openly,  and  on  the  wliok',  com- 
paratively speaking,  more  hglitly  timheivd.  To  the 
north  of  Pilot  Peak,  at  tlie  head  of  the  Xorth  Yuba, 
the  sierra  Hange  of  the  })lateau  was  easily  ap[)roaehed 
from  the  east  over  the  volcanic  table-lands;  and  it 
was  cut  tlirough  by  the  Feather  and  Pitt  rivei's  to 
the  edge  of  the  plateau,  as  old  Peter  Lassen  was  the 
first  to  find  out  for  the  benefit  of  the  ti-ains  via 
Smoke  Creek,  in  whose  service  he  lost  his  life. 

When  Wilkes  visited  Califoi-nia  in  1841,  Sutter, 
though  a  new-comer  himself,  was  already  aware  of 
the  advantages  of  the  northei'n  and  of  the  extri'me 
southern  ])asses  for  a  road  from  the  east.  Me  in- 
formed Wilkes  that  the  l)est  northern  route  was 
thi'ouu'h  the  li'ai)  made  bv  Pitt  Piver,  and  of  his  l)e- 
lief  that  that  stream  extended  through  and  beyond 
the  Sierra;  declaring,  liowever,  that  in  his  ojiiuion 
the  best  route  to  the  Ignited  States  was  to  ascrend  the 
San  Joaquin  and  proceed  thence  easterly  thi'ough  a 
gap  in  the  Snowy  Mountains  by  a  good  beaten  road, 
having  reference  probably  to  Walker  l^ass.*^^ 

Chico  also  had  its  pass,  known  as  Pidwell  Pass, 
the  next  south  of  that  descending  from  the  plateau 
to  Fort  Reading.  Its  connecting  roads  reached  the 
Sierra  by  way  of  Surprise  Valley,  anil  also  by  way 
of  Honey  Lake  to  Eagle  Lake  Valley,  traversing 
the  axis  of  the  vrestern  flanjjfe  between  J^assen  and 
Spanish  peaks,  in  latitude  40'  10'.  The  road  left 
Eagle  l^ake  Valley  by  its  Pine  Ci-eek  tributary,  and 
attained  the  spurs  on  the  north  side  of  the  north  fork 
of  Feather  River  while  yet  on  the  plateau,  descending 
along  the  backs  of  the  volcanic  ridg(is  south-west,  and 
reaching  the  valley  by  Chico  Creek,  at  Chico. 

From  Oroville  there  was  a  jtass;  though  the  jiass, 
it  is  needless  to  point  out,  first  made  the  roail,  w  hich 
al'terward  contributed  toward  making  the  town.  T\\'\h 
road  was  the  first  by  which  wagons  entered  California 


650 


PASSES  AXD  ROUTES. 


from  Orof^on,  having  been  opened  by  Palmer  and  his 
])arty  in  1848.  Tlie  Oregonians  ciimc  from  Ooose 
Lake  to  the  Meadows,  and  j)assinof  tlie  site  of  Qiiincy, 
crossed  the  westeri  flange  of  tlie  ])lateau  on  the 
southerly  shoulder  of  Spanish  Peak,  in  latitude  .'59° 
52',  descending  along  the  divide  between  the  mid<lle 
and  south  foi-ks  of  Feather  liiver  to  Sacramento 
Valley  near  Oroville. 

Both  the  Oroville  and  the  Chico  passes  were  con- 
nected to  the  eastward  with  the  Fort  Crook  and 
Yreka  road  to  Oregon,  by  travelled  routes  along  tlie 
imier  side  of  the  [)lateau  iiangc;  but  the  Shasta  route 
by  these  passes  does  not  appear  to  have  been  used  to 
any  extent  for  travel  between  California  and  Oregon, 
having  only  such  slight  significance  as  miufht  attach 
to  the  intercourse  between  the  extreme  northern  })ai't 
of  California  or  southern  Oregon  and  Wash(u\ 

As  an  emigrant  route  the  OroviP^-Quincy  Pass, 
connecting  with  Beckwourth  Pass  through  the  eastern 
member  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  in  latitude  39°  45',  was 
of  importance,  the  road  striking  north-wx^st  from  the 
Truckeo  near  Reno,  and  passing  along  the  cd^xo.  of 
Sierra  Valley.  Connecting  at  Mill  City,  on  the  Hum- 
boldt, with  the  road  by  way  of  Honey  Lake  and  Eagle 
Lake  valleys,  it  was  even  more  important,  being  one 
of  the  most  direct  and  practicable  routes  leading  into 
the  northern  part  of  Sacramento  Valley. 

In  later  times  the  Oroville  and  Chico  passes  have 
figured  as  routes  for  emigration  eastward  to  the 
Owyhee  and  Idaho  mines;  not  to  mention  the  more 
regulatetl  flow  of  herders  into  Modoc  and  the  more 
distant  grazing  lands  of  the  plateau. 

From  Marysville  a  road  followed  up  the  Honcut 
and  \  iil)a  divide.  Crossing  the  north  Yuba,  it  fol- 
lowed the  middle  Yul)a  to  llenness  Pass,  in  latitude 
39°  28',  a  branch  of  it  continuing  to  Downieville, 
Sierra  Vallev,  and  through  Beckwourth  Pass. 

Anotlier  road  from  Marysville  to  Henness  Pass 
followed  up  the  south  side  of  the  Yuba  to  Nevada 


^aiM 


ROADS  AND  RAILROADS. 


651 


City,  crossed  the  south  Yuba,  and  continued  to  the 
sunnnit  on  the  middle  Yuha  divide,  liaving  joined 
the  other  road  at  Jackson.  Fi'oni  Nevada  City  iv^n'm 
there  was  a  branch  lea(hng  alonj^  tlie  soutli  sitle  of 
the  south  Yuba  to  Donner  and  Tru^-kee  Pass,  in  lati- 
tude ;30°25',  the  pass  pointed  out  l)y  tlie  Nevada  City 
people  to  the  explorers  of  the  Central  Pat-ilic  llailroad 
Conii)any  at  the  commencement  of  the  silver  ei'a. 

Johnson  Pass  first  and  the  Donner  Pass  later  were 
the  passes  leading  from  the  city  of  Sacramento,  at 
the  head  of  navigation  on  Sacramento  River,  to  the 
plateau.  It  was  by  these  passes  mainly  that  the  en- 
tire drainless  plateau  between  the  Columbia  and  the 
Colorado  was  finally  taken  possession  of  by  a  ])erma- 
nent  population,  aided  from  the  cast  by  the  Alormou 
occupation  of  Salt  Lake.  A  quarter  of  a  centur}'  had 
elapsed  from  the  time  when  Fremont  dispelled  tlio 
error  of  the  mythical  Rio  Buenaventura  crossing  tlie 
Sierra  Nevada,  in  latitude  39  ,"  until  the  fantastic 
romance  of  the  Spanish  geograjdiers  was  blasted  into 
realitv,  when  a  channel  was  cut  and  tunnelled  for  tlie 
iron  road,  the  true  Rio  Buenaventura,  the  modern 
River  of  Good  Fortune. 

When  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad  was  begun  at 
Sacramento,  the  wagon  road  which  led  up  to  the 
ridge  forming  the  northern  rim  of  the  American 
River  basin  was  followed,  instead  of  that  ascending 
the  valley  of  that  river;  and  the  wagon  road  \\as 
completed  through  J)onner  Pass  several  years  before 
the  railroad,  being  known  at  that  period  as  the  Dutdi 
Flat  and  Virginia  City  Wagon  Road.  The  rough 
I'oad  ])reviously  existing  was  then  gi-aded  and  made  a 
first-class  wagon  road,  over  which  the  A'ii'ginia  stage 
travelled  while  the  Dutch  Flat  Swindle  was  cliiiiljiiig 
the  ridges,  in  18G7-!). 

This  oi)probrious  term  originated  in  ji.irt  iVom  the 

^^Fhilai/'s  Map  of  North  Amerira,  riiiladdiiliia,  1S'2(>,  'incliidinf,'  all  the 
recent  ;^'i'();,'rii]ilii(jal  iliscovcries,'  reprcsciitsi  tlui  Humboldt  iw  llowin^'  into  Sail 
rraiui.sco  JJay. 


652 


PASSES  AND  ROUTES. 


rivalry  of  the  Ijuildcrs  of  the  Placcrvillo  toll  road 
already  lueiitioned,  tlirou<jfli  Johnson  Pass,  the  valley 
route,  as  opposed  to  the  ridj^e  route,  havini^  hitherto 
been  the  Sacramento  and  Washoe  road  par  exeellencc. 
Its  j)roprietors  had  sjient  large  sums  of  money  on  it, 
and  had  made  it  a  mai^nifieent  highway,  vvortliy  of 
the  im])ortant  functions  it  had  to  ])erform.  Originally 
the  silver  ])ilgrims  from  California  descended  by  it 
into  Ho})e  Valley  and  followed  down  the  Carson  on 
the  emigrant  and  Mormon  road  of  1850-GO;  Lut  the 
present  proprietors,  when  Washoe  sihcjr  began  toll(j\v 
ni  18G0,  carried  it  by  a  direct  route  t(.'  Lake  Tahc^e, 
down  the  Kingsbury  gi-ade  and  over  the  eastern  sum- 
mit to  the  old  Carson  road  near  Genoa. 

Silver  ]\Iountuin  Pass,  in  latitude  38"  30',  leads 
from  ^Iurj)hy,  on  the  Stanislaus  and  ^tokelumne  di- 
vide, along  the  dividing  ridge  to  the  head  of  the  Car- 
son, joining  the  Johnson  ])ass  road  at  Ho})e  V^alley. 

Tlie  Sonora  Pass,  in  latitude  38°  12',  leads  from  So- 
nora,  Tuolumne  County,  on  the  Stanislaus-Tuolumne 
divide,  alonijj  the  dividing  ridge  to  the  head  of  West 
Walker  lliver,  at  an  altitude  of  9G00  feet,  being  the 
hiurhest  waijfon  road  pass  over  the  sierra.  Its  sig- 
niticance  is  connected  with  the  settlement  of  southern 
Nevada  from  California. 

Between  the  Sonora  Pass  and  the  southern  ex- 
tremity of  the  Californian  Alps  there  is  a  distance  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty  miles  in  which  three  travelled 
trails  cross  the  mountains,  by  the  Kearsarge,  Mono, 
and  Virginia  Creek  })asses.  These  passes  are  merely 
saddles  between  the  peaks,  averaging  11,000  feet  iu 
height.-" 

]\Iono  Pass,  in  latitude  37°  52',  leads  from  the  Yo- 
semite  Valley,  at  the  liead  of  the  Merced  River,  by 
way  of  the  s(jurces  of  the  Tuolumne,  at  an  altitude  of 
10,7G5  feet,  to  Bloody  Canon,  a  tributar}'  of  Mono 
Lake.  The  Mono  Trail,  by  which  term  this  route  is 
known,  was  constructed  at  the  time  of  the  Mono  gold 

^"Muir's  Passes  iii  the  Sierra,  in  ,Scribiiers  Monthly,  February  1879. 


TOWARD  THE  SOUTH. 


053 


excitement  in  18G8,  and  it  has  been  more  frequented 
by  tourists  in  search  of  the  i)ictures(|ue  than  any 
other  pass  in  the  Sierra  Nevada. 

Walker  Pass,  in  latitude  '35°  45',  leads  from  Kevos- 
ville,  on  Kern  River,  alonjjf  the  south  folk  of  Kern 
River  to  the  dosei-t  plateau  at  tlie  eastern  base  <>f 
Owen  Peak.  It  is  the  last  of  the  j)asses  throuj^h  the 
Sierra  proper,  leadin^^  eastward  or  northward,  antl 
was  named  after  B(mneville's  assistant.  Walker,  sul)- 
sequently  Fremont's  guide.  Sutter  referred  to  this 
pass  when  he  spoke  to  Wilkes  of  it  in  1841  as  the 
best  route  to  the  United  States.  According  to  Sutter 
it  followed  the  San  Joaquin  sixty  miles,  and  tlience 
struck  easterly  through  a  gap  in  the  Snowy  ^Moun- 
tains  by  a  good  beaten  road,  and  then  north-easterly 
to  Maria  River,  which  flows  south-east  and  has  no 
outlet."' 

From  the  great  valleys  of  the  Sacramento  and  San 
Joa(juin  southward  the  Tehachipa,  Tejon,  and  Canada 
de  las  Uvas  ])asses,  from  latitude  34°  30'  to  34°  35', 
lead  into  the  jMojave  salt  lake  basin  of  the  sub- 
oceanic  region  of  the  gulf  of  Cnlifornia;  the  first 
named  beinuf  that  followed  by  the  Southern  Pacilic 
Railroad.  The  railroad  then  crosses  the  several  })ar- 
allels  wliich  in  southern  California  represent  both  tlie 
Sierra  Nevada  and  the  southern  coast  range,  se[)a- 
rately  known  by  many  different  names,  1)ut  wliich  may 
be  I'eferred  to  collectively  as  the  gulf  coast  range. 
Throuijh  the  San  Gabriel  or  San  Bernardino  ]\Iouu- 
tains  it  follows  the  Soledad  Pass,  in  latitude  34  3o', 
and  tlien  crosses  the  San  Fernando  or  western  range 
of  the  same  mountains  by  the  San  Fernando  Pass 
to  Los  Angeles,  on  their  seaward  slope. 

By  tlie  Canada  de  las  Uvas  Pass  there  is  a  more 
direct  route  from  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  to  the  San 
Fernando  Pass  in  the  western  ridge;  while  Turjier 


ii 


'^Tliis  from  WilLrs'  2^ar.,  v.,  sliowa  how  much  gcoL'raphy  was  at  fault  at 
that  time.  Sutter  was  supposed  to  be  well  iufornied,  nut  lie  appears  to  cou- 
fouud  Walker's  route  via  Humboldt  lUver  with  the  Santa  F«5  trail. 


6S4 


PASSES  AND  ROUTES. 


Pass,  ill  latitude  34°  40',  and  tlio  Cajon  Pass,  in 
latitude  34^  22',  afford  roads  like  tliat  of  the  Soledad 
Pass,  from  tlio  ^[ojavc  Desert  west  through  tlie  gulf 
coast  range.  These  passes,  exeei)ting  the  Cajon  in 
part,  were  of  importance  mainly  as  leading  fiom  the 
southern  coast  valleys  to  the  great  valley  of  tlie  San 
.roa(|iiin;  and  the  San  Fernando  Pass,  near  Los  An- 
geles, was  the  ruling  one.  The  old  travelled  road 
readied  the  Mojave  Desert  from  it  through  Turner 
Pass  instead  of  the  Soledad. 

From  the  seaward  sloj)e  at  Los  Angeles  to  the  cast 
and  south-east  the  principal  i)ass  of  historical  note  is 
that  followed  hy  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad,  being 
I'ather  a  succession  of  passes  made  by  the  San  (labriel 
and  Santa  Ana  I'ivers,  the  San  Gorgonio,  in  latitude 
o4 \  beiii!»:  tlie  ruling  one.  It  leads  from  the  head  of 
Santa  Ana  River  south-easterly  to  Coahuila  creek 
antl  valley,  Ijelow  sea-level,  near  Yuma.  This  was  the 
direct  line  of  a])proach  to  California  from  Mexico 
oveiland. 

Ciijon  Pass,  branching  off  from  this  roiite  at  San 
Bernardino,  might  be  regarded  as  the  continuation  of 
the  Coahuila  and  San  (jrorijfonio  road  from  tlu!  orulf 
of  California  into  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  occupy- 
ing the  eastern  side  of  tlie  gulf  coast  ranu'e  without 
touching  on  its  seaward  slope.  Its  principal  signifi- 
cance consisted  in  its  being  the  ruling  point  of  the  old 
southern  trans-continental  route,  the  Los  Angeles  and 
Santa  Fe  trail  of  the  Spaniards,  and  the  route  of  the 
ammal  caravan  from  New  Mexico  to  California."^  Its 
direction  was  from  the  bend  of  the  Colorado,  at  Col- 
A  ille,  by  tlie  trend  of  the  ^Mojave  Valley  to  the  same 
point  in  the  gulf  coast  range  that  was  indicated  l)y 
the  Coahuila  Valley  and  the  San  Gorgonio  Pass,  the 
two  routes  connecting  at  San  Bernardino,  in  the  heart 
of  the  mountains,  and  leading  thence  to  Los  Antjeles. 

If  any  further  explanation  be  needed  as  to  the 
position  occupied  b}^  Los  Angeles  in  connection  with 

^  See  Du  Mofras'  map  of  the  coast.     Paris,  1S44. 


THE  GULF  COAST  RANOn. 


655 


the  movements  of  tlic  cju'licr  Sj)aulsli  po|)ulatioiis,  it 
may  ho  found  in  the  fact  that  from  that  place  the  loatl 
of  the  .seaward  slope  leads  not  only  to  the  soutli,  hut 
that  northward  it  attains  the  Salinas  A^alley  hy  the 
(Jraviota  Pass  throuu'h  the  Santa  Ines  ^lountains,  in 
latitude  .'54°  2H',  travei'sinjjf,  however,  the  J"un!4etl  ]»ai'- 
allels  of  the  California  Coast  Rano'o  bi;foro  i-eachiny; 
the  Salinas  Valley  at  Paso  llohles. 

The  road  from  San  Diego  to  Yuma  appears  to  have 
had  a  less  general  importance.  It  ascends  the  San 
Juan  River  and  kee))s  close  along  the  boundary  line, 
as  though  intended  to  mark  it  out,  following  a  direct 
course  to  Yuma,  and  crossing  the  gulf  coast  range  at 
an  inconsiderable  altitude. 

It  will  be  observed  that  what  wo  have  termed  the 
western  ilange  of  the  cordilleran  plateau  has  no  wt'll 
defined  existence  between  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  the 
Sierra  jNIadre  of  Mexico,  the  space  between  them 
being  occu|)ied  by  the  Colorado  Desert.  Still  the 
plateau  itself  is  well  enough  defined  in  the  valley  of 
the  Colorado,  as  distinguished  from  the  low  country 
at  the  head  of  the  gulf  of  California,  in  south-eastern 
California,  and  in  western  Arizona.  Climatic  causes 
attributable  to  the  latitudes  where  the  variable  trade- 
winds  bciifin  and  the  iniluencc  of  thosteadv  north-east 
trade-winds  ceases,  more  than  the  configuration  of 
the  land,  perhaps,  made  this  country  a  waste;  so  that 
the  Coahuila  and  Yuma  road,  continuing  up  the  Gila 
to  Tucson,  and  to  the  populated  country  of  Sonora  in 
Mexico,  failed  to  become  a  channel  of  emigration  to 
California,  though  every  other  consideration  was  i'avor- 
able  thereto. 

The  significance  of  the  routes  and  passes  in  this 
direction  is  in  connection  with  emigration  southward 
and  eastward  from  California,  dating  especially  from 
the  completion  over  the  desert  of  the  Southern  Pacific 
Railroad  in  1878. 

To  avoid  the  Colorado  Desert  as  far  as  possible,  the 
military  and  missionary  expeditions  from  Mexico  to 


w» 


PASSES  AND  ROUTES. 


Califoniia,  witli  tlio  single  notable  exception  of  t'lat  of 
Anza  in  177(>,  crossed  tlie  j^ulf  to  Ijorcto,  and  ])aHsed 
through  the  gulf  coast  range  to  the  seaward  slope  at 
iSanta  (lerti'udis  Pass,  in  latitude  28"  82';  or  they 
sailed  from  San  lilas  direct  to  Monterey,  the  ancient 
capital. 

In  the  ]>eo})ling  of  California  from  the  Atlantic 
states,  neither  the  southern  overland  mail  route,  the 
southern  emigrant  route  l)y  the  Gila  or  Mimbres  Pass, 
nor  the  Zuni  Pass  road  leadinyf  throu<di  Tucson  and 
Presccjtt  respectively,  were  of  any  appreciable  im- 
portance, for  the  reasons  already  statetl.  The  sig- 
nificance of  those  passes  was  limited  to  Arizona;  and 
BO  far  as  the  Ameiican  })0})ulation  was  concerned,  was 
limited  in  the  main  to  recent  times. 

By  the  Mc^rmon  approach  to  San  Bernardino, 
following  the  valleys  of  Utah  southward  to  the  old 
Santa  Fc  and  Los  Angeles  trail,  a  comparatively  easy 
though  deser't  road  was  found  in  the  valleys  of  the 
Colorado  and  Mojave  rivers,  emerging  from  the  jMo- 
jave  Desert  through  the  Tejon  and  Cajon  j)asses. 
Walker  was  the  first  to  discover  its  northern  con- 
nections, having  passed  over  it  on  his  return  from 
California  in  charge  of  j^onneville's  California  de- 
tachment in  1834,  being  guided  over  the  Spanish  trail 
portion  fairly  into  the  valle^^s  of  Utah  by  a  Mexican 
from  California.  Fremont  went  over  it  and  mapped 
it  in  1844. 

This  was  not  only  a  natural  route  following  the 
valley  of  the  Colorado  to  the  south-west  from  the 
American  strategic  jxiint  at  South  Pass,  but  it  con- 
tributed its  share  to  tlie  })ermanent  occupation  of  the 
coast  by  the  xVmc'  irans,  in  the  early  Mormon  settle- 
ments that  were  made  on  the  seawai'd  slope  of  scnith- 
ern  California. 


Following  the  plateau  into  Mexico  we  find  It  nar- 
rower, yet  well  defined,  and  of  influence  upon  the 
American  Pacific  states  chiefly  in  connection  with  the 


THE  SIERRA  MADRR. 


Cd7 


physical  features  of  its  wc"-toni  flancfp.  Tlio  latter, 
though  broken  in  the  (N)lora(lo  Valley,  is  i"ei)reseMte(l 
ill  the  JMnal  Mountains  near  Tucson,  the  northeily 
continuations  of  the  Siei-ra  ^Nladre,  and  in  the  vai'ious 
lofty  rauL'-es  continuini^  from  them  to  the  north-west- 
ward into  the  |L,neat  hend  of  the  Colorado  between 
Colville  and  Fort  ^fojave,  <i;ivin!^  oiin'in  to  that  fea- 
ture of  the  river  in  its  pass  throUL,di  the  mountain- 
ous region  in  latitude  35"  to  3(f.  1'owai'd  the  nortli, 
as  the  ])lateau  widens,  the  range  has  the  a[)]tearan('o 
of  distrihuting  itself  to  a  degree  in  the  northern  and 
soutliern  corrugations  of  Nevada.  ]^ut  by  a  cui'ious 
coincidence  the  south-eastern  bounchiry  <'f  California, 
draws  a  lino  from  the  bend  of  the  Colorado  to  the 
White  ^lountains,  near  which  are  the  loftiest  j)eaks 
of  the  sierra,  marking  the  culminating  portion  of  the 
western  flange  as  well  as  the  deilection  to  the  south- 
west v)(  the  Californian  sierra,  where  it  s])eedily  sub- 
sides; marking  a  general  line  of  sej)ai'ation  between 
the  hiLjhlands  and  lowlands,  yet  indudinu'  amonuf  the 
highlands  of  the  plateau,  by  way  of  contrast  to  tho 
culminating  range,  tho  dricd-up  lake  bottom  of 
the  An»argosa,  below  the  sea-level.  The  (^lila  and 
the  Santiago,  in  Mexico,  are  the  only  streams  on  the 
Spanish  Paciiic  side  that  cut  through  the  llange  under 
c()n(htions  furnishing  material  advantages  for  conunu- 
nication;  the  Zacatula  Pass  above  Aca[)ulco  being, 
like  that  of  the  Colorado,  in  a  rugged  mountainous 
region.  By  the  valleys  of  the  Gila  and  of  tint  San- 
tiago natural  roadways  were  found,  j)racticable  for 
wagons,  along  which  iicjwed  the  ])rinci[)al  currents  of 
population  and  trade  eastward  and  westward  between 
the  region  or  valley  of  the  gulf  and  the  })latoau  in 
Arizona  and  Mexico;  Tucson  and  Yuma,  San  Bias 
and  ^lazatlan  being  the  historical  consequences. 

In  Mexico  there  arc,  of  course,  many  othei-  passes 
or  trails  through  tho  western  flanges  which  were  more 
or  less  travelled.  The  most  northerly  of  these  was  of 
importance  to  Xew  ^lexico.     A  branch  of  the  Gila 

Hist.  N.  W.  Coast,  Vol.  I.    42 


069 


PASSES  AND  TvOUTES. 


Passes  of  Mkxko  and  Central  Ajieuica. 


ACROSS  MEXICO. 


669 


overland  mail  and  cmijTfrant  road  leads  south  from  the 
Gila  or  !Miml)rcs  Pass,  near  JNIowrv  Citv,  tliroiigli  tlie 
])lateau  Salt  Lake  basins,  by  Cook's  route  in  IH.Vl,  to 
the  ^[exican  boundary  at  the  Guadalupe  ^lountainsuf 
the  Pinal  Pano-e  or  Sierra  Madre  and  to  tlie  sourees 
of  the  Yaqui  River,  erossins^  the  mountains  near  the 
boundary  line,  in  latitude  31°  30',  and  deseendini^  tlie 
Yaxjui  tv)  the  towns  of  Arispe,  Ures,  and  lEennosillo, 
thenee  continuinuf  in  the  same  southerlv  course  to 
Guaymas.  It  would  appear  that  the  importance  of 
these  towns  was  due  very  largely  to  their  position  on 
the  route  from  the  plateau  in  New  ^Texico  to  the 
Pacific  sea-coast,  being  situated  on  the  shc^rtest  route 
from  the  upper  Pio  Grande  A^alley  to  either  sea. 

Pertaining  to  the  western  slope  of  thellange  in  So- 
nera, the  Altar  and  Sonora  Pi  vers  within  the  Coast 
Pano-e  at  the  head  of  the  gulf  of  California  afforded 
valleys  not  unlike  the  coast  valleys  of  California,  by 
Avhich  north-western  Sonora  and  Arizona  were  jieopled 
from  the  south;  llerniosillo,  Altar,  Tubac,  and  Tucson 
being  tlie  historical  oonse(j[uonces  of  the  lowland  coa;jt 
ti'ail  along  them. 

The  earliest  main  arterv  of  travel  in  ^fexico,  cro^^s- 
ing  the  entire  [)lateau  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacili'-, 
led  from  Vera  Cruz  over  the  eastern  flange  by  the 
PueMa  Pass,  in  latitude  Wf  30',  into  tlie  plateau 
lake  basin  of  Mexico  ])roper,  draining  at  different 
points  both  into  the  Atlantit.'  and  the  Pacilic.  Prom 
the  citv  of  ^lexico  it  attains  the  A'allev  of  tlic  Santiag  >, 
already  referred  to,  by  -several  differc>nt  ront(>s  Ihroiigh 
the  plateau  riv.'ges,  the  ])rinci[)al  one  following  tho 
basin  of  tluit  stream  by  way  of  (^ucrrtaro,  Leon, 
Lagos,  (Juadalajara,  and  Te])ic,  to  San  Lias,  and  con- 
tinuing along  tlie  lowlands  of  ^lazatlan. 

Py  the  trend  of  the  plateau  the  i-oads  ;uid  town-; 
marking  the  locations  of  industries  and  populations  at 
Zacatecas  and  Durango,  within  the  flange  oj)posito 
^lazatlan,  created  the  necessity  for  a  connciction  of 
these  [ikices  with  Mazatlan.     Its  pass,  in  latitude  '2'y 


I 


600 


PASSES  AND  ROUTES. 


'M)',  docs  not  a|)])car  to  liavo  boon  an  important  route 
of  travel  i'roni  tlic  cast  nor  for  any  other  than  local 
intcT-course  between  the  Pacilic  and  the  plateau  in  this 
latitude. 

A  similar  ]mss  of  local  import,  that  of  Tamazula, 
in  latitude  25',  connects  the  jL^ulf  and  liver  town  of 
Culiacan  with  the  mininjjr  reunion  of  the  state  of  3)u- 
ran<jjo.  Aside  I'rom  these  passes  the  western  llaiiiLJi'e 
of  jNlexico  lor  nine  degrees  of  latitude,  a  distance  of 
six:  hun<lrcd  miles  between  SantiaiL^o  liiver  and  the 
American  boundary,  has  presented  a  barrier  to  inter- 
course between  the  jjfulf  of  California  and  the  plateau, 
with  its  aj)pi'oaches  by  the  Jlio  (irande  on  the  cast. 

Quite  as  important  as  the  east  and  west  ai'tery  by 
the  valK'V  ol'  Santiaj^o  Hiver  Is  the  northerly  and 
southerly  system  of  roads  located  between  the  mouiii- 
iain  ranges  of  the  plateau,  and  along  the  river  valie 
\vhich    (hain    it    throuirh    the    eastern    ilaiiLrc 


Th 


second  |)iMnci|)a 


1   hioh 


^I 


d 


iway  across  iMexico  was  snapci 
by  the  nortlurly  and  souiherly  trend  of  the  ct)rdillera 
into  a  north  and  south  cour 


se 


Hegiimiug  at  Tamjtict),  on  the  Atlantic  gulf  side,  it 
followi'd  U[>  the!  IMnuco  ]\ivei"and  attained  the  plateau 
by  its  j)ass,  in  latitude  '2 T'oO',  through  the  castei'ii 
ilange,  and  tlience  continued  in  the  same  southerly 
courses  through  the  city  of  IMexico  to  Acapulco.  It 
crossed  the  Santiago  trans-continental  road,  as  well  as 
the  r(>nmants  of  the  western  llan<;e,  at  riiiht  anuh^s  to 
tlu>  latter  by  the  Chilaj)a  Pass  of  the  Sici'ra  ^[adrc 
di'l  Sui',  in  latitude  18'  oO\  thence  desceiuling  rapidly 
t(>  A(a|)ul('o. 

Ai)[)roaclied  trom  Texas,  tlie  main  plateau  artery 
of  ^lexico,  shapi'd  by  the  plateau  ridges  in  tlu>  same 
iioi'therlv  and  souther] v  coui'se,  was  reached  by  way 
ol'  Montcri'V,  on  the  San  .lose  branch  of  the  Jlio 
<«rande,  thi\)Ugh  the  Saltillo  Pass,  in  the  cast(>rn 
ilangi',  in  latitude  2(r'  20',  and  passed  through  Sau 
l^uis  J?ot()si  and  Queretaro  to  the  city  of  ^lexico. 
This  was  the  route  of  the  American  armies  in  1 847. 


CENTRAL  AMERICA. 


601 


Tliu  ^Icxican  plateau  itself  extending'  into  Xew 
IMexico,  there  were  natural  roads  which  letl  ^Texieau 
emigration  in  that  direction  at  a  very  early  date. 
"^I'lie  i)lateau  valley  of  Chihuahua,  between  tlie  Sierra 
Madre  and  the  Sierra  de  los  Frailes,  the  latter  heint^ 
one  of  tlie  ])arallels  of  the  eastern  Hanj^e,  hatl  its  road 
l(!a(hnrr  north-westerly  to  El  Paso  and  Santa  Fv,  the 
loutu  hy  which  New  ]\Iexico  was  po}nilated,  as  well 
as  to  the  north-east  by  the  valley  of  the  Conchos,  a 
branch  of  the  llio  (irande,  connectinj^  with  the 
southern  overland  mail  and  emigrant  i-oute  at  the 
ciossing  of  the  Pecos.  Although  mining  has  been 
carried  on  to  a  considerable  extent  i'ov  a  century  })ast 
on  the  inner  side  of  the  western  flange  in  the  state 
of  Chihuahua,,  the  roads  of  that  state  terminate  toward 
the  west  with  the  plateau  and  lead  the  tril)ute  of  the 
mines  to  the  soutli  and  east. 

In  southern  ]\Iexico  the  isthmus  of  Tehuantepec 
furnishes  the  first  low  pass  through  the  continent 
i'rom  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  the  altitude  of  the 
])ass,  in  1(1"  45',  being  only  855  feet.  The  attention 
of  the  early  discoverers  was  di'awn  to  this  remarkable 
dej>vessi()n  of  the  INIexican  idateau;  and  the  idea  of 
constructing  a  canal  through  it,  though  [pi-eviously 
entertained,  received  a  sudden  impulse  in  1871,  when 
it  was  ascertained  in  tlu?  port  of  San  Juan  de  Ulloa  that 
some  cannon  that  were  cast  at  ^tanila  had  crossed  the 
isthnuis  by  the  rivers  Chimalapa  and  (Joazacoali-o.-* 

Prom  ^liiiatitlan,  on  tlie  Atlantic,  the  i-oad  leads 
.south  up  (loazc(*alco  Pivcr  and  terminates  at  Te- 
huantepec on  tlu!  Pacific. 

On  a  j)'riallel  with  the  Tampico  and  Aca]>ulco  i-oad 
across  ^Mexico  w'e  now  see  the  corcUlleran  j>lateau 
itself  broken  through  and  diflereiitly  shaped;  near 
which  the  Jjaurentian  axis  of  the  Atlantic  side  of  tiio 
continent  finds  a  repetition  in  the  peninsula  of  ^'uca- 
tan.  Canal  surveys  were  made  through  this  pass  by 
the  Spaniards. 

^JJumbohit,  EDsai  Pol.;  Davia"  Interoceank  Canal»,  5. 


(M.I 


PASSES  AND  ROUTES. 


Tlic  remaining  passes  in  Central  America  most 
notably  connected  with  the  dissemination  of  settlers 
on  the  Pacific  slope  have  nearly  all  been  brought  into 
])rominence  as  routes  for  railroads  or  canals. 

The  Nicaragua  route  to  California,  in  its  pass 
through  the  western  range,  in  latitude  11°  15',  and 
the  Panaind  route,  in  latitude  9°  10',  are  the  only 
ones  of  historical  note,  however;  and  they,  as  port- 
ivj-QH  connectinsf  jTjreat  sea  routes  on  the  Atlantic  and 
l*acific  oceans,  have  an  extensive  histor}'  of  their 
own.  In  addition  to  these,  where  the  distance  from 
.sea  to  sea  is  so  short,  and  the  mountains  are  so  fre- 
(juent  y'  '-^rrrnpted  and  low  as  they  are  in  Centrl 
jVnieru„  o  number  of  passes  of  more  or  less  Icjcal 
important  ,  is  too  large  for  mention  in  this  connectiim. 

Tlioso  actually  surveyed  for  interoceanic  canals  or 
railroads  were,  continuing  southward  from  the  isthmus 
of  Tehuantepec,  the  Honduras  Pass,  leading  south 
from  Honduras  Bay  along  U lua  liiver  to  the  bay  of 
Fonsuca,  crossing  the  water-shed  in  latitude  1.']'  45'; 
the  Nicaragua  Pass,  leading  west  from  (Ireytown 
along  the  navigable  waters  of  San  Juan  llivcr  and 
Lake  Nicaragua,  and  crossing  the  water-shed  to  San 
Juan  del  Sur,  in  latitude  11°  15'. 

The  Costa  Rica  Railroad  line  leads  M'est  from  Port 
j^imon,  at  the  mouth  of  Macho  River,  to  the  head  of 
(J rand  River,  flowing  into  the  gulf  of  Nicoya.  It 
])asscs  the  dividing  ridge  in  latitude  10^  Along  this 
route  a  fine  macadamized  wagon  road  was  completed 
in  1800.=''' 

The  Chiriquf  Railroad  route  leads  west-south-west 
from  Chiriquf  Bay,  on  the  Atlantic,  to  the  gulf  of 
Dulce  on  tlie  Pacific,  following  small  river  valleys  on 
cither  side,  and  crossing  the  water-shed  in  latitude  S)°. 

At  the  isthmus  of  Darien  three  different  routes 
have  been  surveyed,  all  of  them  approximately  in 
latitude  9°;  the  Pananiil  Railroad  routj  from  Limon 
Bay  up  Chagres  River  having  only  a  distance  of 

""Kootz' Iiiteroccanic  Ilallroad  Jiejd.,  quoted  in  Davis' Interoaanic  CanaU,  9. 


THE  TAXAXlA  ISTH-MUS.  60$ 

fortv-.scvon  and  a  half  miles  and  an  altitude  of  two 
Irmdred  and  fifty-four  feet  to  overcome.  Since  1832 
tlii.s  route  has  l:)ecn  the  most  prominent  line  of  ti-avcl 
from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  becoming  second  l/O 
the  Central-Union  Pacific  Railroad  in  the  amouat  of 
its  travel  after  18G9.  That  leading  from  Caledonia 
Bay,  on  the  Atlantic  side,  the  site  of  the  old  Scotch 
colony  of  Darien,  followhig  Chucumaque  River  to  the 
gulf  of  San  ]\Iiguel  on  the  Pacific,  and  was  the  route 
most  fovorabl}'-  reported  on  of  all  those  advocated 
for  an  interoceanic  canal  by  the  officer  deputed  to 
make  the  comparison  by  the  United  States  congress 
of  ISG''.'^ 

By  t'li-  trend  of  the  coast  at  Panama,  as  well  as  by 
the  Atrato  route  to  the  Pacific,  the  Spaniards  were 
nalLurally  led  first  to  explore  and  to  take  [)o,ssession  of 
what  a[)peared  to  them  to  be  the  more  valuable  con- 
tinent; and  the  discoveries  of  placer  gold-mine;>  in 
S.)Uth  America  had  the  effect  of  leading  across  the 
isthaius  and  to  the  south  a  much  larger  emigration 
of  S[)aniards  than  went  to  the  western  coast  of  Xortli 
America.  To  the  south  Panamil  has  contributed  a 
steady  fiow  of  emigration  for  as  many  centuries  as 
ther-j  are  decades  in  its  existence  as  a  r(mte  to  the 
Northwest  Coast.  Yet  Panamd  has  done  more  and 
won  more  by  the  latter  since  1841)  than  in  all  her  pre- 
vious history. 

With  the  discover}'-  of  America,  which  was  also 
approximately  that  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  by  ]i'ilboa's 
journey  from  the  Darien  settlement  over  the  istlunus 
of  Panama  in  1513,  began  the  connnercial  movements 
and  cmiixrations  from  the  north  Atlantic,  wliicli  in 
less  than  four  centuries  have  assumed  the  character 
of  a  general  invasion  of  the  western  world  by  the 
Indo-European  race,  foremost  of  all  races  in  physical 
perfectit)n  and  mental  development.  Having  fairly 
possessed  themselves  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  there 
inmiediately  arose  a  rivalry  among  themselves  for  the 

'^^ Admiral  Davis^  liept.  on  Interoceanic  Railroads  and  Canals,  11-10. 


004 


PASSES  AND  ROUTES. 


possession  of  the  road  to  the  Indies.  A  passa_q;o,  in 
short,  from  the  north  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  ,<j;ivin<^ 
its  possessor  absokite  control  of  European  ti'ade  with 
the  Orient,  was  deemed  necessary  by  England  to  offset 
the  fortune  of  the  Spaniards  in  dominating  the  Central 
American  region. 

Thus  the  north-west  passage  became  the  grand  de- 
sideratum of  the  English;  its  history  is  told  else- 
where. But  the  problem  had  to  await  its  solution 
until  the  An<*;lo- American  emigration  to  Ore<ifon 
through  South  Pass  had  develo[)ed  the  fabulous 
\vealth  of  the  Pacific  flange  of  the  cordillera  in  both 
silver  and  gold,  as  has  now  been  shown. 

Their  su[)orior  mechanical  and  engineering  capabil- 
ities in  time  gave  the  English  and  the  Anglo-Ameri- 
can.-  possession  of  every  road  to  the  far  east  by  land 
and  sea.  When  the  pass  by  the  Laramie  ])lains 
thi'ough  the  Kocky  Mountains  was  finally  perfecte<l 
by  lailroad,  not  only  was  the  north-west  passage 
realized,  the  north  Atlantic  being  brought  into  com- 
mercial proximity  to  the  Pacific,  but  the  destinies  of 
the  world  for  a  thousand  years  hence  instantly  un- 
ravelled themselves.  The  extensive  admixture,  after 
the  discovery  of  America,  of  the  Indo-European  races 
now  gatlijrcxl  under  one  lanij^uage  and  a  norther-n 
civilization,  rather  than  that  of  a  Latin  race,  ])laccd 
the  emigration  to  the  north  Pacific  in  historical  rela- 
tions of  the  widest  scope,  and,  as  aflecting  race  mix- 
tures, of  the  utmost  human  interest.  By  reason  of 
their  geographical  position  the  North  Americans  were 
now  enabled  to  lay  one  hand  upon  the  Atlantic^  and 
the  other  upon  the  Pacific,  midway  between  tlie 
Occident  and  the  Orient,  and  within  easy  reach  of  the 
great  populations  of  both, and  thus  jicrmancntly  placed 
in  [)ossession  of  the  central  and  commanding  situation 
of  the  civilized  world  as  it  is  to  be. 

We  have  traced  out  the  broad  road  made  by  nature 
in  the  valley  of  the  Yukon,  forming  the  north-western 
cxtiemity  of  the  cordilleran  plateau,  and  along  which 


EFFECT  ON  POPULATIONS. 


665 


it  is  believed  by  the  foremost  students  of  ethnoloi^ical 
science  that  the  native  Americans  })rolxibly  emigrated 
to  the  New  Worhl  frt)m  Asia;  their  affinities  both  of 
race  and  hin<;ua<j:e  being  those  of  the  Asiatic  sub- 
division  of  mankind. 

The  races  of  the  west  and  those  of  the  cast,  brought 
face  to  face,  though  separated  by  the  extent  of  the 
broad  Paciiic,  have  nevertheless  had  established  be- 
tween them  a  line  of  comnmnication  physically  in- 
tlicated  by  the  trend  of  the  cordillera,  and  the  islands 
of  the  ocean  extending  in  a  genial  climate  between 
Asia  and  America,  formed  the  commercial  highway 
of  the  llussians  from  their  Asiatic  coast  to  the  north- 
west coast  of  America. 

Briefly  as  we  have  glanced  at  the  physical  condi- 
tions under  which  the  emigrations  from  east  and  west 
have  been  influenced  and  directed,  until  finally  they 
have  come  together,  it  is  noteworthy  that  they  still 
exert,  and  must  continue  to  exert,  a  like  influence,  in 
a  greater  degree  as  the  progress  of  settlement,  of  in- 
dustry, and  of  wealth  shall  enhance  the  importance 
of  conununications:  a  permanent  guide  to  the  student 
of  history  who  would  attempt  to  read  the  future. 


Sill 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


MACKENZIE'S     VOYAGE. 
1789-1793. 

Oriot>',  OccrPATiox,  and  CnAnACTER  OF  Alexander  Mackenzie  —  His 
JoruNEV  TO  the  Arctic  Ocean  and  Return  —  Embarks  at  Fort 
CiiErEWVAN  for  the  Pacific— Proceeds  up  Peace  River — Wintkrs 
at  Fork  Fout — Co.vtinuks  his  Journev  the  Foi.lowinc,  May— Ar- 
rives at  the  Finlav  Branch  —  Turns  Southward  into  Parsnip 
River— Ascends  a  Branch  of  this  Stream  to  its  Source — Portage 
at  the  Great  Divide — Descends  Bad  River  to  the  Fraser,  which 
thi:  Party  Follow  as  ear  as  Quesnelle— Return  to  a  Trail  aisove 
West  Road  Rivkr— Strike  Out  Overland  for  the  Western  Ocean- 
Route — Arrive  at  Friendly  Yillaoe — Great  Villa(!E  —  Rascals' 
ViLuvoE— Reach  the  Sea  at  Bentinck  North  Arm— Ouservations— 
Traces  of  Vancouver — Return — Troubles  with  the  Natives— Nar- 
row Escapes — Reach  Eraser  River — AitRivE  at  Fort  Fork — The 
Journey  Completed. 

We  come  now  to  the  first  passage  by  a  "Ruropean 
of  the  Rocky  ^Mountains  north  of  Cahfornia,  This 
honor  belongs  to  Alexander  Mackenzie,  a  native  of 
Inverness,  knighted  by  George  III.  for  his  distin- 
guished services.  Emigrating  to  Canada  while  yet  a 
young  man,  in  1779  he  entered  the  service,  as  clerk, 
of  Mr  Gregory  of  Montreal,  a  prominent  fur-trader 
of  that  day,  and  subsequently  a  partner  in  the  North- 
west Company.  After  remaining  with  Gregory  for 
five  years,  he  engaged  in  business  on  his  own  account, 
becoming  partner,  first  with  Pangman  and  Gregory, 
and  later  in  the  Northwest  Company. 

Mr  Mackenzie  possessed  a  vigorous  mind  and  a  fine 
physique.  In  form  he  was  of  medium  stature  and  of 
spare  muscular  build,  symmetrical,  very  strong,  litlio 

(  GCG  ) 


PREPARATIONS. 


GG7 


and  activo,  and  capable)  of  enduring  great  fatigue. 
His  features  were  regular,  eyes  l)riglit  and  searching, 
nose  and  UKjutli  Grecian,  and  his  forehead  high, 
intellectual,  and  crowned  with  dark  wavy  hair.  Firm- 
ness and  weight  marked  the  mun  in  every  attitude 
and  expression.  Lips,  chin,  and  facial  illumination, 
all  implied  the  possession  of  a  will  which  would  never 
rest  satisfied  until  its  purposes  were  accom[)lished.  In 
thouglit  he  was  as  refined  and  noble  as  in  outward 
expression  he  was  dignified.  His  energy  was  mild, 
not  of  the  impatient,  fretful  order,  and  therefore  well 
suited  to  his  self-imposed  task.  His  large  gentle 
eyes  imparted  to  his  decisive  features  a  suavity  of 
expression  of  the  utmost  importance  to  him  in  deal- 
ing with  his  own  men,  who  were  sometimes  inclined 
to  be  mutinous,  no  less  than  with  affrighted  savages, 
who  in  him  beheld  the  first  white  man  they  had  ever 
seen. 

It  was  an  enterprising  spirit  and  an  inquisitive  com- 
mercial mind  which  prompted  Mackenzie  to  attenn)t 
cxphn-ations;  and  when  these  ardent  desires  were 
seconded  hy  his  associates,  who  were  willing  to  V)ear 
their  portion  of  the  expense,  the  field  of  his  ambition 
lay  l)cforo  him  unobstructed.  Mc^'e  innnediately  it 
was  the  old  endeavor  to  find  a  practicable  route  from 
ocean  to  ocean,  in  this  instance  united  with  commer- 
cial zeal,  that  stimulated  a  journo}^  to  the  Pacific. 

Nor  was  the  hazardous  enter[)risc  to  be  entered 
upon  with  precipitation.  Success,  so  far  as  careful 
preparation  could  go,  must  be  secured  in  advance. 
Hence  before  undertaking  his  journey  we  find  Mr 
Mackenzie  studying  astronomy  and  navigation  in 
London  so  that  he  might  properly  record  liis  obser- 
vations wherever  he  should  go.  Being  neither  geolo- 
gist nor  naturalist,  ho  would  not  trouble  himself  with 
"what  ho  knew  nothing  about.  Patience  he  knew  the 
value  of,  as  well  as  the  capability  to  endure  and  the 
tact  to  make  otlicrs  endure.  Herein  were  all  the 
elements  of  success:  common-sense,  enthusiasm,  and 


CCS 


MACKENZIE'S  VOYAGE. 


strongtl),  wliicli  accident  or  incalculable  events  alone 
could  circumvont.^ 

Tlu>  journey  to  the  Arctic  Ocean,  thouofh  of  the 
liij^licst  conse(|uence  in  its  results  to  science,  need  not 
loiiLj  occupy  our  attention. 

It  dates  from  Fort  ( 'liipewyan,  a  post  of  the  Xoi-th- 
west  (\)ni|)any,  situated  at  the  western  end  of  Atha- 
l)asca  Jjake,  near  wliere  Peace  Kivcr,  whicJi  opens  a 
passai^e  from  the  Pacific  slope,  discliari^^es  its  waters, 
and  the  cliamiels  which  cany  tliem  to  the  Northern 
Ocean  take  them  up,  and  wliere  the  distinu^uislied 
explorer  was  sometimes  in  charj^e.  The  site  of  tliis 
})ost  was  at  this  time,  of  all  places  on  the  continent,  a 
l)oint  of  iiKjuiry,  the  great  rivers  on  either  Jiand  l)ein<^ 
to  tlie  iiitellijj^ent,  thoughtful  mind  two  mighty  marks 
of  interrogation. 

jMr  Mackenzie  set  out  on  the  3d  of  Juno  1789,  in 
a  bircli-hark  canoe,  liaving  on  hoard  a  German,  and  a 
crew  of  four  Canadians,  two  of  tlicm  with  their  wives. 
In  two  other  smaller  canoes,  with  his  family  and  fol- 
lowers, was  an  Indian  called  English  Chief,  who  laid 
claim  to  tlie  honor  of  liaving  attended  Hearne  in  his 
Coppermine  River  ex[)loration,  and  who  now  purposed 
adding  to  his  laurels  by  following  a  still  more  famous 
discoverer.  These  natives  were  to  .act  as  hunters  and 
interpreters.  One  of  the  company's  clerks,  M.  Le 
lioux,  accompanied  the  expedition  a  portion  of  the 
M'ay  in  another  boat  laden  wit^  goods  for  purposes  of 
traffic  with  the  natives.  Trapping  beaver,  shooting 
wild-fowl  and  reindeer,  and  catching  fish  as  they  Nvent, 
the  paity  proceeded  by  way  of  Slave  River  to  Slave 
Lake,  and  thence  down  the  Mackenzie  to  the  Ai-ctic 
Ocean,  where  they  gave  cliase  to  whales  and  paddled 


*  The  journal  of  liis  expedition,  entitled  Vni/af/es  from  ^fonf)ral  on  the  Uiwr 
St  Liiuriiirc  Ihrmnih  tlif  (.'<nitiii('iit  of  Xart/i  America,  to  the  Frovii  itnd  Pnnjir. 
Vrcaii.t  ill  the  Veafi  ITS'J  awl.  17'J-t,  was  jnihlishcd  in  London  in  ISOl.  It  is 
far  more  elegantly  written  than  are  tlie  juunuils  of  fur-traders  iisually.  The 
reader  feels  that  lie  is  jierusing  the  work  not  only  (jf  a  shrewd  and  intrepid 
conmiaiuler,  but  of  a  humane  r.nd  intelligent  gentleman. 


TO  THE  ARCTIC  OCEAN. 


GC9 


nmonr?  the  icebergs,  all  the  while,  however,  looldng 
for  a  iiicr  iVoKvsf,  as  the  Canadians  called  it,  and  licing 
in  no  wise  desirous  of  visiting  a  northern  sea.  Wlieii 
the  ex))lorer  entered  the  river  which  bears  his  name, 
the  position  of  its  mouth  was  wholly  unkiujwn  to  iiim, 
and  along  its  entire  way,  both  in  going  and  returning, 
he  sought  some  stream  which  should  conduct  him 
westward.  He  was  not  a  little  surprised,  therefore, 
to  find  himself  in  July  in  the  icy  regions  of  the 
farthest  north  and  under  the  starless  sununer  sky 
and  never  setting  summer  sun  of  the  hyperborean  sea 
instead  of  on  the  shore  of  the  more  genial  Pacific. 

The  journey  was  unattended  by  the  usual  hardships 
and  hair-breadth  escapes.  The  natives  were  not  trou- 
blesome, I'ood  was  plenty,  and  navigation  easy.  Loaded 
with  tine  ])eltries,  Le  Koux  returned  homeward  from 
Slave  Lake.  At  Bear  Lake  iron  ore  and  coal  were 
found.  The  natives  indulged  in  a  varietv  of  tales 
more  or  less  absurd  concerning  lakes  and  rivei's  toward 
the  setting  sun,  relating  what  they  su])posed  would 
most  accrue  to  their  advantage.  The  Eskimos  affirmed 
that  eiglit  or  ten  winters  previous  they  had  seen  to 
the  ^^'estward,  at  a  [)lace  they  called  Belhoullay  Couin, 
or  White  Man  Fort,  large  canoes  full  of  white  men, 
who  ijavc  them  iron  in  exchanije  for  leather.  He  en- 
deavored  to  persuade  the  natives  to  guide  him  across 
the  country,  but  was  unsuccessful.  On  another  occa- 
sion the  ex[)lorer  gave  a  native  some  beads  to  make  a 
drawing  of  the  adjacent  country. - 

After  an  absence  of  one  hundred  and  two  days 
j\Iackenzie  returned  to  Fort  Chepewyan  the  I2tli  of 
September,  regarding  as  somewhat  of  a  failure  what 
was  indeed  a  success,  none  the  less  brillia ; ;  t  because 
easily  achieved. 

'-'  'This  siiiitular  map  ho  immediatclj^  undertook  to  delineate,  and  accord- 
ingly traced  out  a  very  long  point  of  land  between  the  rivers,  thouirli  without 
paying  tlio  least  attention  to  their  courses,  which  he  I'cpresented  as  running 
into  tlio  great  lake,  at  the  extremity  of  wliicli,  as  he  had  been  t(jld  by  Indians 
of  other  nations,  tlicre  was  a  liclhaullay  Couin,  or  Wliito  Man's  I'ort.  Tiiis  I 
took  to  be  Unalasclui  Fort,  and  conseciuently  the  river  to  the  ^^•est  to  be  Cook's 
llivcr,  and  that  tiie  l>odyuf  water  or  sea  into  which  this  river  discharges  itself 
at  Wluilo  island  conimuiiicatca  with  Xortou  Sound.'  MacLenue'ts  Voy.,  85. 


C70 


MACKEXZIirS  VOYAOE. 


Tlirec  5''C{\rs  after  lils  northern  tour  ISTacli  lo 
ncfain  made  preparations  to  .set  out  in  search  of  a 
I'outo  to  tlie  Pacilic  Ocean.  Ills  present  plan  was  to 
ascend  tlie  current  that  llowed  near  his  door  instead 
of  descending  it. 

Embarking  at  Fort  Cliepewyan  the  lOtli  of  October 
1702,  lie  proceeded  up  Peace  River  with  the  intention 
of  reaching  that  autunni  the  base  of  the  Rocky  ^[oun- 
tains,  where  stood  the  most  distant  western  settle- 
ment" of  the  Northwest  Company.  This  would  give 
him  a  fine  start  for  the  ensuing  spring.  Th<3  first 
station  on  the  river  at  that  time  was  called  Old 
Establishment/  which  the  party  reached  early  on  the 
morning  of  the  lOth,  just  in  time  to  prevent  its  total 
tlestruction  by  fire,  arising  from  the  carelessness  of  a 
party  who  had  camped  there  the  previous  night. 

Next  day  they  reached  New  Establishment,"'  that 
winter  in  charge  of  James  Finlay.  The  ex}»loi-ing 
party  landed  amidst  the  firing  of  guns  and  the  re- 
joicing of  the  peoi)le,  who  were  now  especialb  ippy 
over  the  prospect  of  rum,  for  not  a  drop  h  lest; 

martyrs  had  since  the  previous  May,  it  being  tlien 
the  rule  that  the  suminer  traffic  of  this  locahty  should 
not  be  stimulated  by  fiery  potations;  wherefore,  if 
the  savau'o  was  forced  to  abstain,  it  were  unseemlv 
for  the  civilized  man  to  denaturalize  himself. 

But  neither  civilized  nor  savage  on  this  occasion 
were  in  the  least  backward  in  confessing  the  genei-al 
aridity  of  their  constitutions,  wricreu[)on  Mackenzie 
produced  a  nine-gallon  keg  of  rum  and  some  tobacco, 
and  calling  together  the  redskin  hunters,  to  the  num- 
ber  of  forty-two,  embraced  the  occasion  to  preach 

'Fort  Clicpcwyan  was  the  westernmost  depot  of  siipi>lic3  at  tliis  time, 
Init  tlicrc  were  scveivil  tradin;,'  cstahlislinients  along  Peace  lUver,  the  farthe.it 
being  about  200  miles  tliatant.  \\'hilo  on  his  first  jmnnty  Macken/ie  left 
McLeod  in  charge  of  Fort  Chcpewyan;  during  his  second  expedition  lloderiek 
Mackenzie  ruled. 

*T!iis  station  was  only  x"clativcly  ancient,  and  was  so  called  be.causc  tliero 
was  one  later  l)uilt  a  short  distance  up  the  river  called  New  Esiablishnient. 
Both  of  thcni  had  been  erected  within  two  or  three  years. 

^  Fort  Vcnnilion  and  Fort  du  Tremble  were  subsequently  erected  on  sites 
passed  before  reaching  this  point. 


LT  rEACK  RIVER. 


671 


ft 
Ik 


them  a  sermon,  telliiii,^  tliom  how  to  ooiiduct  tlieni- 
sulvt'S  to  their  own  jiiid  the  white  man's  l)est  in^er-- 
ests — particularly  the  white  man's.  All  listened 
attentively  and  promised  iim-esei-vedly.  With  sueh  a 
l)al|)ahle  heaven  of  ha[)[)iness  in  immediate  view,  what 
missionaiT  could  not  [)ert'orni  miracles  of  conversion? 

Out  of  the  three  hundred  natives  congregated  licre, 
about  sixty  were  hunters.  Warned  hy  the  forminij;; 
of  ice  on  the  I'iver,  and  with  an  apohtj^^y  for  his  un- 
wonted liherality  in  the  distribution  of  think  aiid 
tobacco,  on  the  third  day  after  his  arrival  ^lackenzi;^ 
continued  his  journey,  after  |L!,ivinL»'  some  instmctions 
to  }>[v  riiday.  The  volleys  of  musketry  atteiidim;'  his 
departure  expressed  the  thanks  and  good  wishes  of 
the  |)eo[)k'. 

His  loaded  canoes  had  l)een  despatched  two  days 
before,  so  that  now  his  progress  was  rajtid.  I'assing 
the  s[»ot  where  afterward  w;i-  placed  McLeod  Fort, 
he  arrivetl  at  a  small  branch  of  the  river  coming  in 
from  the  south,  six  miles  bevond  which  was  his  win- 
tering  [)lace,  called  Fort  Fork,  where  he  landed  on 
the  1st  of  November. 

Thither  the  previous  s])ring  two  men  had  been  sent 
to  clear  the  ground  and  s(|uare  logs  Ibr  buildings, 
liiglit  well  had  they  iin[)roved  the  time;  for  besides 
having  prepared  the  timber  and  j)kuiks  for  the  erection 
of  a  house,  they  had  cut  enough  j)alisades  seven  inches 
in  diameter  and  eighteen  feet  long  to  enclose  a  s[)ot 
one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  S(|uare,  and  luul  dug  a 
ditch  three  feet  deep  in  which  to  plant  them. 

Pitching  his  tent  until  the  buildings  should  be  com- 
pleted, ^Mackenzie  called  the  neighboring  savages  to- 
gether, and  giving  to  each  some  rum  and  tobticco 
began  to  preach  to  them  according  to  his  eustom.  He 
told  them  he  had  heard  bad  re})orts  of  them  and  he 
had  come  to  learn  the  truth.  If  they  did  well,  they 
should  be  treated  with  kindness;  if  ill,  they  should  be 
])unished.  Immediately  the  whole  assemblage  were 
his  devout  followers,  ready  to  believe  and  do  as  the 


Gl?. 


MACKENZIE'S  VOYAGE. 


master  might  sa}",  as  long  as  the  rum  and  tobacco 
should  last. 

As  the  winter  decponed  the  cold  became  intense. 
The  2.3d  of  December  a  house  was  finished  for  ]\Iac- 
kenzie,  of  which  he  took  possession,  and  a  block  of  five 
houses  more,  each  twelve  by  seventeen  feet,  was  soon 
ccnnpletcd  for  the  men.  Many  sick  and  maimed  among 
the  natives,  and  some  among  his  own  men,  came  to 
IMackenzie  to  be  treated,  and  althoui;!!  he  was  not  a 
surgeon  he  did  not  decline  the  responsibility,  but  gath- 
ered such  lemedies  as  he  ha})pened  to  be  familiar  with 
and  a[)plied  them:  for  fur-lumters  in  those  days  must 
know  sometliing  about  everything  or  suffer  severely 
sometimes  throujjfh  ionorance  or  lack  of  wit.  This 
explon  r  oaw  in  the  healing  art  no  great  mystery 
locked  in  the  Latin  terms  of  ancient  mvsticism,  but  a 
simple  luaciiccd  matter  which  every  man  possessing 
common-sense  might  learn  and  apply. 

Quantities  of  furs  were  l)rought  in;  for  the  deep 
p-uow  luvving  not  yet  come,  the  boavcr  could  be  easily 
tracketl.  Food  was  abundant,  and  Mackenzie  took 
care  to  keep  himself  and  men  in  good  condition  for 
the  arduous  efforts  of  the  coming  sunnner. 

Thus  not  unpleasantly  wore  tlie  winter  away.  The 
nev/  year  was  welcomed  with  the  discharge  of  fire- 
arms, and  spirits  and  flour  distributed  among  the  men. 
Frigid-featuretl  nature  was  subdued  by  smiling  spring. 
April  bad(!  the  snow  adieu,  though  the  river  was  yet 
covered  with  ice;  and  with  the  pink  and  i)urple  May 
flowers,  and  the  yellow-buttons,  came  the  voyageur's 
most  exas]>erating  sunnner  pests,  the  gnats  and  mos- 
quitoes. No  sottner  was  the  river  free  from  ice  than 
]\[ackenzie  closed  the  v^ar's  business  bv  writinjjf  up  his 
accounts,  and  having  desj)atched  six  fur-laden  canoes 
to  Fort  Chepewyan,  he  pi-epared  to  embark  at  once 
on  his  iourni!V  of  discoverv. 

Xine  men,  two  of  whom  were  native  hunters  and 
interpreters,  iiad  been  selected  for  the  ex})edition, 
and  every  one  t)f  them  promised  to  stand  by  his  com- 


I 


DErARTURE  fro:m  fort  fork. 


m 


mander  to  the  last.^  One  canoe,  twcntv-fivc  foct  lonsr, 
with  four  and  three  quarters  feet  beam  and  twenty- 
six  inches  hold,  was  hiunched  for  the  service.  Tliis 
slender  cnift,  destined  to  carry  ten  pei-sons  with  all 
their  equipage,  arms,  ammunition,  provisions,  goods 
for  ]>rescnts,  and  bagijcage,  in  weight  not  less  than 
three  thousand  pounds,  was  yet  so  slight  that  two 
men  could  easily  cany  it  three  or  four  miles  without 
stopping. 

On  tiie  0th  of  :May  1793  the  party  left  Fork  Fort 
and  pointed  their  little  vessel  up  the  stream.  J^etore 
them  spread  primeval  nature  in  redundant  gaycty.  On 
the  west  were  decorated  terraces  formed  of  alternate 
precipice  and  ])lain;  high  hills  covered  with  white 
spruce  and  birch  rolled  off  toward  tlie  east;  alder  and 
willow  frinucd  the  sti'eam.  A'ast  herds  of  elk  led 
quietly  upon  tlie  uplands,  and  myriads  of  bufKilo  witli 
their  frisking  3'oung  enlivened  the  })lains.  The  lierco 
grizzly  was  ))assed  by  at  a  respectful  distance.  Groum  l- 
hogs  and  cormorants  were  likewise  let  alone.  Game 
for  food  was  easily  secured  without  detention,  the 
hunters  going  before. 

At  first  navigation  was  easy;  though  the  current 
was  swift,  strong  arms  sent  the  quivering  bark  rapidly 
up  the  stream.  In  propelling,  poles  were  used  more 
i'reely  tlian  paddles.  But  by  and  by  obstacles  were  en- 
countered in  iinding  a  })assage  through  these  unknown 
wat(Ts.  It  soon  became  ap})arent  that  this  was  to  be 
a  journey  dilferent  in  kinil  from  the  last,  one  wliich 
would  try  men's  strengtli,  tenqier,  and  lidelity. 

Gasea(!(^s  became  IVcHpient,  di'i\ing  the  tra\i.'llers 
from  the  water  into  the  woods.  Sluup  rocks  cut  into 
the  sides  of  the  boat;  sunlcen  trees  pierced  the  bottom, 
and  i'a))ids  and  wl\ivlp(x)ls  opened  seams,  the  heavy 
cargo  increasing  the  strain. 

On  tlie  *Jlst  of  Ma.y  they  encountered  a  torrent 

*'riiLMi:iim'sof  the  white  men  were  .Vlcxanih'rMiuUay,  Fi'an(;()i.sl>i'auilif  n, 
Baptist  liismm,  Friint;ciifi  Coiirtois,  .liti'ijucs  litaiu'haiiii),  .)ii.si|ih  J.amii  v,  ami 
Charles  I  hiccttc,  tlie  two  last  UR'iitionfd  having  liccii  wiiii  .Mui.Ui.ii/:iu  on  his 
fuiniur  jxuinoy. 

lUm.  N.  W.  Coast,  Vol.  I.    43 


&m 


MACKENZIE'S  VOYAGE. 


walled  on  cither  side  by  almost  perpendicular  moun- 
tains. For  three  leagues  the  river  was  white  with 
rage  as  it  rushed  onward  between  two  mighty  walls  of 
rock.  Already  the  men  began  to  complain,  and  talked 
of  returning.  The  place,  they  said,  was  simply  ini- 
])assable.''  Mackenzie  paid  not  the  slightest  attention 
to  their  remarks,  but  prepared  to  go  forward.  With 
exceeding  difficulty  the  ascent  was  made  by  cutting 
trees  and  warping  the  canoe  up  the  side.  The  summit 
reached,  it  was  let  down  on  the  other  side  in  like  man- 
ner with  the  aid  of  ropes.  The  cargo  was  carried  over 
the  portage  on  men's  backs.  Three  or  four  miles  a  day, 
and  that  with  excessive  fatigue,  was  the  most  that 
could  bo  made.  A  wi'ittcn  account  of  the  journey 
was  sent  down  the  river  from  time  to  time,  enclosed  in 
a  tight  keg. 

Arrived  on  the  31st  at  the  fork,  where  one  branch, 
subsequently  called  Finlay  Iliver,  from  James  Finlay, 
who  made  a  tour  in  this  region  shortly  after  Mac- 
kenzie, came  in  from  the  north-west,  and  another, 
afterwai'd  known  as  Parsnip  Kiver,  from  the  quan- 
tities of  wild  parsnips  that  grew  upon  its  banks, 
flowed  in  from  the  south-east,  the  explorer  took  the 
southern  stream,  although  his  insthicts  pointed  toward 
the  northern  one,  vrhich  was  larger,  less  raging,  and 
came  from  seemingly  nearer  the  course  he  wished  to 
follow.*^ 

But  before  starting,  an  old  Indian  had  cautioned 
him  by  no  means  to  bo  led  away  in  that  direction,  as 
in    divers    branches  it  scattered   and  was  soon    lost 

'  Frascr,  who  in  1S06  fi)llo\ve<l  the  track  of  Mackenzie,  s.iys  of  Iiini  at  this 
point:  '  I  can  aflirni  that  fi'oin  tiie  portaj^o  to  l''cnhiy's  branch,  and  wliich  I  con- 
tend to  l)c  the  main  branch  of  liie  I'cace  River,  we  had  few  of  tlie  dilUculties 
he  mentions  to  li.ne  eneounteced.  The  navigation  id  not  only  safe  but  us 
easy  ns  in  tlie  h)\ver  ])ai't  of  the  I'cace  Kiver.'  Frnyfr'n  FIr.st  ,/oiit'iin/,  MS.,  70. 
It  may  be  that  the  water  was  higher  (hiring  Mackenzie's  ascent  than  during 
Frascr "s ;  at  nil  events  1  would  sooner  suspect  the  latter  of  churlishness  than 
the  former  of  exaggeration. 

*"  Malcolm  McLcod,  son  of  chief-trader  .Tohn  McLcod,  in  his  notes  to  Archi- 
bald Mcl)onald's  journal  of  (Jovernor  Simpson's  canoe  voj'age  iij)  Peace  River 
and  tlown  the  Columbia  in  18'2S,  makes  frequent  reference  to  Mackenzie's  say- 
in'.:s  I'.nd  doings;  see  also  M'-Leo<l's  Map  I'cace  lliver;  Maync^  Brit.  i'oL,  84; 
Macju\i  Vaiicouar  Idand,  'JOJJ. 


EARLY  DISAFFECTION. 


G75 


among  the  mountains.  Tlicreforc  he  took  the  south- 
ern branch,  which  was  the  proper  one. 

So  rapid  now  was  the  current  and  so  severe  the  toil, 
that  the  men  threw  off  restraint,  and  openly  cursed 
the  expedition  and  all  engaged  in  it.  Calmly  Mac- 
kenzie bore  with  them,  for  they  had  suffered  much; 
nevertheless  he  finnly  expressed  his  determination  to 
proceed. 

The  beaver  in  this  vicinity  were  given  an  excellent 
character  ft)r  industry,  acres  of  large  poplars  having 
been  cut  by  them  at  various  places  along  the  stream, 
liain  and  thunder  were  frequent  and  severe.  Thus 
the  explorers  continued  their  way,  passing  throe 
streams  which  flowed  in  from  their  left,  and  leaving 
Nation  River  and  the  branch  which  leads  to  ^IcLeod 
Lake  on  the  right.'' 

One  day  Mackenzie  ascended  a  hill  and  climbed  a 
high  tree  in  order  to  obtain  a  view  of  the  country. 
It  was  so  thickly  wooded  that  he  could  distinguish 
but  little,  but  toward  the  north-west  he  saw  a  level 
country  with  snow- clad  mountains  beyond;  another 
ridge,  snowless,  stretched  southwan',  and  between 
the  two  he  fancied  his  route  lay.  Descending  again 
to  the  river  he  was  at  a  loss  to  know  whether  liis 
boat  was  above  or  below  him.  Discliurging  his  gun, 
there  was  no  reply;  then  he  broke  biauchcs  and 
threw  them  into  the  river,  that,  carried  <l«»wnward  by 
the  current,  the}'  might  notify  his  party,  if  they  were 
below,  of  his  whereabouts.  Another  discharge  failnd 
to  produce  any  reply.     ^Mackenzie  then  ascended  tlu 


stream  for  some  distance,  and   turning  retraced    his 
anxiety  increasing  every  moment.     At  last 
wear 


us 


steps,  1 

wet  and  weary  he  reached  his  party  and  learned  tliat 

"From  the  narrative  alone  it  is  alninst  impnssililc  to  follow  tlic  cxpeditinn 
lip  tills  river,  but  with  the  aid  of  Mr  Fraser's  manuscript  Mackenzie's  course 
ia  made  ]ilain.  The  most  direct  route,  and  tlie  one  hitherto  lielieved  to  liave 
been  tiiken  by  the  Ih'st  expedition,  was  tliat  past  McLef)d  Lake  and  nver 
(iiscome  Portage;  but  in  my  narriitiveof  Frasers  journey  following,  1  clearly 
show  it  was  the  eastern  ))ranch  which  wa.s  ascended,  leading  to  a  shorter 

i)ortage.  after  which  was  another  huiuU  stream  to  be  descended  before  reaching 
.''rascr  Kivcr. 


C7G 


MACKEXZIE'S  VOYAGE. 


the  oaiioc  liad  been  badlv  broken,  tliat  the  men  woro 
more  than  ever  exhausted  and  discourai^ed,  and  tliat 
in  his  absence  they  had  been  laying  i)lans  to  build  a 
raft  and  return. 

Still  the  journey  was  continued,  jSIat  kay  Avalklni^ 
nnieh  of  the  time  with  the  hunters,  that  their  minds 
miiilit  be  diverted  fi'om  returnin*;,  as  well  as  to  liiihten 
the  canoe.  The  shooting  of  a  j)or(;u|)ine  is  recorded; 
they  also  found  patches  of  wild  parsnips,  the  to})s  of 
which  they  gathered  and  boiled  with  pcmican  foi' 
their  supjier.  On  the  9tli  of  June  the  party  came 
upon  a  tribe  of  ]|ocky  ^lountaiii  Indians,  who  mani- 
losted  both  fear  and  courage  at  their  a[)pearance, 
though  some  iled  to  the  forest.  Assured  at  length, 
they  permitted  the  strangers  to  approach.  They  had 
heard  of  white  men,  they  informeil  the  interpreters, 
but  they  had  never  before  seen  such  a  siu^ht.  They 
nhtained  iron  from  a  people  living  on  a  liver  to  tlie 
westward,  wliich  was  only  a  branch  of  this  rivei',  and 
1>etvveen  which  and  Peace  liiver  there  was  a  carrying- 
place  of  eleven  days'  march.  For  this  iron  they  gave 
1  leaver  and  dressed  moose  f'kins,  and  the  tribi;  with 
v>  liom  they  traded  ti'avelled  a  whole  moon  to  reach 
the  country  of  other  natives,  who  lived  in  houses,  and 
I'rom  whom  they  traded  for  this  same  iron.  The  last 
named  ])eople  likewise  nuist  make  a  joui'noy  for  it 
iVoni  their  country  to  the  sea-coast,  where  they  found 
V  liite  men  lil;e  those  present,  who  came  in  ships  as 
big  as  an  island.  Thus  Ave  see  the  poor  savages  in 
the  heart  of  this  inunense  wilderness  beset  by  civil- 
ization behind  and  befoi-e,  and  even  then  the  pale 
.strangers,  harbingers  of  ilcath,  at  their  door. 

ilere  was  a  dil(Mnma.  ]\Iacl<(Mi/ie  wished  to  stiike 
Si  ime  stream  which  would  carry  him  to  the  Paciiic. 
To  hnd  the  s})ot  of  Cai'ver's  speculations  where  the 
four  great  rivers  of  tlie  North  American  continent,  a 
northward  ilowing  stream,  an  eastwanl.  a  southward, 
and  u  westward,  all  took  their  rise  within  an  area  of 
liiirty  miles,  did  not  seem  at  all  like!}  at  this  moment. 


ABORIGIXAL  GEOGRAriTY. 


CT7 


To  ascend  Pcaco  River  much  farther  was  iniposslble. 
For  a  nioniont  lie  was  tempted  to  abandon  the  canoe 
and  strike  out  aloui^  the  hne  of  the  iron  trade  before 
mentioned,  but  a  httle  reflection  satisfied  liim  that 
sucli  a  course  would  be  suicidal,  as  hi;  could  not  carry 
a  tenth  part  of  the  necessary  food,  annnunition,  and 
presents  to  secure  him  good  treatment  among  these 
savage  tribes  in  the  heart  of  the  wilderness. 

Meanwhile  the  most  generous  hos})itality  was  af- 
forded the  strangers  bv  these  savages,  for  not  only  did 
they  bring  them  fish  for  food,  aiul  beaver-skins  as 
])resents,  but  at  night,  at  the  solicitation  of  the  civil- 
ized Christians,  the  men  of  the  forest  not  only  re- 
signed to  them  their  beds,  but  the  partners  of  them. 

Next  morning  mention  was  made  by  one  of  the 
natives,  while  standing  by  the  camp  fire,  of  a  great 
river  in  the  direction  the  white  men  were  going,  and 
between  which  and  them  were  three  lakes  and  three 
carrying-places.  From  these  lakes,  which  were  all 
near  the  source  of  the  river  they  were  now  on,  a 
small  stream  tloMcd  into  a  large  river  which  rau 
toward  the  njid-day  sun  though  it  did  not  empty 
into  the  ocean.'"  They  were  many  and  brave  v.lio 
inhabited  that  country,  so  sail  the  informant,  and 
they  built  houses  and  lived  on  islands.  This  coin- 
ciding with  what  filled  the  ardent  mind  of  the  explore)-, 
and  being  what  he  wished  to  believe,  he  straiuhtwiiv 
embraced  the  tale  as  true.  Then  taking  from  the 
fne  a  black  coal,  and  strip[)ing  from  a  log  a  piere  (»f 
l>ai'k,  he  directed  the  native  geographer  to  draw  him  a 
ma[)  of  that  country,  which  was  satisfactoiily  done. 
JMoreover,  one  of  the  savaufes  was  induced  to  act  as 
guidi.'  to  the  border  of  the  neighboring  nation. 

And  now  once  more  all  was  activity  and  hope. 
The  10th  of  June  the  company,  refreshed,  embarked. 

"W  reniavkiilily  exact  (U'scription  of  tlio  Fniscr,  wliich  conlil  not  ho  iis- 
criljrtl  to  Llio  iiiiagiuatum  of  t!u;  writer,  for  lir  tlii)ii;;lit  the  natives  liiistaUi  ;i. 
'Tlic  (ii)iiiioii  that  tlic!  liver  did  not  di.scliar;,'o  itself  into  tin;  sea,  I  very 
conlideiiily  imiHited  to  Ui-i  iguoi'auec  of  the  eoiiutry.'  Mwh  iizii'n  Voj.,  -04; 
anil  yet  the  Trajor  doea  uot  discliiU'ijo  directly  into  the  iiiuiu  uccau. 


ii 


678 


MACKENZIE'S  VOYAGE. 


As  usual  on  sucli  occasions,  for  the  safety  of  tlic  guide 
the  old  men  of  the  tribe  oxj)resse(l  the  greatest  so- 
licitude," though  the  guide  himself  did  not  appear 
greatly  troubled.  Five  beaver-skins  presented  Mac- 
kenzie the  night  before,  were  returned,  with  the  as- 
surance that  lie  would  be  Ijack  that  way  in  two  moons 
and  purchase  tliem — which  conduct  on  the  part  of  a 
European  must  have  astonished  even  an  unsophisti- 
cated savage. 

Proceeding  up  the  river,  the  first  night  from  the 
friendly  camp,  fearing  that  the  guide  might  repent  his 
bargain  and  desert,  Mackenzie  souu^lit  fresh  assurances. 
"How  is  it  possible  for  me  to  leave  the  lodge  of  tlie 
(^ireat  Spirit^'  the  young  man  replied;  "when  he  tells 
me  he  has  no  further  use  for  me,  I  will  then  return 
to  my  people." 

They  passed,  the  11th,  a  river  on  the  left,  winding 
round  a  conical  elevation  called  by  the  Indian  guide 
Beaver  Lodge  Mountain.  Another  small  stream  was 
seen  coming  in  on  the  same  side,  two  or  three  miles 
above  which  they  left  the  main,  channel,  which  was 
here  not  more  than  ten  yards  wide,  and  entered  a 
sluggish  meandering  stream,^-  still  narrower,  which 
soon  brouofht  them  to  a  lake  two  miles  in  lentjth  and 
from  three  to  five  hundred  yards  in  width,  feci  by 
mountain  snow.  Here  was  spruce  for  the  principal 
wood,  with  white  birch,  willow,  and  alder.  There 
were  swans  in  great  number,  geese  and  ducks;  like- 
wise moose,  deer,  and  many  beaver;  and  of  birds,  blue- 

"  On  a  former  occasion  when  Mackenzie  carried  away  a  guide,  an  ancient 
of  the  nutives  exohiiniod :  'My  nephew,  your  gi'iny;  jmius  my  heart.  Tlie 
white  men  rob  us  of  you.  Tliey  take  you  amonj^  your  enemies;  you  niiiy 
never  return.  Were  you  not  with  the  chief  1  sliould  be  disconsolate;  but  ho 
calls  and  you  nniat  go  ! ' 

'-'  Strangely  enough  Mackenzie  does  not  say,  when  he  quits  tlie  main 
channel,  whether  he  turns  to  the  right  or  to  the  left.  JJut  turning  to  l''rasi'i's 
manuscript  we  lin<l  tiie  same  place  thus  described:  'Monday,  UOth  Juno 
1S()().  ]>ad  rainy  weather;  notwithstanding  we  set  off  early  ami  soon  jjas^ed 
a  consiilerable  river  that  ilows  in  from  the  left  close  t(j  the  place  called  by  Sir 
Alexander  Mackenzie  tiu-  lieaver  J^odge.  About  half  a  mile  farther  on  wo 
passed  another  liver  on  the  right,  and  then  put  ashore  to  cook  for  La  Maliile. 
Soon  iiftcr  we  left  the  main  branch  on  the  leit  ami  entered  another  small  river 
on  the  right,  the  waters  of  which  are  very  clear  and  deep. '  Ffuitr'a  FirH 
Journal,  MS.,  112. 


A  SMiVLL  GREAT  SPIRIT. 


679 


jays  and  liumming- birds.  Wild  parsnips  lined  tho 
banks  in  grateful  profusion. 

Proceeding  to  the  upper  end  of  the  lake,  they 
landed  and  unloaded.  Here  was  the  Height  of  Land, 
the  apex  of  the  great  shed  which  ]:)arted  the  falling 
waters,  sending  those  on  one  side  to  the  east  and 
those  on  tlie  other  to  the  west.^^ 

Tiiis  was  on  the  12th  of  June  1793.  Following  a 
beaten  path  leading  over  a  low  ridgc  eight  hundred 
and  seventeen  paces ^*  to  another  sniall  lake  of  about 
tho  same  size  as  the  one  just  left,  they  again  embarked 
and  found  themselves  now  moving  alonijf  with  the  cur- 
rent.  At  the  end  of  the  lake  they  discovered  a  small 
river,  shallow  at  first,  but  soon  increased  by  other 
small  streams,  thiough  which  with  difficulty  they 
forced  their  way,  unloading  to  carry  at  four  o'clock, 
and  at  five  entering  another  lake  nearly  round,  and  in 
diameter  about  one  third  of  a  mile,^'^  Thence  tliey 
entered  another  river  called  by  Fraser  subsequently 
Bad  River,  which  rushed  impetuously  over  flat  stones, 
so  that  soon  they  were  obliged  to  land,  unlcjad,  and 
encamp.  It  is  far  more  frightful  in  canoe  navigation 
descending  than  ascending  unknown  streams  witli 
freqm^nt  cascades  and  falls.  This  shooting  of  rajtids 
which  the  Great  Spirit  indulged  in,  the  new  guide 
did  not  relish.  A  great  spirit  that  required  guiding 
in  mountains  which  he  had  made,  was  rather  a  tame 
afi'air  after  all,  and  might  possibly  be  mortal  enongli 
to  be  dashed  in  pieces  on  the  rocks.  At  all  events 
his  heavenly  canoe  might  s[)lit  and  let  the  poor  Indian 


"'This  I  consider  as  the  highest  nixl  southernmost  source  of  tho  Unjigah 
or  Peace  River,  latitude  .">4'  24'  north,  longituihi  1"J1^  west  fniin  ( Jieeiiwuli, 
■wliicli  lifter  a  winding  course  through  a  vast  extent  of  country,  rect'iving 
many  hirge  rivers  in  its  jimgress,  and  passing  througli  tho  Slave  Ijiiie, 
empties  itself  into  the  Fm/en  Ocean,  in  70'  mirth  latitude,  an<l  aliout  l.'{.")' 
west  longitude.'  JlarLrirJi'."  l'(ii/.,'2\ii.  It  might  inth'cd  l)e  called  the  source 
of  tiie  Mackenzie,  every  foot  of  which  he  whose  name  it  hears  tluis  ex[)iored. 

"  Fi'aser,  I'^r^tJoitrnal,  MS.,  1 1."),  calls  this  JKjrtage  '  lietweeii  six  and  seven 
hundreil  yards  lonjj,' and  the  lake  at  the  southern  end  of  it  'ahout  thi-ie 
miles  long.' 

' ' '  The  distance  is  one  Inuidrcd  and  sixty  yards  to  anotlier  lake  not  (^uite 
as  large  as  the  last.'  I'rum  rs  llrd  Journal,  yifi.,  llo. 


660 


MACKENZIE'S  VOYAGE. 


drown,  hence  lie  would  fain  return.  But  tlio  spirit- 
water  of  tlie  wliite  men  was  sufficient  to  fortify  his 
courac^e,  so  that  he  promised  to  go  on. 

Early  next  morning,  the  18th  of  Juno,  a  road  was 
cut  and  the  canoe  carried,  as  thej'^  thought,  helow  the 
rapid.  The  water  here  was  anything  but  placid,  and 
on  embarking  the  men  insisted  that  ^lackenzie,  who 
had  started  to  walk  with  some  others  in  order  to 
lighten  the  canoe,  should  enter  the  boat  and  die  with 
them  if  they  were  doomed  to  die. 

Tho  evil  they  feared  came  upon  them  quicker  even 
than  they  had  anticipated.  Scarcely  had  they  shoved 
off  from  the  bank  when  the  canoe  struck.  The  swil't 
current  then  catching  tlie  boat  drove  it  sideways  upon 
a  bar.  All  hands  jumped  into  tlie  stream,  which  so 
liijhtencd  the  boat  as  to  enable  the  water  to  carry  it 
over  the  bar  into  deep  water.  Clinging  to  their  craft, 
the  men  climbed  in  as  best  they  could,  leaving  one  of 
their  number  behind.  Before  they  were  fairly  seated 
they  were  again  driven  against  a  rock,  which  shattered 
the  stern  and  threw  the  boat  to  the  opposite  side, 
there  breaking  the  bow  in  pieces.  The  foi'eman  caught 
some  ovcrhanfifing  limbs,  but  was  dragged  from  the 
boat  in  his  attem[)t  to  arrest  its  progress.  An  instant 
more  and  they  were  in  the  midst  of  a  cascade,  and  the 
bottom  breakins:  on  the  stones.  The  boat  now  filled, 
all  jumped  into  the  water,  and  the  steersman  called 
out  for  the  men  to  save  themselves.  In  a  peremp- 
tory tone  ISIackenzie  ordered  them  not  to  quit  their 
hold  on  the  boat,  which  command  they  fortunately 
obeyed,  thereby  not  oidy  saving  the  cargo  but  their 
own  lives;  for  cari'ied  out  of  the  breakers,  wliere  they 
A\()uld  have  been  dashed  in  pieces  or  carried  over 
other  yet  more  fatal  ftills,  an  eddy  caught  and  threw 
them  into  shallow  water,  where  they  made  a  stand  for 
their  lives,  the  wreck  meanwhile  resting  on  a  rock. 

It  came  upon  them  like  a  flash,  the  em1)arkation, 
the  dangers,  the  destruction  of  the  boat,  tlie  miracu- 
lous escape  of  the  men — not  more  than  live  minutes 


XAP.ROW  ESCAPES. 


CSl 


M'cro  ro(|niro(l  to  sti-i]i  tlioso  explorers  of  tluMr  boat 
and  the  greater  part  of  their  e(jul[)meiit.  Tln-ir  ih'st 
tlioiiL^lits  were  of  the  two  men  wlio  wta-e  li^l't  in  ])eri]- 
ous  ))re(hf'ainent8  in  the  water;  and  M'hen,  fortunat(dy, 
these  eanie  n[)  unhurt,  they  heLj'an  to  save  wliat  they 
c(>uld  from  the  wreck.  Strani^c  to  say,  the  jiowder 
liad  escaped  damage,  but  the  Ijalls  wei-e  all  lost. 
There  were  shot,  however,  of  which  balls  could  be 
made. 

Such  effects  as  wore  not  swept  away  were  now 
landed  and  spread  out  to  dry.  When  the  Tiidian  at- 
tendants of  the  expedition  who  were  walking  and 
liuntina;  on  the  shore  saw  the  danjjer  and  misfortunes 
which  had  befalKin  those  in  the  boat,  they  seati'd 
themselves  upon  the  baidc  and  lifted  up  their  voices 
and  wept,  without  making  any  move  to  render  assist- 
ance. jNIackenzie's  companions  were  at  heart  worse 
tlian  the  savages;  for  when  tliey  saw  the  sad  pligJit 
to  whicli  they  were  reduced,  they  rejoiced  inwardly, 
for  now  they  were  sure  that  the  hated  expedition  nuist 
be  aljandoncd. 

But  not  so  the  commander.  Heaching  shore  bat- 
tered and  benuml)ed,  so  cold  and  exhausted  that  he 
could  hardly  keep  his  feet,  having  stood  in  the  water 
holdinix  the  sliattered  canoe  until  the  wet  remnant  of 
cargo  was  landed,  he  said  little  but  listened  to  tlii; 
remarks  of  others,  and  congratulated  them  on  their 
escape. 

Not  a  word  was  S]"»okon  of  continuing  the  journey 
until  tlic  men  liad  been  made  warm  and  comfortable 
by  a  good  lire  and  a  liearty  supper;  not  until  li([U«»r 
enough  had  been  administered  to  raise  their  spirits 
and  tlirow  a  halo  of  romance  round  their  misfortunes. 
Then  very  gently  ^lackenjcic  ri^called  to  theif  min<ls 
that  before  starting  he  had  notilied  them  that  hard- 
ships and  dangers  were  before  them;  that  they  then 
promised  to  stand  by  him;  and  tha*  he  did  not  believe 
to  be  men  those  who  would  forfeit  their  word  through 
fear.    lie  was  going  forward,  he  said,  if  he  went  alone, 


6S2 


MACKENZIE'S  VOYAGE. 


and  If  tlioro  was  a  man  of  Montreal  present  wlio  was 
afiaid  to  aeconipaiiy  hhn,  ho  had  greatly  mistaken 
their  eharaeter. 

It  was  enoujxh.  Not  a  word  more  was  said  about 
turninj^  hack — as  long  as  the  effect  of  the  liquor  lasted. 
Although  it  had  been  regarded  as  a  hopeless  case,  the 
canoe  was  repaired  with  gum  and  bark  so  as  to  ilo 
service  after  a  fashion,  ileanwhile  the  guide  had 
given  the  (Ireat  Spirit  the  slip  when  he  saw  him  thus 
come  to  grief.  Cutting  their  way  through  thickets, 
they  carried  the  now  soaked  canoe  throujxh  dan<>crous 
swamps,  midst  swarms  of  gnats  and  mosquitoes,  under 
a  burning  sununer  sun,  making  only  two  or  three 
miles  a  day.'" 

After  another  succession  of  rapids  and  falls,  on  the 
17th  of  June,  at  the  end  of  a  carry ing-])lace  three 
quarters  of  a  mile  in  length,  througli  which  they  had 
to  cut  their  way,  they  put  their  boat  again  in  the 
water,  but  were  soon  stopped  by  drift-wood.  Thus 
they  alternatcid  between  the  water  and  the  land  until 
noon,  when  they  found  themselves  within  fliree 
quarters  o^  a  mile  t)f  the  great  river.  Here  the 
stream  which  they  had  just  descended  broke  into 
small  channels,  none  of  which  were  navigable,  so  that 
they  were  obliged  to  cut  a  passage  through  the  under- 
brush and  drift-wood,  and  then  drag  the  canoe  and 
carry  the  carrjo  throuj2fh  a  swamp  to  the  bank  of  the 
great  river,  which  they  reached  at  eight  o'clock.^' 

'Trascr  coniplaint'd  greatly  of  this  Bad  River,  as  he  called  it,  adirmiiif;  it 
M-as  tlic  worst  })i<'c'e  of  canot'  navi^'ation  ho  had  over  encountered.  Xotwitli- 
etindiiijj  lie  liad  Mackenzie's  experience  to  guide  liini,  ho  did  not  make  nnicli 
better  work  of  it.  At  the  long  bad  rapid  he  says  'tiio  canoes  were  continued 
one  after  anotlier  by  six  men  and  on(!  of  ourselves;  and  tiiough  tliey  were  but 
lightly  loaded  it  was  with  much  tlilliculty  they  were  run  down;  and  tiirough- 
tlie  awkwardness  of  the  men  mine  was  run  against  a  large  einlidnn*  in  the 
middle  of  tiie  river  wliicli  broke  the  bow  and  sniaslied  all  the  ]>ieces  to  the 
hecond  liar.  I'ortunately  there  was  not  much  water  in  the  rivt-r,  and  the 
eliannel  was  narrow.  All  hands  jumpe<l  out  and  pulled  the  wreck  on  shore 
before  it  had  time  to  fdl  and  sink.'  Fra,it'r'x  Fir.it  Jdiirnul,  MS.,  1'22-It. 

"'Sir  Alexander  Mackenzie  seems  to  have  examined  the  l>ad  River  with 
attention  ;  for.  as  far  ns  ho  went  down  in  peace,  he  describes  it  witli  gre;it  ex- 
actness. It  is  certainly  well  named,  and  a  most  dangerous  place,  l>eing  nnicli 
intersected  with  large  stones,  fallen  trees,  and  fmlxinin,  and  the  current  runs 
with  such  velocity  that  a  canoe,  though  liglit,  cannot  be  stepped  with  poles; 


MACKENZIE'S  VOYAGE. 


683 


TlIK.   Exi'LOIlKli's    CoUKSE. 


AM 


MACKKXZIirS  VOYAOE. 


Croat  was  tin-  satisl;icti(»ii  of  ^rackcnzle  in  ivacliiiijij 
tliis  vWvv,  tlu'  fiist  white  iiiaii  to  stand  upon  the  l>aiik 
of  a  largo  navi^al'lo  stroaiii  wost  (»!'  tlio  luu'ky  ]\louii- 
tains,  ami  wiioso  watoi's  llowod,  as  ho  was  siiro  thiy 
(Hd,  into  tlio  Paoitio.  lie  iniatiinod  it  tho  niaiosti(! 
Colmnbia  thus  ilowinu'  sci-onoly  at  liis  toot;  and  so 
Frasor  thought  whon  ho  first  saw  it  thirtoon  vi-iws 
nl't'jrward,  and  so  continued  to  thiidc  until  in  1808  lio 
I'ollowod  it  to  its  mouth  and  •••avo  it  Ids  namo,*"* 

It  has  been  sup[)oscd  that  this  was  tho  tirst  known 
of  this  livor,  hut  its  mouth  lad  boon  discovorod  in 
17!)  1-2  by  tlio  Spaniards;  and  in  (hay's  journal 
Ivolloy  claiujs  to  havo  found  niontionod  a  largo  riviT 
ilowing  into  tho  soa,  along  whoso  shoros  ho  sailed,  in 
latitude  4i>  ,  called  hy  tho  natives  Tacootcho,  which 
was  in  truth  tho  Frasor,  but  which  Mackon/ie  su]>- 
])osod  to  bo  the  Columbia.  Cray,  of  course,  knew 
better,  ho  having  found  tho  mouth  of  tho  Columbia 
liimsolf. 


find  it  i*<  with  great  tlifTirulty  it  ran  ho  done  l)y  layinc;  hoM  of  tlio  ln-p.iiclii-s; 
end  evil  tliiit  way  \vo  ol'ti'ii  drifti'd  one  Inuulrod  and  soinctinu's  two  Imndit'il 
y;iiil.s  from  tlio  time  wc  lio^Mn  to  iiolil  tho  hniiiehis  ln'foro  wo  could  Iniii;^  to. 
Near  its  oonllnoniv  it  divides  into  throe  hran<Iii'.s,  all  of  vliioh  I  Hnii))ost'  to 
lio  naviu'ablc,  l)ut  tlie  one  to  tlie  riyht  ia  tlie  beat  route.'   l'nist:i-\-<  FirU  Juiir- 

It'll,  MS.,  i;!."). 

'"It  was  tho  north  branch  of  the  Fraser,  called  by  t!io  natives  Tacootche- 
'IVsse.  Lewis  and  C'lailce  supposed  it  to  liave  l)eeu  t!'e  upper  Columbia  that 
Mackenzie  had  founil.  tSays  (iass,  in  his  Jotinml,  'JKi,  note  ;  'The  .si/.o,  coul•^e, 
jiud  ap|icaraiico  of  this  j:;roat  river  seem  tocoutirm  beyond  .a  doubt  the  o]>iiiii>ii 
of  Machcii/io,  Mhosupiiosed  that  tho  hirj;c  river,  into  which  the  liranch  he  tlo- 
ticcnded  on  the  west  side  of  tho  Rocky  ^loui'.tains,  liavini^  its  source  in  these 
mountains  near  that  of  tlu;  Unjiixah  or  reaee  Iviver,  discharges  its  waters  into 
the  large  river  in  latitude  about  r)4"  north  and  longitude  rjj' west  from  London, 
or  47'  west  from  I'luladclphia,  was  the  Columbia.'  In  IT'.'I  an  ex]ieilitioii  of 
•  liscovcry  was  litted  out  by  tho  Mexican  government  under  Seuor  Malasjiina, 
who  visited  the  Xui'thwest  Coast,  and  during  his  excursions  in  tho  seas  about 
Kootka,  not  then  known  as  A'amouver  Lsland,  discovered  a  river  coming  info 
tho  FucaSea,  not  then  known  as  the  (lulf  of  (Jeorgia,  which  ho  named  the  Itio 
j'll.incho,  in  honorof  the  prime  minister  of  Spain.  Wnicuttci  r'n  lo//.,  i.  lil-  It. 
lullcj-  s.iys,  in  his  Xorfhirs/  ( '(iiisl,'2,  thattlr.-iy  mentions  in  his  journal  'a  river 
called  by  the  Indians  Taroatche,  Mowing  into  the  eastern  i)art  of  this  sea,  in 
latilude  41)'.'  As  liray  left  the  coast  in  17!)-',  this  establishes  the  discov  cry  of 
the  mouth  of  Fraser  Kiver  by  the  Spaniards,  if  not  by  tho  Americans.  See 
iil.so  h'ru'is'  J/!st.  Or.,  MS.,  7i»-St);  h'ranchi re's  Xa,:,  \i);  l!utlir\t  Wihl  Xio-ik 
J.itiii/,  1!)I  ;  /\(l/ci/'ii  \orf/iirixt<'ii(t.il,2;  /itIiiij'-i  Ai^/oriu,  'M;  Tiri-:s' <h\  <,hi(.sf. 
'2d  map;  I'll' n,i III I'x  Mdj)  to  Ji'c/it.  Canadian  Piidjic  /iiiHiraif,  Xo.  S;  (n^iii- 
liiir'aur.  ami  <'((/., "JSS;  Ti/llcr's  I/ist.  JJUcuo.,  l'2S-liii;  Paliiiti-'n  Iie^ii'i-t,  map; 
JiichanUi.:ii  Polar  Ihijloiis,  lllS-D. 


ON  THE  FRASKR. 


G85 


Xcxt  «l;iy  ^rackcn/it'  eiubarkrd  on  tlio  f^void  river 
and  [lassL'd  rapidly  d()\vn  the  sticani.  On  tlio  baidcs 
•^•row  wild  onions,  and  white  dueks  rose  IVoni  the  .sur- 
i'uco  at  his  approach.  ^larkw  of  the  presence  of  na- 
tives were  seen,  but  as  there  was  now  no  one  in  the 
>arly  wlio  could  converse  with  them  tlu.iy  were  ]iassed 
)y  unsought.  Ivapids  were  reached  at  interval.^,  and 
tributary  streams  broadened  the  llow  of  waters  as  the 
esi»1orers  descended. 

Down  past  the  oreat  forks  tliey  rapidly  swept,  past 
Stuart  and  West  Road  I^ivei-s  to  tlie  Quesnelle  mouth 
and  beyond,  then  t  ii'!<ed  and  came  back  to  West 
IJoad  liiver,  and  thence  })resently  struck  out  overland 
in  a  straight  line  for  the  sea.'" 


'"The  (listam'P  niiidi'  tlio  first  diiy  on  tlm  great  livor  was  70  iiiilps,  43 
mill's  ln'iii','  iii)(>vt'  tlu^  point  wiifi'c  tlio  iinrtli  braiRli.  wliicli  tlicylii'st  rcmlKil, 


uiiti's  wlih  tin;  iiiai 
fork  11  small  stfcaii 


uuu'I  of  FrasLT  lli\ it.    JUtoiv  iiachim,'  this  lirst  lai''i! 


will.;  ill  tVoiii  the  Mnitli-east  was  ji 


SSlcj, 


iiollur  from 
I 


till'  north,  a  rivulet,  ami  then  the  j,'reat  fork.     Six  miles  lielow  this  'a  siiia 
river  fallin;^  in  from  the  lioith-east  wa.^  iiassed;'  seventeen  ami  a  half  mi'i'S 
l)elo\v  the  last  there  was  '  a  small  river  riuuiinu'  in  froiii  the  left.'     I'".i.:ht  luili  .* 


farther,  half  of  whieli  was  a  rajiiil,  'a 


ill  tw( 


4 


ilf  mill 


iver  t'lowed  in  on  the  ri'.ilit,'  anil 
1  fi 


s  more  'aiiothi'r  small  river  Jiiijiearecl  from  llie  sa:;.e 


Hiiaiter. '     'J'he  second  day  on  the  great  river,  w  IiIlIi  was  the  I'.lth,  47  i 


were  made,  with  'a  small  river  llowiii''  in  from  the  ri*! 


.-ht' 


within  one  mi 


leof 


the  startin;,'-iioiiit,  and  at  the  end  of  the  day  the  e.xplorers  eiieainped  'whciu 
u  small  liver  llowed  in  from  the  rijlit.'  An  ohservation  taken  at  an  exeeid- 
iligly  had  earryinj,'-i>laee  in  the  middle  of  the  day  jravo  .">l}'  4"2'  "JO".  iJistaine, 
the  'JOtli,  4."i  miles.  'J'wenty  lulled  fiiiiii  tlio  starting-i)oint  'a  small  livir 
lloweil  in  on  the  left.'  Five  miles  farther  down  'a  river  also  llowed  from  the 
right ;"  an  observation  at  noon  gave  5^^  17'  '2S'.  Nino  milen  before  eneamiiiii,^ 
'a  small  river  ai)]H'areil  on  tliu  left.'  I  thus  give  ilistanee.s  and  rivers,  eon- 
few  lines  what  Maekeiizie  mystilies  into  jiages,  not  for  their  ii 


tlensiiiL.'  m  a 


trinsie  inlerest,  but  that  the  reailer  may  measure  for  himself 


on  any  mai)  an 


I 


make  his  own  ealeulations.     Of  emirse  allowaiieo  must  bo  nindo  for  all  tju 


ion  as  exai 


t.     'I' 


erooks  and  turns;  nor  ean  the  altitudes  be  relieil  ujion 
tioll  to  be  iletermined  is  how  far  Alaeken/ie  deseeiided  I" 
he  li'ft  it.     If  mv  reekoniii''  is  riuht  the  last-meutioncd  stream  but  one  is  tl 


le  (|Ues- 
iser  Ifiver  and  wliero 


111 


lekwater,  or  as  Mackenzie  called  it,  the  West  Koad  JUver,  whence  he  to 


his  de[iarture  for  tlii^  sea.  ricforc  leaving  the  I'ra:  cr,  however,  he  descendid 
it  "JS  miles  farther,  but  returned  immediately  to  this  jioint.  On  tiie'Jlst,  four- 
teen miles  were  made,  during  which  dist.iiice  'a  large  liver  llowed  in  frol.i 
the  left,  and  a  smaller  ono  from  the  li.nlit.'  'I  he  tnrmer  I  infer  to  be  t! 
Oiiesne 


Ik 


id  the  latter  the  I'untataencut.     TIk'  latitud"  given  to-day  is 


47'  r»l '.     After  descending  fourteen  miles  farllier  on  the  '2'2d,  the  explorers 


next  (lay  turnei 


X  1) 


It  is  noticeable  that  Mackeinie  makes  no  distincti'. 


mention  of  several  of  the  largo  branches  at  the  Fraser  forks.  In  fact  I'raser 
eomiilains  that  of  the  Xeehaco  or  Stuart  liiver  he  makes  no  mention  whatevi  r. 
'This  liver  is  not  mentioned  by  Sir  Alexander  Mackni/ie,  whicli  surprises  me 


not  a  little,  it  bciiiL'  full  in  si'ditand  a  line  laii'e  river. 


/•, 


.■  /, 


i'. 


MS.,  I'M.     Thid  may  or  may  not  be  so.     'liaokcnzic  may  liavo  called  .Stuart 


686 


MACKENZIE'S  VOYAGE. 


It  was  on  tlic  morninnr  of  the  21st  tliat  West  Iloacl 
River  was  passed  on  tlie  way  down.  It  was  a  cloudy 
morning,  and  the  blue  and  yellow  clay  cliffs  assumed 
all  manner  of  grotesque  shapes  in  the  misty  morning. 
At  the  mouth  of  a  small  stream  they  suddenly  came 
uj)on  a  canoe  in  which  was  a  single  native.  A  shrill 
whistle  notified  his  friends  on  shore  of  impending 
danger,  and  instantly  the  bank  was  alive  with  armed 
and  whooping  saxages,  who  by  their  furious  warlike 
antics,  accompanied  by  a  shower  of  arrows,  sought  to 
frighten  away  the  apj)arition. 

By  this  time  the  current  had  carried  them  ;)y  the 
place,  and  being  desirous  of  opening  friendly  relations 
with  all  the  people  he  met,  he  ordered  the  boatman 
to  turn  and  take  a  position  near  the  bank  o])[)osite. 
Mackenzie  then  undertook  to  gain  their  confidence, 
very  much  as  one  would  try  to  catch  a  horse.  It  was 
a  darinij:  thinsf  to  do,  but  these  men  were  so  inured  to 
danger  they  scarcely  knew  what  fear  was.  Directing 
one  of  his  Indian  hunters  to  slip  unperceived  into  the 
woods  with  two  mins  and  cover  him  in  case  of  attack, 
jVIaclcenzie  stepped  ashore  and  walked  along  the  bank 
unarmed  and  alone,  at  the  same  time  displaying 
trinkets  and  beckoning  those  on  the  opposite  side  to 
come  over  for  them,  while  from  the  canoe  the  inter- 
preter cried  to  them  not  to  be  alarmed.  The  hunter 
who  was  concealed  behind  tlie  trees,  and  kept  as  close 
to  Mackenzie  as  possible,  had  been  instructed  to  ap- 
]iroacli  only  upon  a  given  signal,  but  to  be  ready  on 
the  instant  to  rush  to  h'ly,  rescue  if  attacked. 

Presently  two  natives  came  from  the  opnosite 
bank  in  a  canoe,  but  stopped  when  within  a  hundred 
yards  of  the  stranger.  JSIackenzie  then  with  every 
art  at  his  command — and  his  knowlodije  of  Indian 
character  was   as   perfect   as  his  knowledge  of  the 

IiivcT  r.  small  strcenii  if  so,  it  was  tlio  one  passed  on  tho  evening  of  the  18th 
or  till!  one  piiasud  on  the  morning  of  the  10th.  Ihit  the  morning  of  the  10th 
Viis  foggy  anil  the  party  were  alluat  at  tliree  o'elock,  so  that  possibly  they 
nuiy  liuA'e  passed  it  without  observing  it.  My  ii])inii)n,  however,  is  ihat  ho 
mentions  it,  but  that  it  appeared  to  him  smaller  thuu  it  reuUy  wua. 


MORE  NATIVE  DRAWINGS. 


687 


otter,  the  autelojie,  or  the  <^ri/zly  l)ear — soiioflit  to 
qui'.t  their  apprehension  l>y  holding  out  to  tlunn  heads 
and  looking-o'l asses  and  heekoning  them  t(j  approach. 
Slowly  and  timidly  the  wild  men  shoved  their  eanoo 
stern  foremost  toward  the  bank  until  within  reach  of 
the  alluring  trinkets;  and  finally  they  gathered  cour- 
age to  land  and  seat  themselves  beside  the  white  man, 
at  wliom  they  gazed  with  awe  and  admiration. 

^tackonzie's  hunter  now  joined  him,  which  startled 
the  i\\\)  savages  somewhat.  Nevertheless  their  fears 
were  soon  quieted,  and  to  the  great  joy  of  the  ex- 
plorer he  fornd  that  his  hunter  could  c(Mi verse  with 
them.  A^ter  a  short  stay,  hiring  which  th(.'  hunter 
did  all  in  his  power  to  win  their  confidence,  and  de- 
clining an  invitation  to  •  isit  the  white  man's  canoe, 
the  savages  signified  their  desire  to  depart,  which  was 
cordially  j)ern)itted  l-y  their  entertainer.  Shooting 
their  boat  across  the  stream,  the  two  daring  natives 
were  received  by  their  brethreri  as  from  the  jaws  of 
death. 

After  consulting  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  the 
natives  invited  the  white  men  to  visit  them,  which 
invitation  was  promptly  accepted.  Presents  were  dis- 
tributed; and  then  Mackenzie  set  about  iiatherin<>;  in- 
formation  of  the  country. 

The  natives  told  him  that  the  river  was  long,  the 
curi'cnt  rapid  and  dangerous,  in  places  indeed  impas- 
sable, rushing  fui'iously  between  rugged  rocks;  it  ran 
toward  the  mid-dav  sun,  and  at  its  mouth,  so  thev 
had  been  told,  were  white  men  building  houses.  The 
])eople  below  were  a  malignant  race,  and  lived  in  sub- 
tei-ranean  dens.  Thev  had  iron  and  arms,  and  to  ijo 
among  them  was  certam  death.  Thus  tluy  attempted 
to  dissuade  the  strangers  from  their  purpose.  But 
although  this  alarming  intelligence  was  by  no  means 
to  1h>  disregarded  wholly  as  fiction,  yet  it  did  not 
materially  change  the  explorer's  plans. 

Remaining  there  that  night,  so  as  not  to  alarm  the 
people   below    l)y  coming  upon    theui  too  su«ldenly, 


MACKENZIE'S  VOYAGE. 


INTaelcoiizie  requested  an  intelligent  native  to  draw 
liini  a  i«lau  of  tlio  river,  which  waa  done  with  readiness 
and  skill. 

With  two  of  these  natives  as  ushers  to  introduee 
tliem  to  their  neighbors,  the  explorer  embarked  next 
morning,  the  22d,  and  dropped  down  the  river  fourteen 
miles.  On  their  way  they  landed  near  a  house,  only 
the  roof  of  whioh  was  above  the  ground.  The  in- 
habitants (led  at  the  approach  of  the  strangers,  but 
were  soon  paei'icd  when  they  saw  no  harm  was  in- 
tended. 

The  next  people  encountered  were  wilder  and  more 
ferocious  than  any  3'et  seen;  yet  they  were  soon 
made  frie'.idly.  Among  tliem  were  four  stranixers  be- 
longiiig  to  the  nation  adjoining,  one  of  whom  was  an 
elderly  man  of  prepossessing  appearance.  To  Jilrii 
Maclcenzie,  as  was  liis  custoni,  ap})lied  for  information 
respecting  the  country.  Taking  a  large  ])iece  of  bark, 
the  old  man  drew  a  map  of  the  country,  with  the 
river  running  to  the  cast  of  south,  willi  many  tribu- 
taries, and  every  six  leagues  or  so  <langer(uis  rapids 
and  im[)racticable  carrying-])laces.  It  was  a  long  vray 
to  the  sea,  before  reaching  whi^-h  there  Avas  a  lake  of 
M'iiose  waters  men  could  not  diink.  Their  iron,  ])rass, 
and  copper  came  trom  their  neigh])ors  to  the  west.  In 
tliat  direction  tJie  distance  was  not  far  from  the  sea."" 
Kee[)  to  the  lowlands  between  the  mountains,  con- 
tinued thenativi^s,  and  the  route  is  not  diihcult,  there 
l)eing  a  well  beaten  patli  whicli  tluy  had  often 
travelled,  witli  assisting  links  of  lakes  and  rivers. 
There  v  ere  three  points  of  d('])arture  from  the  river: 
one  where  tluy  tiien  wvvv,  tliat  is  near  the  Quesnelle 
Tlivi^r,  one  at  West  lload  River,  and  one  beyond  that 
point. 

Mackenzie^  was  now  obliged  to  face  his  situation. 
The  concurring  accounts  of  the  natives,  unwelcome  as 

'"'Acconlirig  to  my  own  idoa,'  rciniirkfi  Mnc'ii'ii/io,  I'm//.,  "")!,  at  this 
jnnctiivc,  'it  rauniit  'to  atinvi'  livi;  or  nix  dcgiri's.  If  llic  asxTliou^t  of  Mr 
^U'liiL's  1k!  coinji't,  it  cannot  lie  ho  far,  ax  tlic  inland  sea  wliii'li  he  mentions 
within  Nootku,  nintjt  cunio  us  fur  vu^t  an  l-ii  %vcijt  longitude.' 


snow  OF  HOSTILITIES. 


C80 


tlicy  wore,  must  bo  accepted,  with  clue  allowiincc  for 
cxaix'^eration,  as  true.  Provisions  and  annnunition 
were  both  becoming  low,  and  the  men  Vv'ero  on  the 
point  of  nnitiny.-^ 

At  length  his  minci  was  made  up.  Though  ho 
should  be  unable  to  return  to  Athabasca  that  season; 
though  he  should  never  return;  Ihcnigli  he  should  bo 
deserted  by  his  men  and  left  to  find  the  western  sea 
alone,  yet  would  he  find  it.  S(j  he  resolvt>(l,  and  so 
he  nutiiied  his  men.  Thc-ir  foi-mer  action  under  diffi- 
culties he  praises;  and  next  to  rum  nothing  so  cheei's 
the  de.!i)onding  heart  as  ])raise.  We  all  like  it,  tlio 
only  dilierence  being  in  the  method  of  its  adminis- 
terin<jr.  Their  better  natures  aroused  bv  his  enthu- 
siasni,  again  they  promise  [)erpetual  lidilitv,  only  again 
to  lav  plans  to  abandon  the  adventure  before  another 
wool;  is  j'one. 

01)vi<)Usly  the  short  beaten  path  to  the  west  was 
lietter  and  less  hazardous  than  tlie  perilous  riv(*r  of 
unknown  limits  to  the  south.  It  was  IVom  a  point 
above  that  this  overland  I'oute  lay,  and  to  tliat  point 
they  must  now  return.  One  of  the  natives  ;it  this 
last  encampment  })romised  to  be  their  guide,  lienco 
next  day,  the  23d,  tluy  turned  tlu'ir  little  craft  up 
the  current;  but  before  embarking,  ]Mackay,  at  ]Mac- 
kenzie's  re([uest,  engraved  tlie  connnander's  name  and 
the  date  on  a  tree. 

The  peo[)le  above  could  not  understand  wliy  the 
strangi'1's  who  said  tluy  Mere  going  down  the  river  to 
the  sea  shoujd  so  suddrnly  ixturii,  and  t!ny  iuiagincd 
some  sinister  design.  Instciid  of  listening  t(»  an  e\- 
jilanation  they  iK  d  as  the  exjiloivrs  i'ea])j)eared,  and 
beat  the  forest  into  a  h<jstile  lii  Id.  ]MacIien/,ie  j)rt'- 
pared  for  defense,  and  the  men  swore  they  would  be 
yone  IVom  that  reuu  n  the  moment  thev  could  make 
tlu'ir 


escai) 


'Th 


I  liciii'l  of  tlic  I'ivc 


tli: 


11'  inoiv  I  \v;is  L'diiN 


iiicc'l  it  lonM  iKit 


empty  ilsilf  into  tlic  oociui  to  tlu-  iinitli  of  what  i.s  I'alk'd  tlu:  UiviiM  f  tliu 
Wi'st;  Ko  that  \vi!li  its  wiudiiiLjs  tlif  tliotaiicc  must  be  very  great.'  Marhit~ii:'it 
y'vy.,  'JoO. 

UiBl.  N.  W.  Coast,  Vol.  I.    4i 


coo 


MACKEXZIE'S  VOYAGE. 


Thoir  boat  being  inrapablo  of  further  repairs,  on 
the  23th  they  set  about  building  a  new  one,  wliieh 
was  completed  the  1st  of  July.  ]t  now  beeanie 
neeessaiy  to  put  the  men  on  short  allowance,  which 
with  the  desei'tion  of  their  guide  in  no  wise  tended 
to  assuage  their  ill-humor,  lluni  and  praise  are  both 
cond'orting,  but  a  whole  skin  is  better  than  either. 
The  connnander's  position  was  an  exceedingly  critical 
one,  for  at  every  accident  fresh  dissatisfaction  broke 
out;  yet  he  relaxed  not  one  iota  of  his  determination 
to  proceed,  and  issued  his  orders  accordingly.  Ar- 
lived  at  West  Road  River,  so  called  by  ]Mackenzie 
because  his  road  to  the  west  appeared  to  lead  from 
this  branch  of  l^^raser  River,  the  explorer  determined 
to  come  to  a  full  understandinij  with  his  men.  Since 
leaving  the  lower  encampuient  they  had  not  only 
opeidy  talked  of  returning  to  Athabasca,  but  liad 
once  gont!  so  far  as  to  load  the  canoe  prejiaratory  to 
embai'kin<4',  without  instructions  i'roiii  their  ofiicer. 

To  his  no  small  satisfaction  IMackenzie  learrs  that 
no  definite  ])lan  of  return  has  been  fixed  upon,  lie 
then  reminds  them  of  their  promise  so  lately  made. 
]\)inting  to  the  western  path,  he  tells  them  ho  is 
going  to  try  it.  His  calm  persisteiuy  wins.  Tliough 
]>cset  1)V  hardships  and  dang(>rs,  habit  is  too  much  ibr 
them;  their  master  is  bel'ore  them.  Once  more  they 
])romise  their  sup[iort.  And  thus  it  always  is:  ])lace 
thinu's  in  the  riixht  way  beibre  men  and  thev  will  die 
for  you,  when  if  you  bungle,  ]H;radv(Miture  they  will 
maki'  you  die  I'or  them.  Herein  consists  the  ditlei'- 
ence  betwecMi  born  counnanikrs  and  men  lit  onlv  to 


govern  cattle. 


JJefori'  leaving  the  great  river,  howev(M',  the  men 
pro|)osed  that  th(\v  .should  ascend  it  a  little  larther 
and  seek  their  ufuide  or  iind  anotlier.  'J'o  this  Mac- 
kiMizie  promptly  assenti-d.  Shortly  after  they  had 
started  they  met  their  guide  coming  toward  thom 
with  a  iiumhcr  of  his  relatives  in  two  canoes.  He 
never  thought  of  leaving  them,  he  saitl,  and  for  his 


THE  MARCn  WESTWARD. 


601 


fitlelify  lie  v.'n;<  given  ;>  jadu't,  pantaloons,  nud  liand- 
kurcliiuf.  These  ]kh)j)1  ;  inlornicd  tlio  explorers  that 
the  road  which  left  the  riviM'  a  short  distanee  above 
was  the  best,  and  it  was  derided  to  take  it. 

Next  inorninu:,  whieji  was  the  4tli  of  Julv,  wishing 
to  hide  some  of  their  articles,  ^Fackenzie  sent  the 
natives  on  before  in  charLje  of  ^Mackav,  and  when  his 
secret  task  was  aceonij)lished  he  continued  uj»  Fraser 
Jiivei*  to  a  rivulet  some  twenty  miles  jd)ove  West 
Itoad  lliver,  where  he  found  ]\Iaekay  and  the  guivle 
awaitinij:  him. 

Here  the  canoo  and  overj-thing  they  foild  not 
carry  must  be  left  until  their  return.  ]\r;iking  their 
effects  as  secure  as  possible,''  the}'  shouldered  about 
ninety  pounds  each  and  set  out  on  their  long  march. 
The  lordly  abori^•inals  who  attended  as  hunters  and 
interpreters  felt  exceedii;gly  ill-used  at  having  to 
carry  half  the  weiu'ht  the  white  men  bore,  or  l)arelv 
fuifilcient  to  feed  tlunnselves,  and  imder  no  circum- 
stances vroulil  the  local  guides  carry  a  jiound.  ^ATac- 
kenzie  and  ^Mackay  each  shouldered  a  ])ack  of  seventy 
pounds,  which  with  their  arms  and  instrumeiits  made 
their  burdens  nearly  equal  to  those  of  the  Canadians. 

Twelve  miles  due  west  were  made  the  first  diiy,  and 
about  twice  that  distance  south-west  the  next.  A 
well  beaten  ])ath  over  wtieded  lidges  conducted  theni 
past  lakes  Puncliaw  an<l  Cleswuncnt,  where  they 
camped,  wet  and  wi'ary,  the  night  of  the  5th.  J  hit 
few  natives  were;  met,  and  those,  havinuf  been  notified 
of  the  white  man's  presence  in  th<is(,'  ])iU'ts,  manifested 
neither  surprise  nor  fi'ar.  ArticK's  of  JuirojKan  man- 
ufacture had  already  found  their  way  hither,  having 
beo!;  obtained  iVoni  tlie  tradin-.j-vissels  aloiiLr  the  coa'^fc 
and  passed  from  tribe  to  tribe  by  way  of  barter  back 
to  the   I'ar   interior.     Fearful  lest    his   guide    might 

'  W(!  )iV(  pni'cil  ii  st;i,c;i',  on  wliich  the  raiiDO  ^v.•^^^  jilacoil  liottom  iipw;in1s, 


mill  s'li.idril  liy  .'i  idvi'iiii  '  •  f  siiuiil  trees  and  IiimikIic-*,  to  k 


lier  tiiiiii  t!io 


mm.     Wo  tlicii  linilt  an  i 


lloll. 


nw  si|iiari',  ten 


feet  I 


)V  live, 


.f 


riM  u  hi'js 


whiTi-in  wc  jiLicimI  evi'i'varticli-it  was  ut'ci'saiiry  turns  tt  leave  here,  and  cov 
.crcd  the  whulc  with  larye  pieces  ol  tiniljcr.'  2I(u/c.  uzic  ^  '('//•)  -!'•>• 


692 


MACKENZIE'S  VOYAGE. 


desert,  ^Tackenzie  made  him  sleep  Avlth  him,  and  as 
liis  l()rdshi])'s  beaver  robe  was  full  of  vermin,  his  lieaj 
Avell  greased  with  fish-oil,  and  his  body  smeared  with 
red  earth,  he  was  not  the  i)leasantest  of  bedfellows. 

liefore  mid-day  of  the  Gth  they  came  to  the  junc- 
tion of  the  three  roads  from  the  great  river,  namely, 
that  from  Quesnelle,  or  tlie  Puntataeneut  liiver,  whieh 
they  llrst  intended  to  have  taken,  the  West  Road 
liiver  route,  and  the  trail  they  were  on,  and  which 
now  led  along  the  tta'races  near  lilackwater  bridge, 
witli  the  river  in  sight  but  beyond  reach. -^  The  niarcli 
for  the  day  was  south-west  ten  miles,  then  west  about 
twelve  Tiiiles. 

The  route  next  day  was  through  an  elevated  and 
partly  o[)en  countr}',  up  West  Road  Iii\-er  fourteen 
miles  t»j  Upper  Canon,  where  were  two  small  lakes, 
then  along  the  Iscultaesli  branch  twelve  miles,  a  por- 
ti<;ii  of  which  was  through  a  swamp,  to  where  the 
river  widens  into  a  lake. 

The  march  was  attended  with  frequent  showers  of 
rain,  the  bushes  continuing  to  shed  moisture  for  some 
time  after  the  clouds  had  ceased.  On  one  occasion  the 
connnander  requested  one  of  the  Indians  to  go  forward 
am]  beat  the  bushes  so  that  the  rest  with  their  heavy 
burdens  need  not  be  always  drenched.  The  free 
American  declined,  whereupon  Mackenzie  himself 
performed  the  task. 

As  the  rci^ion  was  destitute  of  game,  and  food 
would  l)e  retjuired  on  tlunv  return,  on  two  or  three 
occasions  pemican  was  buried  under  the  fireplace  when 
the  natives  were  not  })resent. 

Ci'ossing  south-westerly  to  the  main  channel  of  tlio 
lilackwater  on  the  8th,  they  passed  several  basins,  in 
some  of  which  was  water,  while  others  were  empty. 
Ten  mih^s  bnuight  them  to  an  expansion  of  the  river 
called  Kluscoil  Lake,  after  which  they  continued  west 

•^  Xcar  the  Dliickwatfi'  tlcpdt,  Imilt  l>y  the  raili'oail  snrvoyiiii,'  iini'ty  as  a 
station  (uv  bUiijilii'M.  An  illustiatfil  ilcwrii.tion  of  tlii.s  iilacc  may  I>u  fDiiud  in 
(I'lii'tjc  M.  L>uwi>ou\i  Ii'ijiort,  in  Htlwi/u's  Clcoloijaul  Harai/  of  Cuuadu,  lS!o~ii, 
2{i± 


TOWARD  THE  SEA. 


ca-( 


bv  south  ton  miles  and  cncanipcd,  liaving  been  in  tlio 
rain  throe  iburths  of  the  clay.  Twenty-ono  miles  were 
travelled  on  the  9tli,  the  latter  part  of  the  mai'cli 
beini^  along  Euchiniko  Lake,  anotlier  exjiansion  of  th(3 
river,  whieh  was  crossed  early  next  morning  on  a  raft. 
A  small  stream  fbnving  into  the  Blackwator  at  tiiis 
crossing,  from  the  south,  soon  expanded  as  they  as- 
cended it,  into  the  Cluscus  Lakes."*  This  day,  the 
lOtli,  the  distance  was  nineteen  miles,  and  the  en- 
campment for  tlie  night  a  little  beyond  Tsaelia  Lak'o.-' 

The  11  til  brought  them  past  Tsilbekuz  ]^ake,  the 
distance  being  fil'teen  miles,  in  which  wore  crossed 
seven  rivulets.  On  the  12t]i  thirty-six  miles  wen; 
made  in  a  more  southerly  direction,  round  swamj)s 
and  over  stony  ridges,  rising  toward  the  last  into  a 
clear  cold  altitude  with  snowy  mountains  on  every 
side.  Coming  upon  a  liousc  next  day,  the  inhabitants 
were  surprised  and  caj)turod;  but  their  ibars  were 
instantly  allayed  and  presents  given  them.  On  the 
1  jt\\  they  joined  a  party  journeying  the  same  way, 
with  whom  they  were  soon  on  intimate  tei-ms. 

The  wind  rose  to  a  tempest  on  the  17th,  and  par-t 
of  the  way  was  over  snow.  Descending  irom  the 
mountains  the  climate  was  quite  dilferent.  Maclcen/.ie 
now  found  himself  on  a  tril)utar3'  of  the  Behacoola,'' 
ibllowiu''  whicli  lie  came  late  at  nii>'ht  to  a  fork  of 
the  river  where  was  a  large  village.  Reckless  from 
fatigue,  ^lackenzie  prccetled  his  company,  and  entering 
witliout  ceremony  one  of  the  houses,  he  sliook  hands 
with  tlie  inmates,  threw  down  liis  burden,  and  sat  u|)on 
it.  The  people  manifested  not  the  least  surjirise,  hut 
soon  directed  him  to  the  town-house." 

Tiie    men  ari-iviuLj  soon  alter,   entered   the  larifo 

'*  Horc  lived  in  later  days  a  hv^  chief  cnllod  Fa\mio,  wlio  conducted  partii's 
in  any  direction,  and  for  whom  a  mountain  vaa  niimcd. 

'-'•'An  altitude  olttained  at  nuon  gave  Xi'  4'  l(J ',  wliicli  was  rcniarlial)ly 

COlTCct. 

'■'''  In  his  map  JIackcnzio  puts  down  this  fitrcani  as  Salmon  River.  Wliat  \!i 
now  Sahnon  River  tlow.s  into  the  ocean  a  little  noi"tli  of  tht;  lielliicoola. 

''''  Fur  full  descrii)tion  of  tliese  peupio,  their  dress,  houses,  uud  uustuins,  see 
Native  Iiucc.1,  i.  ehiip.  iii. 


C04 


MACKENZIE'S  VOYAGE. 


house,  where  were  several  fires,  and  scaMiij^  tlicm- 
selvcs  were  rei^alcd  with  roasted  sahiion.  Siij^ns  seem- 
ingly  denoting  permission  to  sleep  in  the  house  were 
made,  yet  not  hcing  sure,  and  fearful  of  offending  his 
entertainers,  ISfachenzie  ordered  a  fire  built  outside 
at  which  all  slept  soundly.  Tliis  i)lace  Mackenzie 
called  Friendly  Village.  Berries,  dried  roe,  and 
roasted  salmon  were  given  the  strangers  for  break- 
fast, after  which  Mackenzie  asked  and  obtained  two 
canoes  in  which  to  descend  tlie  river. 

In  the  afternoon  of  tliat  day,  which  was  the  1  8th, 
witli  seven  of  the  friendly  natives  and  tlie  little 
l;aggage  now  left,  the  party  iinbarked.  ^lackenzie 
thouglit  his  Canadians  expei-t  canoemen,  but  tlicy 
tliemsclves  were  forced  to  adnnt  that  tliese  savages 
were  in  this  respect  their  su[)eriors.  Arriving  at  a 
weir,  consisting  of  an  embankment  Avith  a  water-fall 
of  some  ten  feet,  and  having  their  fishing  ani)liances 

O  Oil 

l)oth  above  and  Selow  it,  the  natives  landed  the  white 
men,  and  shot  their  canoes  over  the  fall  without 
taking  in  a  drop  of  water. 

In  less  than  three  hours  the  natives  informed  tho 
eA])l()rcrs  that  they  were  approaching  another  village, 
and  that  before  reaching  it  they  nuist  land  and  notily 
the  inhabitants.  AlthouLjh  this  was  done,  and  couriers 
were  sent  forward  to  notily  them,  yet  so  seemingly  sud- 
den was  the  .appearance  of  the  strangers  that  the  town 
V.  as  thrown  into  confusion.  As  the  party  entered,  they 
saw  the  people  ruiming  from  house  to  house  with  loud 
and  vocil'erous  speech,  and  the  usual  antics,  feints, 
and  warlike  demonstrations  which  savages  employ  to 
('i»ver  fear. 

]^ut  when  the  leader  stejiped  boldly  forward  alono 
and  shook  hands  with  them,  thev  innnediatelv  calmed, 
and  laid  down  their  bows  and  arrows,  spears  and  axes, 
}v\cified.  Then  they  pressed  round,  hugging  and  heap- 
ing liim  with  compliments  until  lie  scarcely  knew 
which  he  enjoyed  least,  their  enmity  or  their  fi'iend- 
sliip.     After  the  ancients  of  the  nation  hud  fiuibhed 


ENTERTAIXMEXT  AXD  TRAVEL. 


their  cnibracings,  tlio  diief's  oldest  son  jippeared,  tlio 
crowd  making  way  for  liini,  and  sna[)i)iiig  the  string 
Avliieii  fastened  a  vahiable  sea-otter  robe  ho  threw  it 
over  the  white  chief's  shoulders.  This  was  the  highest 
honor  the  savage  could  pay  the  stranger.  JNIackenzio 
gave  him  a  bhmket  in  return.  Presents  were  al.'O 
given  to  the  chiefs. 

The  party  now  took  a  stroll  about  the  town.  Tlio 
houses  were  larger  and  finer  than  any  aboriginal  struct- 
ures they  had  hitherto  seen.  Entering  the  chief's 
liouso,  mats  were  spread,  and  the  strangers  having 
seated  themselves,  roasted  salmon  and  other  food  was 
j)laced  before  them.  But  desjtito  every  endeavor  they 
could  not  get  raw  fish  cooked  after  their  own  I'ashion, 
notwithstanding  the  stream  was  full  of  them  and  their 
rude  entertainers  were  ready  to  show  their  guests 
every  attention.  The  fish  did  not  like  strangers;  they 
wore  averse  to  iron;  the  white  chief  nmst  not  use  his 
astronomical  instruments;  flesh  must  not  be  allowed  in 
or  on  the  streams;  and  many  other  like  superstitions 
must  be  observed,  else  the  fish  would  go  away  and  the 
people  w^ould  starve. 

A  lodge  having  boon  prepared  for  the  accommoda- 
tion of  the  guests,  after  examining  the  many  points 
of  interest  about  the  place,  such  as  the  hieroglyphics 
and  contents  of  the  houses,  and  the  exten:>ive  fish 
catching  and  curing  processes,  they  retired  i'or  the 
night.  Before  they  were  asleep,  however,  the  chief 
came  to  ^[ackenzie  and  insisted  upon  h'.s  going  to  the 
chief's  bed  and  bedfellow,  wh'!''  he  should  take  the 
stranger's  place.     Such  was  tlielr  hos[)itality. 

Thouijh  some  distance  from  the  sea-coast,  those 
people  were  Intelligent  In  their  knowledge  of  what 
transpired  there.  A  large  canoe  was  shown  to  ^lac- 
kenzle,  in  which  he  said  the  chief  told  him  that  "about 
ten  winters  ago  he  went  a  considerable  distance 
towards  the  mid-day  sun,  with  forty  of  his  jieople, 
when  ho  saw  two  large  vessels  lull  of  such  men  as 
myself,  by  whom  he  was  kindly  received;  they  were, 


coo 


MACKFA'Zin.S  VOYACE. 


lie  said,  tlie  first  wliitt  ju'Dplo  lie  had  seen.  Tlicy  vcrc 
jtrohaMy  tli(?  s!ii[>s  coininaudcd  Ity  Captain  Cook." 

A,i;aiii  ill  ri-iiiarkiiijjf  on  tlio  iron,  c'oi)j)or,  and  hi  ass 
so  ]ii;^Iily  ])rizeil  hy  tlioni,  and  of  wiiicli  tlicy  liad 
luufli,  Ixitli  lor  use  and  ornament,  soinctinu'S  t\vistin_u^ 
iron  liars  of  t\vc'lve-])ound  wcij^dit  into  ornamental 
collars,  ^faekenzie  spoke  of  another  visit  to  this  same 
cliief,  when  ho  "oj)ened  one  of  his  chests  and  took  out 
of  it  a  garment  of  blue  cloth  (h'corated  with  brass  but- 
tons, and  another  of  a  ilowei'ed  cotton,  v.hi(  h  I  sup- 
])osed  were  S[)anish;  it  had  been  trimmed  with  leather 
frin.^'e  after  the  fashion  of  their  own  cloaks." 

When  the  party  "were  ready  to  start  down  the 
river,  ^Mackenzie  was  informed  that  one  ol'  the  a>;es 
Avas  missing.  He  inmiediately  re(piested  fiom  the 
chief  its  restoration.  "  J3ut  he  woukl  not  undiM'stand 
me,"  says  jMaekenzie,  "till  I  sat  myself  down  on  a 
stone,  with  my  arms  in  a  state  of  preparation,  and 
made  it  appear  to  him  that  I  should  not  depart  until 
the  stnjt'u  aj'tidc  W'as  restored.  The  villai^-e  was  im- 
mediately in  a  state  of  uproar,  and  some  dan;j^er  was 
apprehended  from  the  confusion  that  prevailed  in  it. 
The  axe,  however,  which  had  been  hidden  under  the 
chief's  canoe,  was  soon  returned.  ThoUL;li  this  instru- 
ment was  not,  in  itself,  of  suliicii-nt  valii(>  to  justify  a 
disput(3  with  those  people,  I  apprehended  that  the 
sutleriiiL''  them  to  keep  it,  alter  we  had  declared  its 
loss,  miiiht  have  occ-asioiied  the  loss  of  evervthiiiL;  wo 
carried  with  us,  and  of  our  lives  also.  j\Iy  peo[)lo 
Were  dissatisHed  with  me  at  the  moment;  but  I 
thou'jflit  mvsclf  riuht  then,  and  I  tliiidv  now  that  the 
circumstances  in  which  we  were  involve<l  justilied  the 
measure  which  1  adopted." 

I'iinbarkinLf  at  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the 
IDth  in  one  larijfe  cano(>  manned  by  lour  natives,  the 
party  left  the  (Jreat  Villajj^c;,  as  this  jilaci;  was  subse- 
(juently  called,  and  j)assed  ra[)idly  down  the  river. 
They  had  not  [)rocoeded  far  when  they  wi'io  obliged 
to  lantl  and  pay  their  respects  to  the  owner  of  two 


TIIK  KXT)  ATTAIXnn. 


607 


lioiises,  wlu)  bi'Iii^'  a  juTsona!;'*'  <»('  consofjucfici'  i(  was 
ilocnu.'d  ht'st  not  to  pass  him  l»y  iiiiiiotit'i'd.  1  Icro  tlioy 
wcro  t'litc'iiniiK'il  as  bofort",  and  many  J'^uroin-aii  ai'ti- 
clt's  shown  thcni,  ainoiii,'  others  f'oity  i)ounds  of  old 
cop|)(>r.  Proccfihii^,  another  hir;4e  lioiisi;  \\.is  soon 
I'eached,  thcii'  last  host  jiceoinitanvin<'  them.  ]Ii'i'o 
M'as  seen  lor  tlu;  first  time  by  the  visitors  the  famous 
nnderlij)  ornament.'-*  For  tho  1  rries  lure  placed 
before  them  the  travellers  made  rerompense  in  pres- 
('iits.  Onrv  more  embarkinLX,  thev  lind  the  swift  cur- 
rent  sejiaratin!^  itself  into  channels  as  tlu  y  a[)proacli 
its  mouth.  After  shootin;^  a  cascade  thiy  canu^  to  a 
fall,  where  they  left  the  canoe  ami  carried  their  bai^- 
^^a'jfo  on  to  a  villMLje  of  six  largo  houses  on  [)osts 
twenty-five  fet't  hiijfh,  ha\inLj  com]>leted  thii'ty-slx: 
miles  that  afti'i'noon.  Here  they  could  scm'  the  mouth 
of  the  river  and  an  arm  of  the  sea.  Tlie  few  ])eo[)lo 
they  found  hermvere  poor,  unable  to  ofler  the  visitors 
u  single  lish  for  their  supper,  AvhereU)'oii  the  renmants 
of  the  last  meal  M'ere  brought  out.  The  loss  at  this 
place  of  their  dog,  who  had  atrcompanied  them  from 
Athabasca,  was  gi'catly  ivgretted. 

Very  early  next  morning  they  set  out  in  a  still 
larger  though  leaky  canoe,  accom])anied  l)y  only  two 
ol'  the  natives  from  the  Oi'eat  X'illagt",  the  others 
refusinLi"  to  ijroceed.     They  were  shortly  at  the  mouth 

v"  1  1/  »y 

of  the  liver,  and  soon  i)ast  the  place  whicji  they  felt 
constrained  subsequently  to  call  IJaacals' A'illage;  and 
at  eight  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  'JOth  of  July 
17i).'),  Alexander  ^Fackenzie  and  his  parly  found  IIhiu- 
selves  alloat  on  the  title-waters  of  the  J*a(ilic.  J  Lero 
was  theii'  object  attained;   the  goal  was  won! 

])entinck  \orth  Ann,  this  water  was  afterward 
named.  And  it  was  not  a  i)leasln'''  si«j:ht  tliat  ijfreeted 
them  after  tlieir  devott'd  toil;  not  so  ulitterinij' as  that 
which  sent  \'asco  Xuhez  and  his  comi-ades  to  their 
knees  on  the  hill  overlookinj*"  this  sanu;  f)cean  liv(5 
thousand  miles  to  the  southward,  and  two  hundred 

''"Hoe  2^'ativc  liaccs,  i,  98, 


098 


MACKKNZIK'S  VOYAOB. 


and  ri^liiy  yours  l>('r()j'(\  TIkto  were  no  (\;\<ryi  or  pen- 
nons ilyinij,  no  wadinj^  into  tlio  NvatiT  willi  di'uwu 
sword,  no  iightin^  of  imaginary  f'oc>s,  no  dcclaniatioii 
to  tho  winds  and  waves  about  the*  ownorshii)  of  that 
<|nartc'r  of  (Jod's  earth.  lOxploiation  had  l)iconie  a 
sobi.'rer  thing  in  tlio  course  of  three  eentuiies. 

Spread  out  before  these  northern  fur-trachirs,  who 
had  Ventured  so  far  to  see  what  tliis  gi'eat  Noi"tIi\\\  st 
was  made  of,  was  a  broad  uncovered  beadi,  ch-ipping 
witli  sea-weeds.  A  thick  foi;  shut  out  the  surround- 
ing  liills.  Sea  and  sk}"^  Mere  murky  and  opaque.  A 
strong  west  wind  cliiUed  both  hhxxl  and  s[»ints.  There 
were  many  seals,  so  (piick  of  moveini'iit  as  almost  to 
dodge  the  bullets  sent  after  them.  Onl}^  some  small 
por[»oises  si^emed  willing  to  l)e  shot.  In  the  distance 
was  the  white-headed  ea<rh>  whii^h  had  come  with  them 
IVom  the  interior  to  see  the  ocean,  and  neann*  gulls 
and  ducks,  both  diminutive,  and  some  dismal  dai'k 
birds  of  evil  omen,  smaller  than  the  small  gulls.  To 
(town  all,  as  the  day  wore  away  the  wind  rose  and 
tiie  sea  grew  buist'-nnis,  so  that  after  a  voyage  of  ten 
miles  IVom  ti'e  entrance  of  the  river  tlu^y  wi're  oblig(>d 
to  land  their  leaky  canoe  in  a  small  bay,  opposite 
another  small  bay  in  which  was  an  island,  and  (tarry 
ashore  their  scanty  stock  of  provisions,  consisting  now 
of  twenty  pounds  of  pemican,  fifteen  pounds  of  rice, 
and  six  pounds  of  flour,  for  ten  half-starved  njen  U})oii 
a  savage  shore,  with  a  thousand  miles  of  wilderness 
between  them  and  security. 

The  Canadians  did  not  take  kindly  to  the  mussels 
and  other  shell-fish  whicli  they  now  gathered  and 
boiled.  One  of  the  natives  who  had  accompanied 
them  from  the  Great  Village,  and  who  had  started  lor 
home  some  time  before,  returned  about  dark,  bringing 
with  him  a  large  porcu})ine,  whi"h  he  cut  in  })ieces, 
boiled,  and,  with  the  assistance  of  two  of  the  Cana- 
dians, wholly  devoured  before  retiring  for  the  night. 
From  this  circumstance  Mackenzie  called  the  place 
Porcupine  Cove. 


SUIIVKY  OF  THK  COAST. 


GOO 


l^lll).*u•l<iM,^•  iicxl  iiKM'iiinn'Jiii.l  salliiiLjsdiitli-wostcrly, 
tlicy  caiin;  to  the  Point  .Mfiiz'u's  of  Xaiicouvft',  and 
foasU'd  the  land  calk-d  by  that  na\  inator  King  Island, 
mt'C'ting  in  tlu-ir  voyaj^i'  scvi-ral  boat  loads  of  nativt-s 
who  jiad  had  familiar  intcicouisc  wilh  white  men, and 
manifisti<l  ncithor  fuar  nor  curiotsity  at  the  appearance 
of  the  .sti'angi'rs. 

Enterlnjj;'  N'aneouver's  Cascade.'  Canal,  they  woe 
j;reatly  annoyed  by  the  Indians,  who  here  assume''  an 
jirroLjiiiiL  tone  and  threatened  an  attaek.  One  man 
made  himself  si)ecially  obnoxious,  haviniL;"  been  beaten 
and  shot,  as  he  said,  by  A'aueouver.  Thi;  little  ban<l 
jii'i'[)ared  to  defend  themselves,  the  comman«!ci"  n- 
iusing  to  yield  one  iota  to  the  im[)ortunities  of  his 
companions  to  (juit  the  place  until  he  had  satisfied 
himself. 

The  westernmost  point  of  this  memorable  jom-ncy 
was  here  attained."  IjandinjL;'  at  a  j)lace  which  fiom 
the  distance  looked  like  sheds,''"  but  on  nearer  ap- 
proach provi'd  to  be  the  ruins  of  a  village,  ^Mackenzie, 
the  better  to  del'end  himself  from  the  natives,  whost- 
numbei's  and  boldness  were  constantly  increasin<j[,  tool; 
his  j)osition  on  a  rock,  which  was  none  too  laige  to 

-*'riio  course  since  U'livinj;  tlio  mouth  of  Ik'lliicoola  River,  rccapituliited, 
is  as  iV'llow.s:  l)()\vu  JjciitiiRl;  Arm  or  llurko  (  anjil  some  'J.')  milcH  towiu.l 
the  .sea;  tlicii  crossed  over  l)y  a  eluiiilU'l  in  ii  iiortli-westcrly  direction,  haviii;^ 
Kiii;^'  Island  on  the  left,  to  Dean  <'anal;  followed  down  Dean  Canul  to  tliu 
Westward  about  six  miles  to  the  point  win  re  the  ('a.scitde  t-'anal  joins  it, 
eomin;,'  in  from  the  north-west.  Followeil  up  the  Cascade  Canul  tlirce  milts 
to  tht^  sheds  near  the  rock  on  which  he  placeil  the  inscription,  mid  then  tiirce 
miles  faitlier  to  his  astronomiial  station.  It  is  W(jit!iy  of  remark  that  on  all 
the  old  majis  the  passa;,'e  tiom  ]»iirke  Canal  to  J  lean  Canal  is  reiircscnted  as  ;i 
hroad  channel,  while  on  iccent  maps  it  is  put  down  as  a  narrtjw  channel  or 
sloiif^h.  The  old  maps  are  all  bused  on  N'ancouver's,  and  the  modern  ones 
on  Admiralty  charts. 

'■'•'  It  was  iluring  the  lust  ilaya  of  May  and  the  first  dajs  of  .Tunc  170.'{,  less 
than  two  months  prior  to  .MacUi'nxie's  a|ipearanci>  on  this  shore,  tliat  Van- 
couver was  here  surveying  these  same  inU  ts.  SjieakinL,',  witii  the  sheds  in 
8ij;ht,  of  infurmution  received  from  a  n;ili\e  eonei  ruin^,'  \'ancouver's  visit, 
Mackenzie,  I'c.'/.,  'M'>,  .says:  'At  sonu^  distance  from  the  land  a  ehanuel 
openeil  to  us,  ut  south-west  by  west,  and  pointin;^  tliat  way  he  made  me  un- 
tlerslanil  that  Jlacuhah  came  there  with  his  largi!  c.niot.'  This  same  hav;igo 
asserted  that  Macul>ah,  as  he  I'ulled  N'aneouver,  lia<l  tired  upon  him,  and  that 
'lieniinshud  struck  him  on  the  buck  with  the  llat  jiart  of  his  sword.'  No 
now  pi'ovcd  extremely  troublesome  to  Ma(kenzii\  on  whom  he  woidd  bo 
greatly  i)leuscd  to  take  revenge  for  insults  received  ut  tlic  liunds  of  the  other 
white  men. 


700 


^I ACKENZIirs  VOY AG E. 


acconinKHliitc  lils  little  force.  The  day  p.issod,  ]iow- 
ovei',  without  ;m  attack,  uiid  theii^  they  sj)ent  the 
ui^lit  ol'  the  21st,  keepiiiy;  u  carcl'iil  watch  iii  turn, 
two  at  a  time. 

The  next  ihiy  the  sky  was  dearer,  and  ]\rackeiizio 
ohtained  more  sutisl'actory  observations.'*^  .^ii\in«^ 
some  vermilion  in  nulted  j;'rease,  ^lacken/.ie  now 
mariced  in  larj^e  lettei-s  on  the  south-east  side  of  t\\o. 
rock  on  which  they  had  sle[)t  the  |)i'evious  night,  these 
words:  Ali;xani»';u  ArAcivHNZiK,  from  (^anada,  itv  land, 
THH  twi:my-si:co.\1)  uv  July,  one  thousaxd  sevkx  iil'n- 
i)Ki:i)  ANi>  mm:tv-thui:e. 

For  the  pmposc  of  completing  his  ohscrvations, 
Mackenzie  proceeded  north-east  three  miles  farther 
and  landed  in  a  little  cove.  The  only  ri'maining  In- 
diau  from  the  (ireat  A'illage  now  aiiempt cd  t.)  escape, 
hut  was  brought  back  by  Mackenzie,  who  r  -(jUested 
liis  men  to  guard  him,  l)Ut  they  pei'em])torIly  refused 
to  em])loy  Ibrce  in  di'taining  him,  and  ^lackenzie  was 
liimself  obliged  to  watch  him. 

'^i'he  object  of  tin;  expedition  being  now  attained, 
]Macken//ie  set  out  from  this  point  on  his  long  return. 
As  the  situation  was  both  unpleasastt  and  dangeious, 
the  party  embarked  at  ten  o'clock  that  night,  the  'JlNI. 
In  lea\  ing  those  shores  the  men  [)lied  their  oars  lust- 
ily, for  they  were  luidly  fiightened.  The  return  was 
by  tile  rouie  they  came;  and  at  half  j»ast  four  next 
moiiiini''  tlu'V  ariivetl  at  l*orcuiiine  Cove,  ))assin<.'' 
which  they  came  to  the  mouth  of  the  IJellacoola.  Oi,' 
leaving  the  bay,  the  exploiter  named  it  Mackenzie 
OutK't. 

Vet  more  in;min(>nt  danger  awaited  them  at  Kas- 
rals'  X'illage.  It  seems  that  the  savage  who  had  Ik'i'Ii 
chastised  by  V.'ucouver  was  tlvere,  stirring  U})  emnity 
against  vhe  strangers,  so  that  wh/n  Mackenzie,  in 
older  to  keep  pace  with  the  Indian  whose  escape  he 


■''Tlicsd  asti'onoiiiii'al  olworva lions,  li(;\\cvt'i'  sati  t' ,  iti;,'  to  till'  ('X]>lc)ivr, 
vt'iT  ol'  Hull'  unti  to  bc'ituco  or  to  hiatory,  other  tliuii  to  dotcnuinc  iiositively 
Mucki'ii/:ii''ii  roulo. 


THE  RETURN. 


•701 


Ji;ui  prevoited  the  day  before,  very  iniprudeiitly  pre- 
ccd(!d  lii.s  moil,  lie  loiind  the  villii,i;ers  arined  ami  in 
in(  iiaciiitj^  attitudes.       T\ 


nowiii'''  (l(t\vn 


O'l,' 
hzie 


ill 

he 


loror, 
lively 


liis  cloak,  he 
aised  hi^  gtiu,  whei-eiipoii  the  Indians  droiipod  their 
(l;j<r<re;-s.  Xevertheless  they  eontinue(l  to  jid\;in«-e 
until  one  <4'  *heni  succeeded  in  <«ettin'>"  i)ehind  ]\rac- 
kenzic>,  \vl  en  he  Ihrew  his  arms  ahout  him  and  In  Id 
liini  in  liostile  emhrace.  Coolness  and  hravi  ly  alone 
saved  the  wlude  ]'arty  from  destruction.  'I'he  ex- 
])lorer  could  have  killed  tv  o  or  thivc  of  them,  hut  Ik; 
Would  soon  have  been  ovi  I'ome  by  munbers,  and  his 
men  iiii^^Iit  easily  have  been  disposed  of  one  by  oiu' 
as  they  came  up.  Finally  he  sui-ceeded  in  shrikini^ 
himself  from  the  Indian's  ,!jfrasp,  and  as  some  (;t  his 
men  nov.'  appeared,  the  savaj^fs  lled."^ 

]Maekenv;ie  had  lost  his  hat  and  doak  in  the  scufile; 
besiiles,  at  this  same  ]Jasc;ds'  ^'ill;^^■t>  on  tlu-ir  way 
down,  some  articles  had  Ixnn  stolen;  and  now  that 
Ids  Scotch  blood  v.as  up  Ik^  deti'rmined  to  have  every- 
thiu;;"  restort-d  before  he  left  the  place.  Oidi-ini^  his 
ujeu  t.)  ]>rime  their  <jfnn.<,  the  jiarly  drew  up  bef  ire 
th(!  liou^.(!  in  which  the  xiila'^eis  had  taken  r -fu'^*!. 
J'^inally  the  man  whom  ^lacken/ie  had  ])re\  io,;:  ly 
e-uariled  came  out  and  said  that  the  \  ill;;;;-e!',s  had 
been  informed  that  the  white  men  had  killed  ibur 
Imlians  in  the  bay,  and  had  ill-treated  others.  The 
ki;ov/lev!^.  of  this  iidsehood  broU'^ht  from  Mac!;en/.ie 
a  fre.;h  (leWiand  for  the  stolen  aitides,  to^'eth<'i'  with 
soiiio  fish.  These  condilit»ns  of  his  de])artui"e  the 
natives  (:)mplied  with,  and  a  rt.-conciliation  to'>i;  place. 
Th(>  Indian  I'rom  the  (Jreat  A'illa^c,  howi'V  ; ,  could 
not  b'  induced  ti»  jnin  them,  and  they  follovve  I  liim 
up  th;'  riser  in  anoi  !n'r  canoe. 

Th((   a. .cent    «if   the   stream   was   (edittus;    and   on 

"-'  'It  v.i'is,  linwcvcr,  tiinvMiiIsipf  ten  iiiiimtcs  In  fnrcall  my  IH^'iplo  joiiu'il  lin' ; 
niul  as  tlicy  iiimc  <)iu<  iilifr  tin'  (itlur,  llnsi'  jvupli!  mi  'lit  li.ivii  ;nic'i'c> fully 
(li'--|iairlu(l  I'vciy  1)111'  iif  us.  If  till  y  Iriil  Killiil  iin'  in  tln'  lii-.it  instiiiic'  tliin 
run  ciini  ;i'\'  uoiilil  i  citiiiiily  li.ivc  lull(i\»  i  il,  iiml  n-it  oih!  nf  ii.s  wmiM  Iihvd 
niaiiifii  lioiiiu  tu  till  tlif  hyn ill  futt'  ul  liij  loiuiiuuii^u.s,'  tMuckiuzii'n  loi/., 
yjil  J. 


!»IACKEXZIE'S  VOYAGE. 


JuRliiii^  fi'osh  alarm  was  caused  by  the  appearance  of 
isavages  supposed  to  be  uniViendly.  The  men  became 
jianic-stricken,  and  throwinj^  their  superlhious  ellects 
into  the  river,  swore  thty  would  take  to  the  moun- 
tains. One  of  the  Indians  they  liatl  bi-ought  with 
ihem  liaving  been  aeized  with  illness,  they  proposed  to 
abandon  him. 

For  a  time  !Maelconzio  sat  upon  a  stone  waitinj^  for 
ilie  subsidence  of  this  demonstration  of  insane  terror. 
J  Jut  when  he  saw  them  continue  in  earnest  he  arose 
and  rebuked  their  foil}'  and  inhumanity  in  the  severest 
terms.  Finally  their  fears  were  overcome,  and  the 
])arty  proceeded,  i)art  on  shore  and  part  by  canoe. 
In  much  nlarm,  though  without  serious  accident,  the 
white  men  succeeded  in  finally  extricating  themsclvi-s 
i'rom  their  perilous  position  and  reaching  the  Friendly 
A'illage  in  safety. 

Continuing  their  journey,  they  arrived  at  Frnser 
Kiver  the  4tli  of  August,  just  one  month  after  leaving 
it,  and  found  their  canoe  and  all  their  cflects  undis- 
iurbed.  The  buried  pemican  did  excellent  servici',  as 
the  weather  was  now  cold  and  the  stremifth  of  the  men 
well  nigh  exhausted.  So  long  had  they  been  without 
s[)iritous  li(juor  that  they  seemed  to  have  lost  all  relisli 
lor  it.  For  respecting  the  white  man's  property  the 
luitives  were  well  lewardetl,  though  they  might  as 
easily  have  taken  the  whole  of  it  had  they  been  so 
disposed. 

The  IGtli  of  August  saw  them  at  the  poi-tngo 
between  the  tributaries  of  the  Fraser  and  Peace 
rivers.  At  the  mouth  of  a  small  stream  were  found 
three  beaver-skins,  lelt  tlu're  by  the  young  Indian  who 
luul  presented  them  to  tlu>  white  chief  on  his  outward 
j(MU'ney;  ]\[ackenzie  took  theni,  leaving  in  their  place 
thrice  their  value. 

At  last,  rounding  the  point  on  Peace  Piver  Satur- 
day afternoon,  the  24th  of  August  17'.>.'),  they  sighted 
Fork  Foit,  which  they  had  let't  the  Otli  of  May  pre- 
vious.     Unfurling  their  flag  and   tiring  their  guns. 


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708 


nmi.lst  .s!,„„ts  of  J  ,.  t,„,i,  ,-,,,i|  1,^,,.,,  f, 

the  position  of  tador.  ^''^■l-"y'"'  -"I  i'-umcl 

M.^l"","'^'  *''«."'»">'  "]»''li"<=>5   I  fi.Kl  in  Alex,.,,,,!.,- 

•,  ,   .    •  I      '  ^  }']'^""'  S""!'^'.  «lio  but  f...  f  1,0  .,.v,.,v 
.       .so  f-<  ony,„g  labor  of  tbo  conm,a»,lo,-,  «l,o«o'  , ,  . 
'■luscl  tl,o,r  l.enrty  assistance,  ,u«st  hao  b,     .     . 
to  pomb  a,„on,^st  bis  f,,..s_an  act  wortby  ,  '       i,. . 
c'onanondafon  tban  cvcu  his  grand  oxoursl.n    — 


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